Workforce Development Program

The Workforce Development Program has a long-standing and nationally recognized dedication to the wellness needs of those with serious mental illness and the integration of health and behavioral health. The Workforce Development Program was designed in alignment with managed care delivery. The program prepares peers to be behavioral health specialists, a role that is not specific to mental health or substance use disorder. The Workforce Development Program is a certified stand-alone certification program able to adapt and modify its own curriculum as the need arises, without having to go to a state or national certification board to make changes. Based on evolving student needs, the curriculum can be adjusted after each training.

The WDP RSS Institute is delivered throughout southern Arizona, including in Tucson, Yuma and La Paz counties (GSA 2), Graham, Greenlee, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties (GSA 3); and Pinal County (GSA 4). Opportunity exists to expand into Maricopa County in the coming fiscal year.

As part of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, the WDP has established partnerships with the college’s evaluation team to monitor and maintain data deliverables in the service of outcomes evaluation and academic research. Outcomes and findings are regularly shared at conferences and as part of forthcoming publications in peer-reviewed journals. Data quality is continuously monitored and updated.

Several WDP staff are founding members of the Arizona Alliance of Peer Supports (AzAPS), the organization that advocates for the professionalization of the peer support workforce in Arizona, and is influential primarily through its connection with Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Service (AHCCCS). It provides employment resources to peers, and solicits and advocates for the interests of peers support workers in the state. 

The intensive Integrated Health Recovery Support Specialist three-day training component provides peers with a thorough, academic immersion in integrated care. The IHI is a part of the certification course, but can complement training for peers who are already certified, making direct-to-consumer marketing especially worthwhile. The curriculum addresses preventable health care conditions and teaches about co-morbidity.

Peer Trainers

All trainers in the institute are peers themselves. We emphasize the message of hope and recovery as part of a peer-delivered approach, including an emphasis on building instructor capacity over the long term while partnering peer specialists/trainers with highly experienced professionals to effectively engage students in programming that can be adapted in response to population needs.

Capacity for Consultation and Training for Medical Clinics Integrating Peers

WDP has been invited by Banner Health to partner on an innovative demonstration project integrating recovery support specialists into a primary care clinic. As part of this project, WDP hosts a monthly Collaborative Advisory Committee meeting, designed to ensure that the project proceeds with equity and serious consideration of the recovery support specialist perspective. The training curriculum will prepare peers to work in integrated physical health care settings. This experience will position WDP to consult with other organizations moving toward providing behavioral health care as part of their integrated health practice models.

Over the course, you will gain knowledge that will support you in turning personal experiential knowledge from your own recovery journeys into skills, or experiential wisdom, to provide assistance to others in achieving their recovery goals.

• The training covers the foundations of recovery as written by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Arizona Department of Health Services/Department of Behavioral Health Services (ADHS/DBHS).
   
• The training covers multiple topics: peer support, role modeling, building relationships, communication skills, empathy and skills training, ethics and boundaries, SMART training, documentation, appeals and grievances, mandated reporting, advanced directives, cultural competency, co-occurring disorders (mental illness and substance use disorders), medication and side effects, motivational interviewing, spirituality, crisis/suicide/trauma, tools for entering the workforce, group facilitation, supervision, HIPAA and disclosure.
   
• Students will gain understanding of: how a person’s mental health and physical health contribute to make up a person’s whole health, SAMHSA’s Whole Health Action Management (WHAM), morbidity and mortality in people with serious mental illness, self-screening tool (assessment), skills training laboratory (blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.), human body systems, virtual clinic tour, concepts of functional medicine, different common disease processes, universal precautions, and how to find additional information needed to help a person navigate the health care system.

Certification will be awarded upon completion of the Institute and passage of a final exam.

Admission Criteria

Individuals must be receiving services from an Arizona state health home or agency and be enrolled in AHCCCS. Current accepted providers are Banner and Arizona Complete Health. If you are enrolled with another provider, you may still be eligible to attend through the Arizona Job Connection. 

