Infant, Child, and Family Mental Health and Development Today2023-02-02T18:12:17-08:00
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Master’s  in

Infant, Child, and Family Mental Health and Development 

[pictured Fielding student: Charmaine Tidmarsh, Director, Clinical and Residential Program, Mother’s Choice (Hong Kong)]


100% Online Master’s in Infant, Child, and Family Mental Health and Development

 The MA in Infant, Child, and Family Mental Health and Development degree is designed to support both clinically based as well as education-based professionals to better understand and work with social, emotional, and developmental demands and needs of families. This includes learning how to embed culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion in their work, all of which are central to supporting families appropriately and successfully. Healthy long-term outcomes for children and families depend on having culturally competent practitioners. While many professionals in infant mental health knew there were problems, these problems were not fully recognized in the field until the pandemic laid bare the full scale of challenges, including those related to systemic racism, equity and inclusion, lack of opportunities, and fear. As is universally accepted now, we are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis in our youngest populations through adulthood. Families in particular have borne the brunt, placing infant mental health at the forefront of working with our vulnerable populations and families. Yet, inadequate education and training is hindering the successful outcomes and adding to significant stress of professionals. 

IECD Program Director Jenene Craig, PhD

The Master’s degree in Infant, Child, and Family Mental Health and Development (ICFMD) curricula is designed to address issues of educational needs of child and family professionals across multiple disciplines, including mental health, early intervention, early childhood education, medical health (nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians), and allied health professions (occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists). This specialized master’s degree was developed in response to the growing crisis in Infant Mental Health (IMH) which encompasses children 0 – 8 years of age and their families. Specifically, the challenges in the realms of mental health, early childhood care and education, and early intervention (developmental disorders such as autism but not limited to such). Child and family professionals face escalating problems for which they are often not prepared. In part, their lack of applicable education and training continues to contribute to the difficulties they face in the field. For example, prior to the pandemic, children in preschool were being expelled at 3.6 times the rate of children K-12 combined, most often as a result of educators’ inability to understand and work with disruptive behaviors and mood disorders, both of which have been on the rise and in younger and younger children. Historically, there has been a gap in MA programs designed to address the needs of child and family professionals across multiple disciplines and across specific domains. These problems have only been exacerbated by the fear and instability of the last few years. This specialized master’s degree was developed to fill these gaps.

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Online Application Form
  • Resume
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Official Transcript
  • No GRE Required

Start your application NOW! 

Dana Johnson PhD, MS, OTR/L
Dana Johnson PhD, MS, OTR/L
Founder of Invictus Academy Tampa Bay
Cheryl Andrea Rock, PhD
Cheryl Andrea Rock, PhD
Principal of the Derrick Smith school and vocational Centre
Joleen R. Fernald, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Joleen R. Fernald, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR
Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR
Robin Hauge, PhD
Robin Hauge, PhD

Why Choose Fielding’s School of Psychology for your studies in Infant, Childhood, and Family Mental Health and Development?

Engage in Interprofessional Scholarship

The IECD PhD program with an emphasis in Mental Health and Developmental Disorders was originally founded in 2009 by Stanley Greenspan, MD, and Serena Weider, PhD under the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL), a non-profit organization.  On January 22, 2015, this nationally recognized doctoral program was acquired by Fielding Graduate University, became accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WSCUC), and currently resides within the School of Psychology (SOP)ICDL remains the official home of DIR® and DIRFloortime®, providing training courses for professionals and parents for now over 30+ years.

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The Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL)
The Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health

The IECD program is a partner with the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health (Alliance). The Alliance is a global organization of those states and countries whose infant mental health associations have licensed the use of the Competency Guidelines® and/or the Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® (Endorsement®) under their associations’ names.

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Fielding and Profectum™ – Articulation Agreement.

Two organizations offering education and advanced training, Fielding Graduate University and Profectum, have an articulation agreement to collaborate and expand the outreach of both clinical practice as well as research. Fielding’s IECD doctoral program and Profectum™ entered into this academic agreement to provide students expanded opportunities for both increased academic study and research, and certification, respectively.

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Dr. Jenene Craig’s Doctoral Journey

Jenene Craig, PhD, discusses her doctoral journey. Dr. Craig is the program director for the Infant and Early Childhood and Development (IECD) program at #FieldingGraduateUniversity. IECD offers both a doctorate and master’s degree program. Find out more at Fielding.edu/IECD.

Fielding Graduate University open triangle

Infant and Early Childhood Development News

The latest news, special events, and announcements from the IECD program.

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