About Us

The Infant Mental Health Association of Maryland and DC (IMHA-MD/DC), we believe that the first five years of life lay the foundation for a lifetime of health and resilience. In this critical window, the quality of early relationships is the primary driver of development. We are a dedicated network of professionals and advocates working across the region to ensure that every infant, young child, and family has the support they need to thrive.

Our Mission

To promote the relational health and well-being of infants, young children (0-5), and their families across Maryland and DC through membership, collaboration, and advocacy.

Our Vision

A future where every infant, young child, and family in Maryland and DC is embraced by a network of members and partners delivering equitable support that is responsive to culture and trauma. Through collective action and shared expertise, we foster resilience and lifelong well-being.

The Values That Guide Us

Empowerment and Inclusion

• • We practice cultural humility and contextual understanding by uplifting every voice, fostering leadership, ensuring accessibility, and creating belonging. We acknowledge and address power imbalances and privilege so that everyone feels heard, valued, and supported.

Equity, Diversity and Social Justice

• • We champion equitable access to resources for our Maryland and DC communities by honoring intersectional identities and actively dismantling systemic barriers to infant and early childhood mental health care. We commit to transformative action that advances human rights, well-being, and collective liberation.

Family Partnership and Responsiveness

• • We support and promote programs rooted in diversity-informed practice, reflecting families’ unique strengths, cultural contexts, and lived experiences. Every interaction integrates trauma-responsive, compassionate approaches 

Collaboration for Change

• • We mobilize members, families, policymakers, and stakeholders in shared purpose, leveraging collective wisdom and sustained partnerships to drive community-rooted systems change that embeds equity and inclusion at every level.

Knowledge into Action

• • We equip our members with practice-informed research, reflective practices, and advocacy tools. This ongoing cycle of learning and self-assessment ensures evidence translates into strategies that improve mental health outcomes for infants, young children, and their families.

Integrity and Accountability

• • We uphold transparent decision-making, regular self-reflection, and measurable impact, guided by member feedback and our deep responsibility to advance equity, social justice, and ethical practice in all we do.