Build IECMHC capacity from within your existing staff

You do not need a funded consultant position to bring IECMHC to your program.

Our certificate trains your existing staff, whether they are clinicians or non-clinicians, how to provide mental health consultation in early childhood education, home visiting, early intervention, and child welfare settings.

Register your team Deploy a consultant this month
Three early childhood professionals working together at a laptop in a classroom

Attunify is a workforce development venture built at Georgetown University's Thrive Center. We train and certify infant and early childhood mental health consultants, and we fund and operate the national Center of Excellence for IECMHC at iecmhc.org.

Why now

Consultation is not going away just because the mandate for it may be coming to an end

Without performance standards, programs will need IECMHC more than ever. It is the most effective, yet most underutilized, strategy for addressing challenges in social emotional development and behavior.

If your program faces staff turnover and behaviors that challenge your staff, now is the time to build internal capacity.

3x

the expulsion rate in preschool compared with K to 12

1 in 3

early childhood teachers leave their job each year

5,000

consultants nationally after 25 years, for 112,000 Head Start teachers alone

Rented capacityExternal consultants may disappear if budgets get cut.
Capacity you ownTraining your existing staff cannot be taken away.

Preschool expulsion rate: Gilliam, Yale Child Study Center, 2005. Turnover: annual ECE teacher turnover of 26 to 40 percent, Totenhagen et al. 2016; Bassok et al. 2021. Consultant count: Center of Excellence for IECMHC estimate.

The program

We are building the national standard of competence in consultation, and the program to attain it

The Practical Certificate in IECMHC. 100% virtual. Certification comes at the end of the twelve months, once training and supervision are both complete.

4

months of training with Georgetown faculty

  • Training, skills assessment, and weekly live classes
  • 1 to 2 hours of self-guided work and a 90-minute live class each week
  • Modules: video lessons, case studies, interactive scenarios, reflection journals, and competency-based assessments
  • Live class: case consultation, role-play, and Q&A with faculty, up to 24 people per class
8

months of reflective supervision with licensed clinicians

  • Support, supervision, and a circle of trust you can lean on as you do the work
  • A one-hour group session with up to 12 consultants per supervisor, each month, plus monthly lectures and office hours
  • Keeps non-clinician consultants compliant with Head Start performance standards while those standards remain in place

Qualified and certified consultants who can support children and staff

  • Irrespective of whether they take on the role of a consultant or remain in their current role
  • Skills shown in recorded consultations and scored scenarios, not multiple choice alone
  • If a consultant leaves your program during the supervision year, we train their replacement at no cost

How the training phase works

60%
Self-paced
  • Video lessons and case studies
  • Interactive scenarios
  • Reflection journals
  • Competency-based assessments
25%
Live sessions
  • Weekly live sessions, 90 minutes
  • Case consultation and role-play
  • Q&A with Georgetown faculty
15%
Practice
  • Scenario-based practice
  • Peer feedback and peer learning pods
  • Final capstone assessment
Who teaches it

Instruction and supervision from Georgetown faculty and IECMHC leaders

The team that wrote the national IECMHC competencies built this program and teaches it, alongside licensed clinicians and practicing consultants who lead the live classes and supervision groups.

Dr. Neal Horen
Dr. Neal HorenChief Clinical Officer. Director of Infant, Early Childhood and Relational Health, Georgetown University. Director, National Center of Excellence for IECMHC
Julia Sayles
Julia Sayles, LMHC, IECMH-EAssistant Professor, Georgetown University. Pyramid Model national consultant
Lauren Rabinovitz
Lauren RabinovitzProject Director, IECMHC Programs. Lead instructor
Jamie Knott
Jamie Knott, LCPC, PMH-CInfant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
San Juanita Guerra
San Juanita Guerra, MA, LPC-SInfant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Sunny Cho
Sunny Cho, LMFT, IFECMHSInfant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Trista Vonada
Trista VonadaInfant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Pricing

$3,000 per person for the full 12 months of training and supervision

Group discount for 5+ seats available as well as payment in 12 monthly installments

Dates and schedule

October 2026 cohort

A February 2027 cohort follows. Register interest for either on the same form.

