IDA co-author Susan Vater was named Connecticut Association of Infant Mental Health (CT-AIMH) President at the 2017 Board of Directors meeting. CT-AIMH works to promote, support and strengthen nurturing, quality relationships for infants, young children and their caregivers within the context of family, community and culture. It is CT-AIMH’s goal that all infants and young children in Connecticut will experience nurturing, responsive care through strong relationships that ensure optimal social and emotional growth and development. The organization offers professional development opportunities to those working with infants and young children and their families assisting them to support and enhance responsive relationships, to promote culturally sensitive practice, and to reflect on their work with families and their young children. CT-AIMH promotes and holds a set of Competency Guidelines® for the infant and early childhood family workforce, that when they are met, lead to an Endorsement in Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health®. Connecticut is one of 29 states and multiple countries to offer this endorsement that was initiated by the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health and in 2006 received the Annapolis Coalition for the Behavioral Health Workforce award for innovation in workforce development.
CT-AIMH is a member of the Infant Mental Health Alliance with Infant Mental Health Associations in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Western Australia.