Application Process

• Fill out the eligibility screening form
• Pass the mandatory online AHCCCS pre-screening and complete the RSS application
• Write a brief essay of “Why I want to become an RSS”
• Obtain two letters of recommendation
• Complete the required referral documents update link with your recovery coach (unless you are enrolling through Pima County One Stop or self-pay)
• Submit all paperwork online during your pre-screening or send to fcm-wdp@email.arizona.edu by email or 520-626-7833 by fax.

If you have already completed peer support specialist training with another provider and received certification through them, you are not eligible to duplicate the certification through the RSS Institute.

To apply for the Integrated Health Recovery Support Specialist Institute to become a certified peer/recovery support please visit us on Mondays at 8:30 a.m. at our location:

1030 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ 85711
520-621-1642

Our purpose is to create a supportive community where participants can:

• Connect with others who share similar experiences and values
• Share tools, resources, and strategies that strengthen our practice
• Learn from guest speakers and peers about the different ways we each approach support work
• Explore job networking opportunities and hear about potential openings in the field
• Find encouragement and inspiration to bring back into the work we do every day

We meet on the fourth Friday of every month from 1-2 p.m., both in person at 1030 N. Alvernon Way in Tucson, or virtually.

Join on Zoom

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Program Format

Certification training consists of six months of classroom learning and hands-on experiences at a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider. Trainees commit to five to 10 hours per week for six months for a total of 168 hours (144 classroom and 24 professional shadowing hours).

An optional apprenticeship is a paid, full-time (40 hours per week), 12-month placement working on-site with a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider, for a total of 2,000 hours.

Upon completion of their studies, participants are provided with two SMART Recovery training sessions to enhance their understanding of recovery at their own pace. SMART Recovery, a nationwide nonprofit, is an evidenced-informed recovery method grounded in rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which offers free support groups to individuals who desire to gain independence from any type of addictive behavior. SMART Recovery Facilitator/Family & Friends Training combines the prerequisite GSF 201 and the add-on training GSF 202, equipping trainees to successfully facilitate SMART meetings for individuals or family members.

Financial Support

Certification Training ($5,000): Trainees will receive $750  monthly for 6 months from The University of Arizona. To receive stipend payment, trainees are expected to attended class and complete required coursework. Those who complete the Certification Training and return all borrowed equipment (laptops, MiFi, etc.) will receive a $500 completion bonus from The University of Arizona. All trainees will also receive a scholarship to cover cost of training.

Apprenticeship (Salary + $500): Trainees are encouraged to apply for but are not guaranteed placement into a full-time, paid apprenticeship with a behavioral health agency or integrated healthcare provider. The hourly pay/salary and benefits will be set by the partner organization. Typical pay in Southern Arizona as a Behavioral Health Paraprofessional is $13-$15 dollars/hour. At the end of the 12-month apprenticeship, trainees will again receive a $500 completion bonus from The University of Arizona.

Stipend payments may qualify as income, and this could affect any financial, social service or public benefits that you receive. It is in your best interest to investigate how stipend payments could affect your eligibility for any benefits you receive, such as by using this benefits calculator.

Instructors

Rita Romero is an instructor at the University of Arizona’s Workforce Development Program, where she trains individuals with lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use disorders to be employed as behavioral health specialists within the behavioral health care system. She is passionate about recovery-oriented practice and strives to empower individuals to reach their goals.

Prior to WDP, she worked at NAMI Southern Arizona as a training manager, leading peer education programs as a state trainer. She enjoyed the opportunity to mentor individuals, training them in facilitation and behavioral health medical record documentation, to prepare for employment in the field. She is certified as a recovery support specialist, parent and family support specialist and advanced level WRAP facilitator, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese language studies.

Community Partners

PeerWORKS is supported by the following types of health care organizations in Arizona:

• Peer and family-run organizations
• Critical access hospitals
• Community counseling services
• Outpatient substance use treatment programs
• Inpatient substance use treatment programs
• Community health centers
• Nonprofit organizations

Diversity

Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information. We actively seek individuals who have experience living and working with diverse populations. Those with lived experience of substance use disorder (either self or family members) are encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements

Each applicant must write a 2-3 paragraph essay addressing the question, “What are your most important reasons for enrolling in this program?” This essay is weighted heavily in the admissions process, so edit for spelling, grammar and clarity before submitting. It may be useful to type your response in Microsoft Word, then copy and paste it into the text box.