Registration closes
October 2, 2026
Self-paced modules open
October 5, 2026
Live classes begin
October 13, 2026
Seats
240, because live classes are limited to 24 per instructor
Training phase
Through February 15, 2027
Supervision phase
February 22 to October 4, 2027

Pick the live class that fits the week

Live classes run Monday to Wednesday, three times a day, plus a 10 pm Tuesday group. Plus 1 to 2 hours of self-guided modules, any time.

Class timeMondayTuesdayWednesday
12 pm90-minute live class90-minute live class90-minute live class
3 pm90-minute live class90-minute live class90-minute live class
7 pm90-minute live class90-minute live class90-minute live class
10 pmNo class90-minute live classNo class

Times shown in Eastern time.

What they learn

Eight modules, a capstone, and a skills assessment for each

Built on the national IECMHC competencies. Open a module to see what candidates learn and how it is assessed.

1Foundations of IECMHC
  • Explain consultation and its impact to any audience
  • Tell consultation apart from therapy, coaching, and training
  • Hold the consultant role with confidence
How it is assessedA 60 to 90 second video explaining IECMHC to a skeptical director.
2Best practices
  • Recognize trauma and its impact on behavior
  • Support consultees working with children affected by trauma
  • Spot secondary traumatic stress in consultees and yourself
How it is assessedA knowledge check, a reflective journal, and a personal self-care plan.
3Program evaluation
  • Name the outcomes IECMHC typically measures
  • Connect daily documentation to evaluation
  • Use findings to improve practice
How it is assessedTake a sample data finding and describe how it changes your consultation approach.
4Assessment and observation
  • Conduct structured classroom observations
  • Score and interpret common tools
  • Turn assessment data into recommendations
How it is assessedScore a classroom video on the TPOT Short Form and draft talking points for the teacher.
5The consultative relationship
  • Run a first meeting that builds trust
  • Navigate resistance, skepticism, and boundary confusion
  • Respond to power dynamics
How it is assessedA recorded first meeting with a teacher, plus prep notes for a director and a family.
6The consultation process
  • Distinguish child, classroom, and program consultation
  • Move through the phases of consultation
  • Identify common roadblocks
How it is assessedIdentify the phase, build an action plan from assessment data, and respond to a mid-implementation challenge.
7Equity in consultation
  • Recognize how implicit bias shapes responses to behavior
  • Practice culturally responsive consultation
  • Have difficult conversations about bias
How it is assessedAnalyze a case for equity concerns and draft the talking points for the consultee.
8Reflective practice and supervision
  • Engage in reflective practice daily
  • Prepare for and participate in reflective supervision
  • Find reflection when supervision is unavailable
How it is assessedPrepare a case for reflective supervision, or present it in a mock session.
CCapstone
  • Apply skills across modules in one integrated case
  • Self-assess readiness
  • Build a professional development plan
How it is assessedAn integrated case study and a readiness assessment.
Who can enroll

Designed to teach non-clinical staff how to become mental health consultants

You do not need funding for a consultant position to benefit from this program. Most people who enroll plan to remain in their current roles and use IECMHC skills to improve how they support children and staff.

Clinicians are welcome too. Clinical social workers and therapists start with early childhood settings, roles, and routines. Non-clinicians start with attachment, trauma, child development, and observation. Everyone then learns the same eight competencies.

Who enrolls
Disability and mental health coordinators and managersBehavior aides and specialistsProgram directors and associate directorsTeachers and ECE educatorsClinical social workers and therapistsCoaches, including Pyramid coachesHome visitors and HV supervisorsEarly interventionistsCurrently serving mental health consultantsState and county administrators
Who joined, and why

261 people from 41 states joined in June

65% of current trainees are from Head Start and Early Head Start programs building internal capacity. Seven in ten enrolled without a clinical degree, and two in three plan to remain in their current roles.

Head Start / Early Head Start
171
Early learning program
131
Home visiting
47
Higher education / training
29
Pre-K to 12 public school
29
Early intervention / Part C
23
Community-based organization
21
Private practice
19
Community mental health agency
19

Self-reported. People can select more than one setting.

