About the California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant Training Program
In 2021, the IECMHC Network collaborated with Georgetown University’s Center of Excellence in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, enrolling a total of 160 California professionals in Georgetown’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Certificate Program. The program offered students an opportunity to build both content knowledge and practical skills in infant and early childhood mental health consultation.
At the same time, the IECMHC Network administered statewide surveys and focus groups with both center-based and home-based child care providers, as well as infant and early childhood mental health consultants, to gather input about the provision of consultation in our state and the needs of child care and early education providers. The IECMHC Network then convened a group of subject matter experts and key stakeholders to share their expertise toward the development of California’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultant Training Program.
The first cohort of the California training program launched in October 2023. With a foundation in relationship-based and reflective learning, the program addresses a gap in the professional development of infant and early childhood mental health consultants who offer services to child care and early education providers. The second cohort of students completed the program in May 2025.
To date, the California IECMH Consultant Training Program has:
- Received 220 applications
- Enrolled 103 students
- Advanced 81 graduates
“I have learned a lot in this mental health consultant journey. I learned that we don’t have to be the expert. We don’t have to have this magical wand and fix all the problems, but we can use our active listening skills and bring other strengths to the table. I am very grateful for this opportunity of this amazing IECMHC program.”
– CTP student, Cohort 2
