Specialist and child playing with sandbox

Academic Education and Research

Academic offerings and research opportunities that promote personal and professional growth as well as advancement in the study of developmental diversity.

Academic education and research serve to advance the mission, values and philosophy of the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health (CAECMH) at Montclair State University. Academic offerings include the Developmental Models of Autism Intervention Certificate, a post-baccalaureate program offered through the College for Education and Engaged Learning, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary and Literacy Education and administered by the CAECMH. The 15-credit program prepares teachers and other educators, mental health practitioners and allied health professionals to use assessment, education and intervention strategies to work with children with autism and their families.

Continuing education in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.

In addition, the CAECMH is home to the New Jersey Autism Center for Excellence Coordinating Center, which serves to support and advance the mission of newly funded New Jersey Autism Center for Excellence (NJ ACE) clinical research sites by promoting the sharing of lessons learned and best practices in the conduct of clinical research.

Developmental Models of Autism Intervention Certificate

Recent scientific advances have reframed autism spectrum disorders as a difference in the structure and functioning of the brain and neurosensory system as opposed to a disorder of behavior. The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program in Developmental Models of Autism Intervention (DMAI) prepares teachers, educators, mental health practitioners and allied health professionals to use assessment, education and intervention strategies to work with children with autism and their families. It provides professionals with comprehensive academic and applied experiences around autism spectrum disorder from a developmental and relational perspective. This 15 graduate credit certificate is offered through the College for Education and Engaged Learning, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary and Literacy Education and is administered by the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health.

Please read the Certificate requirements and admission criteria. For more information, please email caecmh@montclair.edu or call 973-655-6685.

Continuing Education in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Continuing education in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, offered through the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health and the College for Education and Engaged Learning provides professionals from a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, counseling, social work, education, pediatrics, nursing and other allied fields, the opportunity to study the interdisciplinary field of infant and early childhood mental health. The coursework encourages the formation of candidates to become respectful partners in promoting infant and early childhood mental health and the infant/child-parent relationship. Candidates learn how to engage in meaningful interactions, understand individual differences in infants, children and families and learn to develop applications for use for children and families within the scope of their specific professional licensure and practice. The curriculum emphasizes three critical domains:

  • The integration of principles and practices of infant and early childhood mental health into the nature of all educational, service, policy and advocacy programs
  • The implications and applications of “relationship-based” intervention
  • The critical importance on “reflective practices” in all educational and service programs

View the course offerings and admission criteria. For more information, please email caecmh@montclair.edu or call 973-655-6685.

If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.

–Stephen Shore, PhD