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KAIMH Connections
Resources for Early Childhood Mental Health Advocates
Updates | April 2025
Highlights in this newsletter include an invitation to join a reflective supervision/consultation learning collaborative, information about the KAIMH annual conference in Salina, an exciting announcement about KAIMH Early Childhood Endorsement, a Zero to Three presentation on the health and well-being of early care and education providers, upcoming professional development and more!
Two Reflective Supervision Learning Options!
To meet the growing need for the early childhood workforce to have access to qualified providers of reflective supervision/consultation, KAIMH is excited to host the 2025-2026 Reflective Supervision Learning Collaborative to support supervisors of Kansas infant and early childhood professionals in growing their skills and capacity to provide RSC within their organizations! We have a few open spots for this FREE 18-month learning collaborative. If you provide supervision/consultation in your work and want to gain skills on using evidence-based, reflective practice, you don't want to miss this opportunity.
KAIMH supports research that shows the infant and early childhood workforce benefits from access to consistent, collaborative and reflective opportunities to explore their work, including reflective supervision/consultation (RSC). RSC helps to create a holding space in which the provider is encouraged to do what they need to take care of themselves and learn how the parallel process functions in relationships so that they are better able to hold and take care of others in their work. Growing evidence suggests that the practice of RSC builds resiliency skills among infant and early childhood professionals, bolsters capacity for self-reflection, and decreases work related stress that leads to burnout. To learn more about the practice and benefits of RSC click on the infographic below.
What does the Reflective Supervision Learning Collaborative Include?
Participants receive 20+ hours of training specific to the provision of reflective supervision. Training focuses on building reflective relationships, RSC frameworks, talking about power in RSC, self-awareness, rupture and repair, transitions and goodbyes, and much more! Trainings will be held in person and virtually.
April 30, 2025: one in-person day of training at Trinity Methodist Church, 901 E Neal Ave., Salina, KS 67401
Additional future training dates determined by learning collaborative.
30 + hours of Reflective Supervision/Consultation over 18 months.
Big thanks to our funding from the Preschool Development grant for making this event possible!
But wait, there is more . . .
Do you want training on Reflective Supervision/Consultation but aren't ready to commit to an 18-month learning collaborative?
We are opening up the first day of the Reflective Supervision/Consultation learning collaborative training to those that are wanting to grow their understanding of the provision of RSC, but are not ready to join a learning collaborative and take the next steps to be a qualified provider of reflective supervision/consultation.
What Does the 1-Day Training Only Include?
Participants receive 6 hours of training specific on the provision of reflective supervision.
Dr. Hoofer is a licensed clinical psychologist, whose work and passion has centered around working with, and advocating for children and families. Prior to her graduate career, she was a daycare provider and EHS Family Educator. Joy earned her Ph.D., in Community-Clinical Psychology from Wichita State University in 2003, under the mentorship and guidance of Dr. James Snyder. She is a consultant, trainer, interventionist and reflective facilitator working with numerous professionals in childcare, school districts, Early Head Start and Head Start, Parents as Teachers, KCSL, Tiny K and other 0-3 programs. She has been a member of, and served on numerous association and organization boards, including KIAMH, Kansas and Texas Psychological Associations, the Kansas Learning Center for Health, the West Texas Association for Infant Mental Health and USD 440 BOE. Dr. Hoofer is dedicated to increasing individual’s knowledge and advocating for infant and early childhood mental health at various levels of influence. Dr. Hoofer has been honored with being an Alice Eberhart-Wright Visionary Award recipient. Joy has a heart for Kansas children and is devoted to working with professionals who have a tremendously positive relational impact on families, infants and children, in their life journey. She is currently in private practice in North Newton.
Jessica Mostaffa ,LCPC, LPC, IMH-E®
Jessica Mostaffa, LCPC, IMH-E, is a mental health therapist in Kansas and Missouri specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, perinatal mental health, and mood disorders. She facilitates Reflective Supervision and is a big fan of the parallel process; believing wholeheartedly that we must receive what we are hoping to give to others. She is a trainer, consultant, an enneagram two, and a queso connoisseur. Jessica is passionate about building relationships that allow for vulnerability and authenticity so people can have the felt experience of being seen, heard, and accepted
Join us May 1-2, 2025 in Salina Kansas for our Annual KAIMH Conference. This year we will be celebrating 30 years of service with a birthday celebration and evening mixer. To start off the fun, keynote speaker, Tabatha Rosproy, 2020 National Teacher of the Year, will present, From Tiny Seeds Grow Mighty Trees.
Registration Fees
For the best conference price, become a KAIMH member for $35 Member Registration ($275), Non-Member Registration ($325)
We have limited scholarship opportunities. If you are an early educator we encourage you to apply for a KCCTO scholarship here. We also have some Preschool Development Grant scholarships open to all early childhood professionals that work in Kansas. Click here to apply.
