Qualified Mental Health Associate Apprenticeship

Behavioral health workers who don’t have a Bachelor’s Degree, and want to pursue QMHA certification, now have a new path to pursue their goals! The QMHA Apprenticeship helps individuals with sufficient behavioral health industry work experience achieve QMHA certification without a Bachelor’s Degree, or even a High School Degree - while continuing to work in behavioral health. Once certified, apprentices will advance in their position with their employer and receive wage increases. QMHAs provide behavioral health services including client interaction, individual and group skill training, treatment coordination, crisis interventions, documentation, and feedback for therapeutic treatments and plans.

The Details: Related Training Instruction (RTI)

The ‘classroom’ component of the QMHA Apprenticeship is delivered asynchronously through the US Career Institute.

Over 12 months, apprentices progress through a set of introductory behavioral health curriculum:

• General Psychology

• Introduction to Social Work

• Health and Wellness

• Abnormal Psychology

• Law and Ethics for the Healthcare Professional

The courses are all self-paced, lasting about 8 weeks per course. Apprentices complete the work on their own schedule and at their own pace, earning a total of 22.5 quarter college credits (15 semester credits). Depending on prior work experience and related education, some apprentices will advance through the program without needing to complete all of the coursework.

The Details: On-the-Job Training (OJT)

While engaged in the QMHA apprenticeship, you will receive clinical supervision from your employer. You will receive ‘on-the-job training’ from QMHA-certified colleagues. Certain positions/shifts may not be suitable for this activity, in which case, you may need to make some change to your current role.

Your employer may also offer ‘on-the-job learning’ or continuing education opportunities. These may help you complete your QMHA certification process more quickly.

The Details: Costs

Participants in the apprenticeship program will not have any cost for the training.

Along with receiving completely free education and paid training, individuals in the program also receive additional financial stipends and support based on individual need.

United We Heal Oregon Training Trust is a 501(c)3 non-profit.

We are jointly governed by Union and Management Trustees.

These programs are funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Labor. We are equal opportunity employers/programs. Auxiliary aides and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. The sponsor will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, or because they are an individual with a disability or a person 40 years old or older. The sponsor will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30.