Thanks to generous funding from the Ballmer Group, the Behavioral Health Institute (BHI) helped address the behavioral health workforce crisis through a collaboration with the SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW Multi-Employer Training Fund (known as the Training Fund) to develop and implement an innovative statewide Behavioral Health Apprenticeship program.
In the past, the Training Fund’s Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium (HCAC) had successfully launched and implemented several statewide health care apprenticeship programs, and the behavioral health apprenticeship program was their newest effort.
The behavioral health apprenticeship program has three pathways: Behavioral health technician, substance use disorder professional (SUDP), and peer counselor. Apprentices earn while they learn and receive college credits for the classroom portion of the program.
The Behavioral Health Apprenticeship program aims to:
- Create additional entry points to the behavioral health field
- Increase the number of people who provide vital behavioral health services
- Diversify the behavioral health workforce
- Establish a cycle of increasing professionalism, including a career ladder
- Enhance staff retention, of both entry-level apprentices and their experienced mentors
The first apprenticeship cohorts started in October 2022. As of August 2025, more than 200 apprentices and 53 employers have participated.
Behavioral health employers interested in hiring apprentices should contact HCAC at apprenticeship@healthcareerfund.org.
For a glimpse of the apprenticeship experience, read a brief profile about a new SUDP apprentice on this webpage.
For more information about the Behavioral Health apprenticeship program, visit Training Fund HCAC and the Behavioral Health Apprenticeship’s FAQ webpage.