Tabatha Rosproy
Working with children and families is one of the most worthwhile endeavors one can choose, but it’s also a field that experiences frequent burnout. Join us for a morning and afternoon session where we explore how to cultivate tiny seeds of joy in our lives that will sustain us through challenges and reinvigorate our passion. Tabatha will use her background in improvisational comedy and knowledge of play-based practices to help us take an active role living lives of joy! Come ready to laugh and learn and play together!
Join us for an evening of fun mocktails, music, appetizers and games at the Salina Art Center, 242 S Santa Fe Ave. No additional fee to attend. Located in downtown Salina and within walking distance to a variety of fabulous dining options!
Friday, May 2, 2025 7:30 Registration, breakfast (pastries, coffee, orange juice) 8:15 - 8:30 Welcome back fun 8:30 - 10:00 Breakout sessions 10:15 - 11:45 Breakout sessions 11:45 - 12:30 Lunch and birthday party (taco bar, cupcakes) 12:30 - 2:00 Breakout sessions KDHE Clock hours: 4.5
Congratulations to our Newest Endorsees!
Tracy Schmidt, IMH-E®
Tracy says, "Obtaining my Infant Family Associate Endorsement through KAIMH is external validation that I am caring for the whole child not just the physical child. Focusing on relationships and emotional attachments is a way I can contrition to the stability and growth of the little lives in my care."
Shannon Schneider, IMH-E®
Shannon says, "Receiving the KAIMH endorsement is an incredible honor that holds deep significance for me as a professional and as someone who works closely with families. I received my psychology degree from Fort Hays State University and have three children of my own. I have been working with Infant Toddler Early Intervention for six years. Working with infants, toddlers and families has been a rewarding experience for me, and I put my heart into building relationships and connections with my families. This endorsement represents a commitment to the highest standards in infant and early childhood mental health, a field that I am incredibly passionate about. For the families I work with, it means that I bring not only my expertise but also a deep understanding and respect for their unique needs, cultures, and experiences. This endorsement gives me the opportunity to further enhance the support I provide to children and families, helping them navigate the challenges they face with greater confidence and knowledge. I am thankful to KAIMH for their education and support."
Sarah Kennington, IMH-E®
Sarah says, "Receiving my KAIMH endorsement as an Infant Family Associate is important to me because it gives me a chance to demonstrate my knowledge with those I interact with professionally and to better perform my job duties as a Center Director. I am proud to share with others what KAIMH is all about and to encourage others to get their endorsement."
Endorsement is Expanding to Early Childhood (3-5)!
We are excited to announce that KAIMH is expanding the current options for endorsement. Currently, the available endorsement options are related to the Infant Mental Health (IMH) Endorsement (categories for professionals working with children 0-3). We are now expanding to include endorsement options for professionals working with children 3-5. This expansion to the endorsement options is called Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement! This exciting opportunity will be available this May! We are launching this endorsement by offering an informational webinar that provides more details. Whether you are already endorsed in IMH(birth to three) and seek to add to or have found that the IMH endorsement was not a good fit and want to become Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsed, we are ready for you to take advantage of this opportunity! Please join us for our launch!
Join us on May 21st, 2025, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm as KAIMH hosts a Q&A presentation with Kelly Sipotz, MS, LMSW, IMH-E® Program Manager & Workforce Development with the Alliance for Infant Mental Health. To register for this exciting event, click here!
New Data on the Health and Well-Being of Early Childhood Educators
Over the past few years, Dr. Walter Gilliam, PhD and his team at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute engaged in a large scale epidemiologic study with the participation of more than 126,000 child care professionals across the country. Initial results of this study were revealed at the 2024 Zero to Three LEARN Conference. To view this presentation of recent data highlighting early childhood educator's physical health, mental health and financial well-being go here
Join Our Board!
We need KAIMH members interested in leading our organization into the future! If you are interested in serving, we are soliciting nominations.
How? Send us a letter of interest and your resume/vita to info@kaimh.org. Let us know why you want to serve on the KAIMH board and what skills and knowledge you would bring to the board. Or you are welcome to complete the Online Board Nomination Application form and we will be in contact soon!
AEW Nominations The Alice Eberhart-Wright Visionary Award recognizes outstanding achievements and significant contributions in the field of infant and early childhood mental health. The award is given to those who represent the mission of KAIMH and illustrate passion, creativity and best practices in their work supporting infant and early childhood mental health in Kansas. This award will be presented each year at the KAIMH annual conference. If you would like to nominate a candidate for the 2025 award, please complete the nomination form by March 1st, 2025
April - May Professional Development
Check out these upcoming professional development opportunities that support your Infant Mental Health Endorsement® from the Early Childhood Investigations Webinars, Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, Kansas LEND, Kansas Children's Service League, and Child Care Aware network.
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