Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities
Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities
Happy African American teacher and small boy giving high-five during art class at kindergarten

Online Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Learn the specialized role of consulting in early childhood settings from experts in the field.

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The Online Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) provides advanced training for mental health clinicians in the specialized role of IECMHC in early childhood settings. You’ll learn approaches to promote mental health in the early childhood years and how the role of IECMH consultant is unique from other mental health clinician roles, as well as how consultation aims to build the capacity of early childhood professionals, settings, and systems to support young children’s mental health.

You’ll engage with national experts in the field of IECMHC and instructors from Thrive Center for Children, Families and Communities at  Georgetown University, home of the Center of Excellence in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. All faculty have created, implemented, evaluated or and guided national IECMHC programs. You’ll leave the program equipped with the knowledge needed to effectively support well-being for young children, families, and professionals in early childhood settings in the consultant role. You will also develop a network in the field to promote and support your professional development.

Program at a Glance


Learning Outcomes


Upon successful completion of the certificate, you will be able to:

“The Thrive Center at Georgetown University, formerly the Center for Child and Human Development, has been the national leader in infant and early childhood mental health consultation for decades, and participants benefit from the faculty’s extensive experience in delivering and evaluating consultation services. Completion of this certificate recognizes a student’s specialized training in both promoting mental health for young children as well as the unique role consultation plays in building the capacity of early childhood settings.”

Neal Horen, Ph.D., Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Curriculum & Schedule


During the Fall 2025 semester, professional development and certificate classes will consist of a Live Online class and asynchronous online assignments. Live classes are taught in real-time by Georgetown instructors using Zoom video conferencing. Asynchronous online assignments are completed through Canvas, our learning management system, and can be completed at your own pace. Certificate programs are designed to provide our professional learners with a high-quality, engaging educational experience.

For more information, please contact Program Support: IECMH-Certificates@georgetown.edu .

The Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is offered in a Flex Learning environment using live Zoom video conferencing to mirror a more traditional classroom with regular interaction, engaging activities, and the dynamic exploration of topics and concepts.

Syllabus

This module will provide an introduction to IECMHC, including the history and development of IECMHC, goals and purpose of IECMHC, frameworks that guide IECMHC, and an overview of theories of change. An introduction to consultation and differentiating consultation from therapy will also be provided.

This module will cover key principles and goals for program evaluation. This will include an overview of key findings from the IECMHC evidence base, as well as key considerations for designing a program evaluation. 

This module will focus on providing applied examples of how assessment is used in consultation. This will include identifying key areas for assessment to facilitate consultation, learning commonly used assessment measures, and selecting appropriate assessment measures for consultation.

This module will focus on the phases and components of the consultation process. It will include information on messaging and engaging programs and families. Sample components and processes of a state-wide consultation program will be shared.

This module will outline the provision of consultation services, including areas of consultation focused at the child, classroom, and programmatic level. It will also outline the consultation process. Continued definition of the role of the consultant will be emphasized. Partnerships with families and engaging families in consultation will be discussed. We will also introduce the connection of IECMHC to broader early childhood systems. 

This module will focus on the role of the consultant in promoting and supporting equity. This will include a focus on  how culture (beliefs, values, attitudes, biases, and experiences), equity, and environment shape relationships and behaviors, and how they influence settings and communities in important and meaningful ways.

The module will provide an overview of Trauma-Informed Practice in the context of consultation with early childhood programs. Interpersonal and collective trauma impacts how systems function, relate, and operate. As early childhood consultants, we are uniquely positioned to build relationships within a system, help them grow in their awareness of the impact of trauma, and work towards preventing, identifying, and addressing secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma in their staff.

This module will focus on an overview of the approach, structure, and frequency of reflective supervision for high quality IECMHC provision.

This session will focus on looking back and looking ahead. We will take time to reflect on what has been accomplished over the past nine months and think ahead for everyone’s professional development plans. We will apply, synthesize, and review all that has been introduced since the beginning of the course. Students will have the opportunity to discuss in small groups, ask questions, network, and feel prepared to utilize gains from this certificate!

What Is Live Online Learning?


Live online instruction is enhanced by incorporating various instructional practices and technology tools. Features such as Zoom video conferencing, breakout rooms, and chat allow for real-time interaction and collaboration among learners. Tools like Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Canvas Groups facilitate teamwork and information sharing within the learning community. Polling, surveys, and threaded discussion boards promote active engagement and the expression of opinions. It is important to foster social respect, privacy, and incorporate Jesuit values to create a supportive and inclusive online environment. By utilizing these practices and tools effectively, live online instruction can be engaging, interactive, and conducive to meaningful learning experiences.

