IECMH Guiding Principles: Equity, Culture and Policy  - Oregon Infant Mental Health Association February 2025

Attendance for this event is automated. A verification code will be given during the training and must be inputted in the corresponding box in the contents tab. Participants must attend the webinar AND input the correct verification code in order to receive your certificate of attendance.

For decades, the field of infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) has been guided by foundational underlying principles that recognize the importance of relationships, individual differences, and unique experiences. To advance social justice and equitable practices, the field must be responsive and proactive in the promotion and support of professionals providing services for infants, toddlers, young children and their families. ZERO TO THREE's IECMH Guiding Principles #1 through #4, center culture, equitable practices, and the importance of policy and public investment at the heart of IECMH work:  

1. Equitable practices and policies that consider all expectant families, infants/young children, and their families—and that honor the diversity of all who are served.  
2. Culture is foundational to caregiving beliefs, assumptions, values, and behaviors.  
3. Policy change and public investment in IECMH is critical to ensuring that the basic rights of infants, young children, and their families are upheld.  
4. Pregnancy, childbirth, and the arrival of the newborn represent a time of unparalleled change, vulnerability, and opportunity that impact the health and mental health of all members of the family.  

Learner Objectives: As a result of participating in this course, participants will be able to…   

• Recall the ZERO TO THREE's IECMH Guiding Principles #1 through #4.  
• Outline the importance of culturally responsive practices in IECMH.
• Articulate the need for policy changes and public investment to uphold and ensure the basic rights of infants, young children, and their families.  
• Identity strategies to center socially just and equitable practices and policies within their scope of work.

Access to this course will end October 6, 2025. After this date, you will no longer have access to any course materials. Please make sure to download any handouts you may need and complete all evaluations and quizzes (if applicable) needed to obtain your certificate and credit for the course.

Once you have completed all course requirements, you will have continued or ongoing access to your course certificate by visiting the Transcripts/Achievement section of your dashboard.