Infant-Preschooler Mental Health Certificate
The California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant International University offers integrated, interdisciplinary training in the highly specialized field of infant preschooler mental health. There is a critical need for professionals who can support, evaluate, intervene early, and treat the mental health needs of young children and their families in many settings, including primary health care, early care and education, foster care, and home-visiting services.
QUICK LINKS TO HELPFUL INFORMATION
- Download the IPMH program application here
- IPMH Certificates Overview
- List of IPMH Instructors
- IPMH and California Endorsement
• Course Descriptions Mapped to Endorsement
• Table and Chart linking IPMH Certificates & Endorsement - FAQ’s for Alliant Clinical Graduate Students
- Questions? Contact Chelsiah Price:
IPMHadmission@alliant.edu or 559-253-2215
California has developed a comprehensive system of guidelines for the mental health training of all providers who work with infants and very young children and their families - the Infant-Family/Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement. Alliant’s IPMH Certificates are based on and exceed these guidelines.
There are two training tracks for the Infant-Preschooler Mental Health Certificate with overlap in curriculum coursework:
- The Specialist Track coursework is for post-graduate mental health practitioners and affiliated professionals as well as graduate students engaged in a program of study leading to a clinical practice degree.
- A new certificate is available for Core Providers providing early intervention - post-baccalaureate and above. Designed for adult learners who are working full-time, most courses meet on evenings and weekends.
Specialist Track:
- Fundamentals of IPMH Certificate (8 units/160 CE hours) – Fundamentals of IPMH from
an Ecosystemic perspective
- Fundamentals of Infant Mental Health (3 units)
- Fundamentals of Preschooler Mental Health (3 units)
- Diagnostic Systems in IPMH (DC:0-3R)
- Parent Child Relationship Assessment - Certificate in Infant Preschooler Mental Health (15 units/300 CE hours) – Meets coursework
requirements for California's IF/ECMH Specialist Endorsement
- All of the Fundamentals of IPMH courses (8 units), plus...
- Risk & Resiliency in IPMH (2 units)
- Biopsychosocial Factors in IPMH (2 units)
- Advanced IPMH (2 units)
- Reflective Process Seminar (1 unit)
Core Provider Track:
- (New) Certificate in Infant Preschooler Early Intervention (8 units/160 CE hours)
– Meets coursework requirements for California's IF/ECMH Core Provider Endorsement)
- Fundamentals of Infant Mental Health (3 units)
- Risk & Resiliency in IPMH (2 units)
- Reflective Process Seminar (1 unit)
- Fundamentals of Preschooler Early Intervention (2units)
Elective Coursework for Graduate Degree Students
CSPP graduate students in MFT or Clinical Psychology degree programs may take IPMH coursework as clinical electives. Graduate students seeking to complete the Certificate in IPMH will need to complete the 1-unit Reflective Process Seminar as an IPMH class separate from their clinical electives. (See FAQs for Clinical Graduate Students, above.) Contact Dr. Sue Ammen , Program Director, for details.
Location of Classes
Courses are currently available in Fresno, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego and
San Francisco, with plans for future cohorts in other locations in California and
beyond. Some coursework is available through web-based instruction that can be taken
from any location with Internet access.
Cost of Courses
$400 per unit
Tuition costs do not include costs of books for courses.
Continuing Education/Endorsement
All courses receive graduate credit and are approved for continuing education credit
for psychologists, MFTs, LCSWs and RNs in California. Some courses also meet play
therapy continuing education credit through the Association for Play Therapy.
Coursework and training experiences are designed to meet the requirements for California’s IFECMH Specialist Endorsement. However, actual Endorsement requires application to and approval by the California
IFECMH Endorsement Committee.
Admission to IPMH Certificates Program & Enrollment in IPMH Coursework
Contact IPMH Admissions: ipmhadmission@alliant.edu
Initial application fee is $45.
Additional Information and Questions
Director of IPMH Certificates Program: Dr. Sue Ammen. sammen@alliant.edu or 303.810.0759.
Coordinator of Southern California Region: Dr. Lily Cosico-Berge, lcosico-berge@alliant.edu or 858.220.5657
Coordinator of Northern California Region: Dr. Beth Limberg, blimberg@alliant.edu or 916.215.1893