Early childhood education
44%
Clinical, social work, and counseling
30%
Developmental and early intervention
21%
Public health
5%

Self-reported field of study at registration.

Support staff, children, and families
89
Grow my own knowledge and skills
57
Step into the consultant role
23
Build the field at a state or systems level
16
Fill a local shortage of consultants
15
Strengthen reflective practice
14
Earn a credential or endorsement
12

226 answers to "What was your primary motivation for enrolling?"

Free series

Challenging Behaviors and Beyond, the complete series

Six sessions on what to do when behaviors escalate and your team is stretched thin, from the same faculty who teach the certificate. Every recording and every tool, free to use and free to share.

6Sessions
14,460Registrations
8Free tools
Watch the series
IECMHC Impact Award

$750 off tuition for 30 candidates who will use these skills where they are needed most

Two questions inside the sign-up form. Apply by September 21. Decisions by September 25 for the October cohort.

Apply inside the sign-up form How the award works
Questions

Before you register

Who is this for?
Licensed mental health professionals, early childhood educators, recent graduates, and current consultants. Most people who enroll plan to stay in their current role and bring consultation into it.
What are the prerequisites?
A bachelor's or master's degree in a related field, or equivalent experience in early childhood settings, is recommended. No clinical degree is required.
What is the time commitment?
During the four months of training, 1 to 2 hours of self-guided work and a 90-minute live class each week. Live classes run Monday to Wednesday at lunchtime, afternoon, and evening, Eastern time. During the eight months of supervision, a one-hour group session each month.
What do I receive at the end, and when?
At the end of the training and the required supervision period, a Practical Certificate in IECMHC from the Thrive Center at Georgetown University. Certification comes at the end of the twelve months, once both phases are complete. The program is crosswalked to help meet requirements for IMH Alliance endorsement. CEUs are not available at this time.
Will I be ready to consult after completing this?
Yes. This is a foundational certification focused on day-one readiness, and the eight months of supervision are there so you are supported while you do the work.
What makes Georgetown's certificate different?
Georgetown University's Thrive Center houses the national Center of Excellence for IECMHC, which developed the national competencies this program is built on. It is taught by the people who wrote them and by practicing consultants.
How is this different from the Thrive Center's $6,000 certificate?
That certificate provides foundational knowledge on infant and early childhood mental health and is designed to give a broad base of skills and background. This certificate is designed for clinicians and early childhood educators with a laser focus on the practical competencies of consultation. It is built for day-one readiness rather than theoretical breadth.
Can my organization sponsor several participants?
Yes. Organizations enroll their staff as a team with one point of contact and one invoice, and organizations enrolling five or more people may be eligible for group pricing. Write to si436@georgetown.edu.
Can my program or employer pay for me?
Yes. Many participants are sponsored by their Head Start program, agency, or employer. We invoice your organization and accept bank transfer (we provide a W-9) or credit card. Many employers also reimburse tuition after completion.
Can I enroll myself?
Yes, through the same form. Individuals enroll themselves; organizations enroll their staff as a team.
I am an experienced consultant. Is this for me?
Yes. Currently serving consultants enroll to formalize their practice against the national competencies and to get a year of reflective supervision, which is included.
Does this get me endorsed by the IMH Alliance?
It helps meet requirements for endorsement. The curriculum is crosswalked to Alliance competencies. Endorsement itself is granted by your state Alliance affiliate against their own criteria, so it is not something the program can promise.
What is the refund policy?
Purchases are non-refundable. A seat can be applied to a future cohort within twelve months, and a one-time deferral can be requested before the end of week two of training. The full policy is in the program terms.
I have signed up. How do I log in and access the course?
Before the cohort starts, the administrator enrolls you and you receive an email from programs@attunify.co with instructions for setting up your account and next steps. Check your spam folder if you do not see it. Once you have an account, use the Sign in button at the top of this page.
Who do I talk to about group discounts or fit?
Shai Idelson, who leads the program, at si436@georgetown.edu.

Ready to build consultation capacity in your team?

Register them for the October 2026 or February 2027 cohort. Questions or group discounts: Shai Idelson, si436@georgetown.edu.

Register your team Ask a question