Certification in Perinatal Mental Health

In August 2018, the first Certification in Perinatal Mental Health became available through Postpartum Support International. 

The Perinatal Mental Health Certification Program creates a structure for professional education and evaluation, and a standardization of training and experience to inform families and payers of perinatal mental health specialists. The certification curriculum requirements build on existing evidence-based perinatal mental health certificate trainings,  adding an advanced-training component.

PSI has worked with internationally-known Certification company, Pearson VUE, to develop and publish a computer-based certification exam. Pearson VUE has 30 years’ experience providing test delivery and administration services to professional certification organizations. They have more than 250 company-owned testing centers in the US and nearly 20,000 authorized test centers globally. The Perinatal Mental Health Certification exam will be available beginning August 2018, and candidates will find complete instructions on a customized website page.

Certification Specialties

The first step in completing the educational requirements for certification is to take the PSI Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Certificate Course, the PSI/2020 Mom webinar certificate course, or an approved equivalent evidence-based training. PSI has been presenting professional perinatal mental health education since 1987. More than 9000 participants have completed our standardized certificate of completion course, a two-day training in Perinatal Mood Disorders with an evidence-based curriculum, and more than 1900 have completed the maternal mental health webinar course by PSI and 2020 mom.

The Perinatal Mental Health Certification is available for three groups:

• Mental Health / Psychotherapy
• Psychopharmacology
• Affiliated Professions (Nurses, Doulas, Lactation, Social Support, Occupational or Physical Therapists, Dietitians, and others)

Candidate Requirements

• Practice: 2 years’ work experience relevant to the field of perinatal mental health
• Education: Graduate degree (Psychotherapy); Medical Degree/Advanced Practice Nursing Degree (Prescriber); Professional Credential (Affiliated professionals)
• Perinatal Mental Health Training: Completion of evidence-based perinatal mental health certificate training:
  • 14 hours certificate training
  • Additional 6 hours advanced training.
    • Candidates must complete an in-person advanced course in their specialty (psychotherapy, affiliated, or psychopharm.) You can take a PSI advanced course, or an equivalent six-hour advanced course that includes perinatal mental health as this advanced pre-requisite for the Perinatal Mental Health Certification. You can see alternative courses approved as pre-requisites here.
  • Contact certification@postpartum.net for more information, or to submit a PMH course application for approval

STEPS TO CERTIFICATION

STEP 1: COMPLETE ONE PERINATAL MOOD AND ANXIETY CERTIFICATE COURSE.

Choose one of the following: 

• PSI 2-day Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care Course
• Maternal Mental Health Webinar Certificate Course by PSI and 2020 Mom
• Other evidence-based courses by approval. Write to certification@postpartum.net to request approval.
  • Check updated list of approved alternate courses. 

STEP 2: COMPLETE ONE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE TRAINING in specialty area

• Psychotherapy/Psychology Providers
  • PSI Advanced PMH certificate course will be scheduled in various locations throughout the year. Click here to see a list of courses currently open for registration and sign up for PSI emails to keep in touch.
  • You can submit other advanced in-person evidence-based courses for approval of the 6 hours advanced requirement. To request approval for an advanced course, write to certification@postpartum.net
• Psychopharmacology Providers: 
  • PSI’s advanced psychopharmacology training  is being offered in St. Paul, MN on August 9, 2019.  Register here.
  • You can submit other advanced in-person evidence-based courses for approval of the 6 hours advanced requirement. To request approval for an advanced course, write to certification@postpartum.net
  • Check updated list of approved alternate courses. 
• Affiliated Professionals 
  • Future Advanced Trainings TBA
  • ALL PSI conference breakout sessions fulfilled the requirement (minimum 6 hrs)
  • You can submit other advanced in-person evidence-based courses for approval of the 6 hours advanced requirement. To request approval for an advanced course, write to certification@postpartum.net.
  • Check updated list of approved alternate courses. 
• You can see alternative courses approved as pre-requisites here.

STEP 3: Register to take the exam – FILL OUT THIS FORM

STEP 4: Take the Certification exam at a Pearson Vue Center near you

READ OUR CERTIFICATION FAQ PAGE HERE

CLICK HERE TO VIEW LIST OF APPROVED ALTERNATE COURSES

Blueprint of Certification Exam

The test blueprint contains the content areas for the exam and the distribution of test items across the content areas.
View or download Blueprint HERE

For more information, write to us at certification@postpartum.net