Who is Eligible:
To be eligible for certification, the applicant must be registered/credentialed with the governing bodies listed below and work with youth in an educational or clinical setting at least 20 hours per week:
- Registered Nurse Practitioners
- Credentialed Mental Health Nurses
Training Requirements:
A minimum of 12 hours of continuing education in specific youth mental health topics.
Pre-approved, 3rd party trainings that meet the training requirements for CYMHS certification include:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health in an Uncertain Time: Reintegration Strategies for Classroom and Community-Certification Included!
- Youth Mental Health Specialist Certification Training by PESI AU – Certification Included!
- Certified Youth Mental Health Specialist Course: Interventions for Anxiety, Depression, Toxic Stress, Self-Harm, & More by PESI AU – Certification Included!
- Youth Mental Health in Crisis: Innovative Certification Training for Treating Young Clients by PESI AU – Certification Included!
Wondering if a course meets the requirements for CYMHS certification? Submit a copy of or link to the course title, speaker, outline and learning objectives to info@evergreencertifications.com for review.
Please note that Evergreen Certifications does not offer CPD, all training must be purchased directly through the accredited training organization. Training is not included in the certification fee.
Application Process:
For your initial 1-year certification, please complete the following steps:
- Complete a qualifying training
- Remit your initial application payment of 149.99 USD online
- Upload the following documents to your account:
- A copy of the candidate’s professional registration, credential, or membership
- Evidence of completion of qualifying training, in the form of a CPD or completion certificate
Evergreen Certifications will certify applicants who meet the above requirements.
Please note: Certification does not imply endorsement of clinical competency. As a credentialed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession’s standards.
Renewal Process:
To maintain CYMHS certification, a renewal is required. After your initial 1-year certification, you have the option to renew for 1, 2 or 3 years. A 1-year renewal requires 6 CPD hours of youth mental health-focused training since you were last certified; a 2-year renewal requires 12 CPD hours, and a 3-year renewal requires 18 CPD hours.
Sample CYMHS renewal trainings include:
- Identifying Mental Health and Substance Abuse Problems of Children and Youth by Quantum Units Education
- The Mindsight Approach to Childhood and Adolescents by PESI
- 2-Day Neuro-Based Self-Regulation Toolbox For Children and Adolescents by PESI
- Over 75 Quick “On-The-Spot” Techniques for Children and Adolescents with Emotional and Behavior Problems by PESI
- Transform Classrooms from the Inside Out: Effective Interventions to De-Escalate Extreme Emotions & Disruptive Behaviors in Schools by PESI
- Classroom Management for Mental Health and Behavioral Issues: Surefire Solutions to Help Students with Autism, ODD, ADHD and Other Challenges Thrive at School by PESI
- Mental Health Issues in the K-5 Classroom: Practical Strategies for Helping Young Students Succeed at School by PESI
Renewal Process
- Complete a qualifying training
- Upload the following documents to your account:
- A copy of the candidate’s professional registration, credential, or membership
- Evidence of completion of qualifying training, in the form of a CPD or completion certificate
- Remit your CYMHS renewal fee online
- $49.99 for a 1-year renewal
- $79.99 for a 2-year renewal
- $99.99 for a 3-year renewal
Renewal training hours need to have been taken in the time since you were certified or last renewed.
Renewals are calculated from the date that your certification was issued. If you allow your certification to lapse for more than 3 years, you are no longer eligible to renew your certification and instead can reapply for certification.
Nicolle Carr - PhD
Dr. Nicolle (Matthews) Carr received her PhD in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and went on to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst through a program at Penn State University. Dr. Carr currently works as a behavioral consultant in local school districts and teaches online courses for universities and colleges around the country. She was most recently appointed to the Autism Crisis Committee at OU Health Science Center and the School Climate and Culture Task Force for Norman Public Schools. She is the secretary for the American Psychological Association's Society of Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology (Division 6) and the Applied Behavior Analysis Special Interest Group on Ethics.
Lois Ehrmann - PhD, LPC, NCC, CTTS
Lois Ehrmann, PhD, LPC, NCC, CTTS, is a trauma-informed and sensitive clinician who works with individuals and families who suffer from trauma, abuse and attachment issues. She is the founder of The Individual and Family CHOICES Program, a holistic trauma-informed counseling center in State College, PA, that has been providing cutting-edge trauma-informed therapy for over 10 years. Prior to that she co-owned a dual diagnosis outpatient counseling program called Counseling Alternatives Group for over 18 years. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey and has been in clinical practice for over 30 years, specializing in trauma and attachment for over 22 years.
A Certified Trauma Treatment Specialist (CTTS), Lois is also an Approved Consultant and Certified Clinician in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDRIA) as well as a Certified Internal Family Systems Clinician. Trained in IFS Levels 1, 2 and 3 as well as Somatic IFS, she has introduced the IFS model to the children and families she works with, as well as groups of parents of traumatized children and to professional healers who work with traumatized families. Lois is a Registered ATTACh Clinician, Certified Attachment Focused Family Therapist/Consultant and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (NCE). In addition, she is a trained neurofeedback clinician and trained in clinical hypnosis.
Lois is a sought-after trainer both locally and nationally and is also an adjunct assistant professor in counselor education and supervision at PSU. She has presented nationally for many years for the National ATTACh Conference and until very recently served on that organization’s board of directors. Lois has also presented annually for the Internal Family Systems Conference specifically focusing on the use of IFS with children and families struggling with attachment issues.
Lois is the co-author of a book on best practices in attachment therapy and has self-published books for children and their parents on attachment and Internal Family Systems concepts. She was the lead researcher in the development of the Internal Family Systems Adherence Scale for the Internal Family System Foundation.
Lisa Weed Phifer - D.Ed., NCSP, CYMHS
Lisa Weed Phifer, D.Ed., NCSP, CYMHS, is a nationally-certified school psychologist, certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, and author who has a well-established career supporting school-based mental health and social emotional learning for children and adolescents. Phifer's work has focused on integrating cognitive-based therapy (CBT) and core social emotional competencies into practical, child-focused activities. She has presented across the U.S. and internationally to educators, clinicians, and parents, on topics of CBT, trauma-informed practices, and social emotional learning. She is the lead author of the CBT Toolbox for Children & Adolescents (PESI, 2017), Parenting Toolbox (PESI, 2018) and the Trauma-Informed Social Emotional Toolbox for Children & Adolescents (PESI, 2020). Additionally, she is published in the School Mental Health Journal and contributed to both editions of Supporting and Educating Traumatized Children (Rossen, 2020).
Christina Reese - PhD, LCPC
Christina Reese, PhD, LCPC is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as a licensed clinical supervisor. She received her Master’s Degree in community counseling from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD and her Ph.D. in counselor education from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Past work experiences include being director of a mental health clinic and the case manager of the Howard County Cold Weather Shelter, working with homeless individuals and families.
Additionally, Dr. Reese is very passionate about her work focusing on attachment and has extensive experience with adoptive families and children in foster care.Dr. Reese, a recognized attachment and trauma professional, has created a comprehensive guide that explains attachment over a lifetime. Her book, Attachment: 60 Trauma-Informed Assessment and Treatment Interventions Across the Lifespan (PESI, 2018), offers trauma-informed strategies to facilitate connection, rebuild trust and restore positive emotions.