RI Association for Infant Mental Health

Vision All infants and young children in RI thrive through their experiences of nurturing and protective relationships with parents and all providers who care for them. We strive to uphold a parallel process in which families see themselves represented by a diverse, knowledgeable, and well-supported workforce. Mission The mission of RIAIMH is to build, sustain and partner with a diverse workforce, informed by infant and early childhood mental health principles. Together we work towards the advancement of social and economic justice for the workforce and families and children that they serve. We aim to support the early relational health of babies, young children, and their families that experience the greatest needs, recognizing that these families are disproportionately from BIPOC communities and experience racial disparities. Commitment RIAIMH is committed to holding emotional space and providing opportunities for convening, collaborating with/for the workforce to promote/uphold racial and social justice/equity, anti-racist action, and reflective practice with the purpose of dismantling systems and practices of oppression that especially affect people of color. We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging practices that serve to mitigate bias and disparity in the programs, practices, and systems that serve infants, young children and families and providers. History RIAIMH was founded in 2002 and received 501c (3) status in November 2003. Our mission is to achieve long-term positive outcomes for infants/toddlers and families through multi-sector workforce quality investments and collaborations. In November, 2015, we became RI’s authorized body to issue Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, and Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® (Endorsement). The Endorsement® credential documents that an individual has specialized skills to meet the unique needs of infants, young children, and families; and guides training and professional development by centering on research-informed Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Competency Guidelines®. This system is licensed by and overseen by the international Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health (Alliance). Since implementation of Endorsement®, RIAIMH transitioned from an organization operated by an all-volunteer working board to one with paid employees and a distinct governance structure led by an increasingly diverse advisory board of directors. We transitioned from relying primarily on funding from member dues and conference fees to having a more diversified grant and service funded revenue model; from hosting an annual conference to authorizing and supporting an internationally recognized credential supported by a host of professional development offerings; and from having an informal service delivery model to one that is guided by strategic goals adhering to formalized business/cost systems and structures. RIAIMH was a founding member of the Alliance, and collaborates with a global network of associations committed to implementing state-of-the-art assessments, training, policy, and program services aligned with IECMH competency guidelines® and Endorsement®.

The RI Association for Infant Mental Health (RIAIMH) is a service-based non-profit organization that provides services to people who work with young children and families. Offering expertise in infant and early childhood mental health, informed by infant and early childhood mental health principles, to advance the social and economic justice for the workforce, and families and children, that they serve.