Faculty


Directors

Jennifer Drake-Croft

Research Instructor

Neal Horen

Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Director of Infant, Early Childhood and Relational Health, Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities

Karyn Hartz-Mandell

Adjunct Lecturer – SCS CCPE | Evaluator

Lauren Rabinovitz

Project Director

Guest Faculty

Headshot of Vilma Reyes.

Dr. Vilma Reyes is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco in the Child Trauma Research Program. Since 2009, she has been providing Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) services, training, clinical supervision, consultation and coordinating community-based mental health outreach services and evaluation. She is a national trainer in CPP and has co-authored articles and chapters on CPP theory and application.

Headshot of Kadija Johnson.

Kadija Johnston, LCSW, is a clinical social worker who has been a practitioner in the field of infant and early childhood mental health since 1985. The approach she developed as the Director of the Infant- Parent Program at UCSF serves as a model for other organizations, locally, nationally and internationally. Ms. Johnston is also active in local and national organizations involving infancy and early childhood mental health. In addition to numerous articles, Ms. Johnston also co- authored the book Mental Health Consultation in Child Care: Transforming Relationships with Directors, Staff, and Families.

Headshot of Annie Davis Schoch.

Dr. Annie Davis Schoch is a research scientist in early childhood at Child Trends. Annie conducts research and evaluation projects on early childhood services, focusing on program quality and access as mechanisms for enhancing equity and improving developmental trajectories. She has a particular emphasis on integrating mental health services into other service settings, with specific expertise in infant and early childhood mental health consultation. Annie completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Delaware and her PhD at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She has co-authored a range of peer-reviewed papers, evaluation reports, manuals, and scholarly presentations.

Headshot of Brandy Fox.

Brandy Fox, LCSW, IECMH-E®, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Master of Social Work degree from Temple University, a post-graduate certificate in Autism Studies from Penn State, and Chatham University’s Infant Mental Health Certificate. She is the Director of Cross-Sector IECMH Initiatives for the Pennsylvania Key and is also currently the President of the Pennsylvania Association for Infant Mental Health and serves as the Endorsement Coordinator for the association. All her roles, both paid and volunteer, are focused on promoting cross-sector collaborations and strategies on infant and early childhood mental health policy and practice.

Headshot of Evandra Catherine.

Dr. Evandra Catherine is the Director of Disability and Mental Health Policy at the Children’s Equity Project. She works with state and national leaders to build and sustain equitable early intervention and early childhood special education systems for children, birth to five, and their families. She also works with national and state professional development and technical assistance providers to advance equity in early care and learning programs through infant and early childhood mental health consultation. Dr. Catherine is also currently a fellow in the Young Scholars Program, sponsored by the Foundation for Child Development.

Headshot of Sherryl Scott Heller

Dr. Heller’s broad focus is infant mental health, with reflective supervision and processing being one of her major areas of focus. She is currently involved with Tulane’s TIKES program, which provides infant and early childhood mental health consultation to childcare programs statewide. Dr. Heller is also the director of the Tulane Early Childhood Relationships Support and Services, a home visiting program, affiliated with the Fussy Baby Network, which supports caregivers who are struggling with their infant or toddler. Dr. Heller also presents regionally, nationally, and internationally on topics such as: the DC:0-5, early childhood mental health, mental health consultation, the Fussy Baby Network model, and reflective practice.

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How to Apply
Fall Cohort



The Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is a selective program with a competitive admissions process. For each cohort, an application review committee offers admission to a select and diverse group of students to enrich the classroom experience. A completed application will include the following documents:


Application Dates

Program Prerequisites


Education

Experience


International Students


A TOEFL examination is not required for non-native speakers of English. Still, students are expected to read, write, and comprehend English at the graduate level to fully participate in and gain from the program.

Students from most countries may register for our online certificate programs, however, due to international laws, residents of certain countries are prohibited from registering.

Tuition & Funding


The Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation has a limited number of tuition scholarship that may be available, please indicate on your application if you are interested in a scholarship.

Noncredit professional certificates do not qualify for federal financial aid, scholarships, grants, or needs-based aid. However, several finance and funding options do exist, as listed below.

Contact Us


For questions about the program, please contact: IECMH-Certificates@georgetown.edu .

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