Endorsement®

What is involved in the Endorsement^® process?

Register on the Endorsement Application System (EASy), which involves submitting preliminary information and paying the EASy registration fee with a credit card via PayPal.
- When registering on EASy, it is strongly recommended that you register using a personal email address (e.g., gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc). Employer email servers often block messages sent by the EASy system.
EASy applicants must have a current membership with MI-AIMH or another IMH association. If you need to join or renew MI-AIMH membership, you can do so at My MI-AIMH
- MI-AIMH memberships run on a calendar year. Any 1-year membership purchased before October 1 will expire December 31 of the same year. Any 1-year membership purchased after October 1 will expire December 31 of the following year. For example, a 1-year membership purchased on August 1, 2017 will expire on December 31, 2017. A 1-year membership purchased on October 10, 2017 will expire on December 31, 2018. There are no exceptions that can be made to this rule.
EASy will email you a username and password
Build your professional application, including work, in-service training and supervisory experiences. This reflects your capabilities within the infant and family field.
You will be asked to list the names and email addresses for the 3 individuals who will complete reference rating forms on your behalf. EASy will send an email to each reference rater; the whole process is done electronically. Please ask your reference raters for a personal email address so they will receive the secure link to complete the form on EASy.
Once your application is complete (ALL sections, including reference ratings and transcripts uploaded by MI-AIMH), you may “Submit” by clicking the button that appears on your EASy dashboard. This includes paying the Endorsement Processing Fee by credit card via PayPal.
Applications are reviewed quarterly, check our Calendar to see when the next review will take place.
Infant Family Associate & Infant Family Specialist applicants receive an Endorsement^® decision after at least two trained volunteers who have earned Endorsement^® examine and approve the application
IMH Specialist & IMH Mentor applicants move on to the written Endorsement^® exam after at least two trained volunteers who have earned Endorsement^® examine and approve their application. MI-AIMH offers the written exam twice a year, usually in March and September. Please check our Calendar to see when the next exam will take place
ENDORSEMENT^®

Watch this short webinar to watch how to get registered on EASy.

What is the Waiver of Provider Qualifications (for CMHSP staff)?

The Waiver of Provider Qualifications is for Community Mental Health Service Provider (CMHSP) staff and IMH interns who do not yet meet the requirements for Endorsement^®. The CMHSP will apply to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for a Waiver of Provider Qualifications. The waiver keeps the agency in compliance with Medicaid regulations until the staff earns Endorsement^®. Applications for a waiver can be obtained from Mary Ludtke and are to be submitted by the employer. The waiver application will include a) Credentials of individual for whom a waiver is being requested (include university, licensure, etc.); b) Name of who will provide Reflective Supervision to fulfill MI-AIMH Endorsement^® requirement; c) MI-AIMH confirmation of the successful registration on EASy (see next question) and d) the plan for completion of Endorsement^® requirements. Please read “CMHSP Staff Waiver Handout” for tips.

How do I receive MI-AIMH confirmation of successful registration on EASy for the Waiver?

MI-AIMH Endorsement Coordinator will confirm that you registered on EASy at the appropriate Endorsement®, paid the EASy registration fee, and are an active member of MI-AIMH. Upon confirmation, MI-AIMH Endorsement Coordinator will email you. The email will say, “PLEASE SAVE AND PRINT THIS EMAIL. IF YOUR EMPLOYER WILL BE APPLYING FOR A WAIVER OF PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS FROM MDCH (PER MEDICAID REGULATIONS) A COPY OF THIS EMAIL MUST BE ATTACHED TO YOUR WAIVER APPLICATION.”

How do I ask for help while completing the Endorsement^® process?

If you have questions while in EASy, select the “Help” button in the top right-hand corner. Applicants can indicate whether the issue is technical or related to the endorsement process. There are also comment sections on most pages where applicants can ask questions or leave remarks. If you have other questions, unrelated to EASy, email Endorsement Coordinator.

How long does it take to apply for Endorsement^®?

MI-AIMH requires that applicants register on EASy a minimum of four weeks before an intended submission date. This ensures enough time for receipt and upload of transcripts, completion of reference ratings, and thorough entries related to applicant’s specialized work, in-service training, and RS/C experiences.

The time that it takes to complete your application will depend largely on your work, supervision and training experiences in addition to the Endorsement^® for which you are applying.

How much does Endorsement^® cost?

Level	Registration	Processing
Level I: Infant Family Associate	$15.00	$25.00
Level II: Infant Family Specialist	$20.00	$100.00
Level III: Infant Mental Health Specialist	$25.00	$300.00
Level IV: Infant Mental Health Mentor (Clinical)	$25.00	$400.00
Level IV: Infant Mental Health Mentor (Policy)	$25.00	$400.00
Level IV: Infant Mental Health Mentor (Research/Faculty)	$25.00	$400.00

The costs for IMH Specialist and IMH Mentor are in line with credentialing fees that have been established by other professional organizations, e.g. CDA (Child Development Associate) and ACSW (Accreditation for Certified Social Workers). The credentialing fees support the overhead costs of the MI-AIMH Endorsement^® and allow us to have applications and tests carefully reviewed.

What happens after I submit my Endorsement^® application?

All applications are carefully reviewed by two trained volunteers who have earned Endorsement^®. After examining your official transcripts, the reference rating forms, and your lists of specialized work, in-service training, and reflective supervision/consultation experiences, each reviewer will make recommendations about whether to endorse or to approve you to sit for the Endorsement^® exam or may suggest that you pursue further training and/or reflective supervision and then be re-reviewed after a period of time.

What is the value of a Competency-Based System of Endorsement^®?

Endorsement^® is valuable because:

Endorsement^® provides a set of competencies for professional development in the infant and family field.
Endorsement^® assures that persons providing culturally sensitive, relationship-focused services promoting infant mental health meet standards that are approved by a highly recognized professional organization for the discipline of infant mental health.
Endorsement^® recognizes the importance of continuing education and training for professionals in the infant and family field. Those who earn the Endorsement^® demonstrate their commitment to this principle as they provide services that promote infant mental health with a high level of quality and integrity.

What benefit is there if I've earned a certificate in infant mental health?

Graduates from a college or university program or post-graduate certificate program in infant mental health must submit documentation of completion of the program, such as a copy of diploma or certificate. Certificate holders may find that their course work has documented their competency in all of the knowledge and skill areas under Theoretical Foundations and Direct Service Skills as defined for Infant Family Specialist or IMH Specialist. The approved competencies vary from program to program. Please contact Endorsement Coordinator for more details.

Although most of the competencies are documented by the completion of a university-based certificate in IMH, certificate holders who apply for endorsement must still include at least 30 hours of specialized in-service training.
The official transcript requirement is waived for those who have earned a graduate certificate in infant mental health from Wayne State University, University of Michigan, or Michigan State University.

>> FAQ: Reflective Supervision/Consultation