Practical Certificate in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Become An Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Join our founding cohort in June. Questions? Contact us

A Black child and his father speak to a person who is just out of frame

Program At A Glance

Founding Cohort:
250 Spots Available

Duration:
4 months (June – Oct 2026)

Format:
Hybrid (Self-paced + Live)

Tuition:
$2,500, Founding Cohort discount

Every Early Care, Education and Home Visiting Program Can Use More Consultation

Our research on the state of IECMH and consultation revealed three themes:

Quality

Right now, there’s no national standard for who can be an IECMH consultant. Programs either pay for a fully licensed clinician with early childhood experience (that they can’t afford), or make do with who’s available.

“We had limited choices and had to take who would come.”

Practicality

There are excellent foundational programs but they’re very theoretical. There’s a need for a maximally practical program that teaches classroom realities, teacher trust building and navigating the day-to-day.

“Even after training, consultants often feel unprepared for day-one work.”

Affordability

In the current funding environment, there’s a need for affordable pathways into consultation as well as post graduation supervision, mentorship, and ongoing training.

“I can’t justify many thousands of dollars in training when I’m making $50k/year.”

The Standard of Competence

Maximizing the reach and impact of consultation by training, certifying, and developing the next generation of consultants.

Maximizing AccessibilitySelf-paced modules coupled with weekly virtual sessions.
5-6 hours weekly time commitment.

Day-1 Readiness & BeyondCompetency-based training.
Readiness verified using simulated scenarios.
Ongoing supervision post-graduation.

Built by the Field’s LeadersLed by Dr. Neal Horen and the Center of Excellence team.
Rooted in decades of research and field work.

Opening More Paths to Consultation

Not everyone enters from the same starting point. We meet you where you are.

Mental Health Pathway

For Mental Health Clinicians Looking to add the consultation skillset.

First, learn the ins and outs of early childhood settings, roles and routines so you can consult with credibility from your first visit even if you’ve never set foot in a classroom before. Then, learn the competencies of effective consultation.

ECE Pathway

For: Early Childhood Teachers & Directors

First, gain foundational knowledge in attachment, trauma, child mental health, and clinical observation to understand the behavioral and emotional underpinnings of what you’re seeing. Then, learn the competencies of effective consultation

“Grow Your Own” Consultants

Many Head Start and childcare programs want supplement external consultants with internal capacity. Why?

They know your program and children best, Developing internally reduces turnover, Higher consultation capacity at lower price

“Building internal capacity matters. Let’s ‘grow our own’ consultants.” – Head Start Collaboration Office Director

What You’ll Master: 8 Core Domains

This 4-month program covers the validated competencies that define effective IECMH consultation:

Foundations of IECMHCUnderstanding the consultant role, distinguishing consultation from therapy, articulating your work to skeptical audiences

Infant & Early Childhood DevelopmentDevelopmental milestones, attachment, trauma impact, recognizing when to refer.

The Consultative RelationshipBuilding trust with directors, teachers, and families; navigating power dynamics and resistance.

Assessment & ObservationClinical observation skills, documentation, interpreting data to inform consultation.

The Consultation ProcessPhases of consultation from intake to closure, with practice scenarios for child/family, classroom, and programmatic consultation.

Equity in ConsultationAddressing bias, disparities, and practicing culturally responsive consultation in diverse communities.

Trauma-Informed ConsultationUnderstanding trauma’s impact, preventing secondary traumatic stress, self-care strategies.

Reflective Practice & SupervisionFinding and using reflective supervision, participating in communities of practice, ongoing professional development.

How The Program Works

60% Self-Paced

Video lessons & case studies
Interactive scenarios
Reflection journals
Competency-based assessments

25% Live Sessions

Weekly live sessions (90 minutes each)
Case consultation & role-play
Q&A with Georgetown faculty

15% Practice

Scenario-based practice
Peer feedback
Final capstone assessment
Peer learning pods

Instructors: Learn from the Experts

Dr. Neal Horen

Director of Infant, Early Childhood and Relational Health.

Lauren Rabinovitz

Project Director, IECMH Programs.

Julia Sayles

Assistant Professor, SOM Research Track.

Amy Hunter

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics.

Founding Cohort Opportunity

Join Our June 2026 Founding Cohort of Only 250 Spots At A Discounted Price of $2,500.

For Questions or Group Rates, Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Who this is for?

Licensed mental health professionals, Early childhood educators, Recent graduates, Current consultants.

What are the prerequisites?

Bachelor’s/Master’s in related field or equivalent experience in early childhood settings recommended.

What do I receive at the end?

June-Oct 2026. Thrive Center at Georgetown University Certificate. Eligible for IMH Alliance Crosswalk to Endorsement

How is this different from your previous $6k certificate?

The current certificate provides foundational knowledge on IECMH, it’s designed to give a broad base of skills and background. This certificate is designed for clinicians and early childhood educators with a laser focus on practical competencies of consultation. It’s designed for day-1 readiness VS theoretical knowledge robustness.