Association House Creates and Pilots New Pathway to Behavioral Health Careers

Students of our Behavioral Health Pre-Apprenticeship got an inside look at careers in substance use recovery, peer mentorship, mobile crisis response, and more.

This year, Association House partnered with Cook County Health to create and pilot a new Behavioral Health Pre-Apprenticeship, helping make careers in behavioral health more accessible to people across Chicago.

The pilot was created in response to a growing need for behavioral health workers—and a need to connect more people with career paths they may never have encountered before. For people interested in helping others, the field offers many opportunities, from substance use recovery and peer support to case management and mobile crisis response. But without a chance to learn what those jobs actually involve, knowing where to begin can be a challenge.

The Behavioral Health Pre-Apprenticeship was designed to help bridge that gap.

Over five weeks, participants got a broad look at the behavioral health field. They learned about mental health and trauma, built practical workplace skills, earned Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid certifications, and gained firsthand experience with behavioral health programs and careers.

Association House was uniquely suited to offer that big-picture view. Our building is home to a wide range of behavioral health services, allowing participants to see several sides of the field in one place. Through our partnerships with organizations including Family Guidance Center and UCAN, we also created opportunities for participants to explore careers and services beyond Association House.

Behavioral Health Director Tanya Wade (right) helped design and instruct the pre-apprenticeship for these grads!

“We really wanted participants to know what it looks like to be in behavioral health systems in any capacity,” says Tanya Wade, Director of Association House’s Clinical Operations. “Wherever we couldn't show it in our building, we developed partnerships that could provide hands-on experiences and potential paths to employment.”

Rather than preparing participants for just one type of job, the Pre-Apprenticeship gave them the chance to discover where their interests and strengths might fit.

“What we heard over and over again was how much this program really helped our participants understand empathy, their mental health and trauma,” Tanya says. Participants were able to connect what they learned—and what they had experienced in their own lives—to possible career paths.

Across its first year, the Behavioral Health Pre-Apprenticeship graduated nearly 50 participants, earning certifications and gaining a clearer understanding of the career paths available to them. Several graduates went on to secure jobs in behavioral health or advance in their existing careers after completing the program and earning their certifications.

For Clark, the pre-apprenticeship led directly to a new career.

When Clark began looking for work after college, he had never heard of behavioral health. After meeting Association House staff at a local job fair, he learned about the Pre-Apprenticeship and enrolled. The program introduced him to peer support, a field that quickly caught his interest.

“The class was always exciting to go through,” Clark says. “Ms. Shawny and Ms. Tanya always brought so much good energy into the class.” He especially valued learning skills such as active listening and setting boundaries—skills he says he can use both at work and in everyday life.

Our second graduating cohort of the Behavioral Health Pre-Apprenticeship discovered new career paths together.

While enrolled in the Pre-Apprenticeship, Clark was connected with Family Guidance Center through Association House. That connection led directly to his first job in behavioral health, where he now works as a Support Specialist in peer support.

“I didn't have any background in this field at all, but I got a job through the connection with Association House,” Clark says.

Clark’s story shows what can happen when people are given access to opportunities they may never have encountered on their own. He entered the program without knowing behavioral health was a career option. He left with a better understanding of the field, new skills, professional connections and a job in a career he enjoys.

That is the larger promise of the Behavioral Health Pre-Apprenticeship: putting education, experience and career connections into the hands of people who may not otherwise have a way into the field. By helping participants understand the work before choosing a path, the program can make behavioral health careers feel more visible—and more attainable—to a wider range of people.

For Clark, the advice is simple for anyone considering that first step: “Go in with an open-hearted and open mind, ready to learn something.”

As Association House reflects on the first year of the pilot, the experience has shown the value of creating new ways for community members to discover their potential—and for Chicago’s behavioral health workforce to welcome new talent, perspectives and lived experiences. ■