Survey to Identify Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health TRAINING PROGRAMS 1. What is the name of the training program? Infant-Preschooler Mental Health Certificates Program Fresno Cohort 2. What agency or organization sponsors the training program? Alliant International University (Coordinated through California School of Professional Psychology at Fresno) 3. What geographical area does the training program serve? Statewide currently we have active cohorts in Fresno, Sacramento, Monterey County, and are starting a cohort in San Diego Fall, 2006; other cohorts will be developed as interest and instructional resources become available 4. What is the stated purpose or mission of the training program? Provide an integrated training program in infant-preschooler mental health for mental health practitioners and graduate students in a mental health practice degree program. 5. What are the strengths and/or unique features of the training program that the field should be aware of? It is based on the ecosystemic approach (O Connor and Ammen, 1997; Ammen & Limberg, 2005),that is, it is developmentally organized, relationship-focused, strength-based, and grounded in an ecosystemic context of multiple interacting systems that change over time, including family systems, other social systems, and metasystems such as the cultural and socio-political contexts. The curriculum consists of seven courses that integrate the developmental, relationship-based, and core theoretical and practice concepts in the infant and preschooler mental health field and satisfy the coursework standards proposed by the California Infant Mental Health workgroup (see Finello & Poulsen, 2005). There are two levels of the Certificates: I. Fundamentals of Infant-Preschooler Mental Health: II. Certification in Infant-Preschooler Mental Health: The curriculum includes didactic, experiential and reflective components. For example, participants are required to develop a focused genogram of their own attachment experiences and to reflect on how those experiences are both resources and vulnerabilities in their clinical practice with infant-families. Courses are taught in the evenings, on weekends, or online to facilitate participation by working professionals. Continuing Education credit for psychologists, LCSW s, MFT s, play therapists, and RN s is available. However, the classes are certificate level, not CE level, therefore the learning requires active involvement and outside assignments on the part of the participants. Graduate credit is also available at Alliant International University tuition rates.
References: Ammen, S. & Limberg, B. (2005). Play therapy with preschoolers using the ecosystemic model. In K. Finello (Ed.), Handbook of training & practice in infant & preschool mental health (pp. 207-232). San Francisco: Jossey Bass. K. M Finello & M. K Poulsen. (2005). Developing standards for training in infant and preschooler mental health. In K. Finello (Ed.), Handbook of training & practice in infant & preschool mental health (pp. 207-232). San Francisco: Jossey Bass. O Connor, K. & Ammen, S. (1997). Play Therapy Treatment Planning and Interventions: The Ecosystemic Model and Workbook. San Diego: Academic Press. 5. What is the approximate number of trainees in the program? Cohort size maximum of 15 class size is usually 8-10. Some classes are larger, e.g., weekend and online classes Participants take 7 classes over 2 year period 6. What is the academic level of the training program? X_ Postgraduate (mental health, school psychology, related fields) X_ In graduate program leading to practice degree 7. What is the primary trainee focus? X_ mental-health personnel primarily: please identify discipline(s), e.g. clinical psychology: (all) (note interdisciplinary practitioners may take the classes, but the focus is on mental health practice) 8. What is the structure of the training program? A. Duration of the training program: ( in years, months or days): There are seven classes four for the first level of the certificate, all seven for the full certificate. They can be completed over a two year period, though individual participants may take longer to complete all seven courses. B. Frequency of training activities: It depends on the class. Some classes are completed in one weekend. Most classes meet weekly over a 10-15 week period. One class is online. We have also modified the curriculum for two classes to fit into a combination online/one Saturday a month format. C. Intensity of training activities: Courses range from 15 hours to 60 hours Fundamentals Certificate is 150 hours total Certification in Infant-Preschooler Mental Health is 270 hours total Class time, outside reading, and outside assignments can be timeconsuming (4 6 hours/week) A non-clinical infant case study and a non-clinical preschooler case study are required D. Training Methodology (ies): _X_:Brief workshop or intensive short-term training _X_ Lecture/coursework _X_ Interactive seminar Internship
Practicum/Applied: Clinical case review Group supervision Individual supervision _X_ Other: Outside reading, assignments, & non-clinical case studies E. Training Content: _X_ Theory/research _X_ Assessment _X_ Treatment methodology (ies): _Relationship-based, ecosystemic, playbased, multiple models _X Clinical case reviews Clinical supervision techniques _X Other: Two levels of Certification: Fundamentals of Infant-Preschooler Mental Health (consists of 4 courses from an ecosystemic theoretical frame) Fundamentals of Infant Mental Health (60 hours, integrates infant development, infant-parent relationships, and relationship-based interventions) Fundamentals of Preschooler Mental Health (60 hours, integrates preschooler development, preschooler-family relationships, and play-based and system-based interventions) Parent-Child Relationship Assessment (15 hours) Diagnostic Systems in Infant-Preschooler Mental Health (15 hours) Certification in Infant-Preschooler Mental Health Completion of the Fundamentals Certificate Risk and Resiliency in IPMH (40 hours) Neurobiological and Psychosocial Factors in IPMH (40 hours) Advanced Infant-Preschooler Mental Health (40 hours) F. Faculty: Please describe the qualifications of primary training program staff: Sue Ammen, PhD, RPT-S is a licensed psychologist, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Professor in the Ecosystemic Child Emphasis of the doctoral clinical psychology programs at CSPP/Alliant in Fresno. She has written and presented widely on ecosystemic play therapy, attachment-based parenting, play-based assessments with young children, infant-preschooler mental health, and play therapy with preschoolers. Beth Limberg, PhD, RPT-S is a licensed psychologist, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director of the doctoral clinical psychology program at CSPP/Alliant in Sacramento. She was Program Services Manager of Building Blocks at the River Oak Center for Children. She has written and presented widely on the DC:0-3R diagnostic system, infant and preschooler mental health, and play therapy with infants and preschoolers. Daryl Hitchcock, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and Clinical Services Supervisor of the Assessment Center for Children ages 0-5 at Exceptional Parents Unlimited, Fresno. He codeveloped and taught the Infant mental health learning lab Curriculum in Fresno County for nonclinician providers and worked as a psychologist with the Infant Mental Health team at Fresno
County Mental Health Youth Link. He is an adjunct professor for the doctoral clinical psychology programs at the CSPP/Alliant in Fresno. Martha Moore, PhD is a licensed psychologist and clinical supervisor for the Infant Family Program at Exceptional Parents Unlimited. She co-developed and taught the Infant mental health learning lab Curriculum in Fresno County for non-clinician providers and worked as a psychologist with the Infant Mental Health team at Fresno County Mental Health Youth Link. She is an adjunct professor for the doctoral clinical psychology programs at the CSPP/Alliant in Fresno. Lily Cosico-Berge, PsyD, ATR, RPT is a licensed psychologist and registered art and play therapist. She is a developmental specialist and has developed and directed early intervention and treatment programs for infants and preschoolers. She is on the board of the Infant Development Association (IDA) in San Diego, the Early Childhood Mental Health Committee/Young Child Institute, and the Advisory Board for Children s Hospital. She is an adjunct professor for the doctoral clinical psychology programs at the CSPP/Alliant in Fresno. G. Training Program Requirements or Prerequisites: Masters level of training or above or involved in a program of study leading to a masters or doctorate in a clinical practice degree. Early interventionists and related post-masters degree participants are also welcome H. Program Cost/Trainee: 60-hour courses $1020 40-hour courses $680 15-hour courses $255 Total Cost of Fundamentals Certificate $2550 Total Cost of Certification in IPMH (all 7 classes) $4590 Notes: Tuition costs do not include costs of books for courses. Group rates available for agencies with 5 or more participants Tuition price only guaranteed for current academic year 9. What is the training program s primary funding source(s)? Some agencies have paid for participants to attend Most participants pay independently for the program We are exploring other options to provide fellowship support or financial aid, but these are not available at this time. 10. Is there any additional information about the program that would be helpful? A flyer about the program can be obtained by contacting Debbie Wendt at 559-253-2234 or dwendt@alliant.edu 11. Please provide contact information for potential trainees: Website: www.alliant.edu\ipmhcertificates Contact person for Additional Information: Name: Sue Ammen, PhD, Coordinator, IPMH Certificates Program Email address: sammen@alliant.edu Phone number: 303-810-0759 Contact person for Enrollment: Name: Debbie Wendt, CSPP Program Assistant e-mail address: dwendt@alliant.edu Phone number: 559-253-2234
Fax number: 559-253-2267 Mailing Address: Alliant International University, 5130 E. Clinton Way, Fresno, CA, 93727 12. Is the training program interested in collaborating with IDA, and through IDA, with other IMH/ECMH Training Programs in California? Yes If yes, please describe your group s particular collaboration interests, if any: Not sure but open to the idea of sharing ideas and resources 13. Please provide contact information for a liaison to this group: Name and Title (if any): Sue Ammen, PhD, Coordinator, IPMH Certificates Program Email Address: sammen@alliant.edu Organization: Alliant International University Phone #: 303-810-0759 Mailing Address: 5130 E. Clinton Way, Fresno, CA 93727 Fax #: 559-253-2267 (attention: Debbie Wendt, CSPP Program Assistant) 14 May we include this information about the training program on the IDA IMH Resource Directory Webpage? _Yes, Please Please e-mail the completed survey to DeLora Slattery mail@idaofcal.org or fax to (916) 453-0627.