Each applicant should ensure their contact information entered into the application will be the same used for communications during the program. We will use this application email and phone number to reach you for important updates, class notices, etc.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the U.S.
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• At least 21 years of age
• Proficient in spoken and written English
• Able to commit time to hands-on and classroom learning for 5-10 hours per week for the duration of the program
• Reside in Arizona
• All trainees will need reliable internet and a computer with web camera. If you do not have access to these resources, please contact us by email when you submit your application. We may be able to assist. All trainings will be held online.
• All trainees will need to provide supporting documentation: a W-9 form and an options ACH form for direct deposit

Join the waiting list for Cohort 5:

Join Now

All classroom training activities will be conducted remotely via Zoom.

Contact us at fcm-wdp@email.arizona.edu or 520-306-6889.

Cohort 4 (Application Now Open) update

Level I Certification Training: February 2025- August 2025.
Level II Apprenticeship: August 2025 – August 2026 (Start date to be determined Fall 2025, varies per Apprentice)

Counties: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai and Yuma.

Weekly Class Schedule
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 1:30pm - 3:30pm

Join the waiting list for Cohort 5:

Join Now

All classroom training activities will be conducted remotely via Zoom.

The program involves two training levels:

1. Certification training is a six-month parent and family support specialist certification, consisting of classroom learning and hands-on experiences at a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider. Trainees commit to 5-10 hours per week for six months, for a total of 160 hours (144 classroom and 16 professional shadowing hours to be completed at a partner organization).
2. Apprenticeship is an optional 12-month, full-time (40 hours per week) apprenticeship, working on-site with a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider, for a total of 2,000 hours.

Upon completion of their studies, participants are provided with two SMART Recovery training sessions to enhance their understanding of recovery at their own pace. SMART Recovery, a nationwide nonprofit, is an evidenced-informed recovery method grounded in rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which offers free support groups to individuals who desire to gain independence from any type of addictive behavior. SMART Recovery Facilitator/Family & Friends Training combines the prerequisite GSF 201 and the add-on training GSF 202, equipping trainees to successfully facilitate SMART meetings for individuals or family members.

Financial Support

Certification Training ($5,500 + $500 bonus): Trainees will receive approximately $916.65 monthly for six months from the University of Arizona. To receive stipend payments, trainees are expected to attend class and complete required coursework. Those who complete the certification training and return all borrowed equipment (laptops, MiFi, etc.) will be considered for up to a $500 completion bonus from U of A. All trainees will also receive a scholarship to cover training costs.

$916.65 x 6 months + $500 bonus (must qualify) = $6,000

Apprenticeship (salary/benefits + $7,000 stipend + $500 bonus): Trainees are encouraged to apply for but are not guaranteed placement into a full-time, paid apprenticeship with a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider. The hourly pay/salary and benefits will be set by the partner organization (the apprentices employer). Typical pay in southern Arizona as a behavioral health paraprofessional is $12-$15/hour. Apprentices will receive three payments from U of A for an apprenticeship:

1. first stipend payment of $3,500 during the first half of the apprenticeship
2. second stipend payment of $3,500 during the second half of the apprenticeship
3. a final $500 bonus, if they complete the full 12-month apprenticeship

$3,500 first stipend + $3,500 second stipend + $500 bonus = $7,500

Stipend payments may qualify as income, and this could affect any financial, social service or public benefits that you receive. It is in your best interest to investigate how stipend payments could affect your eligibility for any benefits you receive, such as by using this benefits calculator.

Instructors

Rita Romero is an instructor at the University of Arizona’s Workforce Development Program, where she trains individuals with lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use disorders to be employed as behavioral health specialists within the behavioral health care system. She is passionate about recovery-oriented practice and strives to empower individuals to reach their goals.

Prior to WDP, she worked at NAMI Southern Arizona as a training manager, leading peer education programs as a state trainer. She enjoyed the opportunity to mentor individuals, training them in facilitation and behavioral health medical record documentation, to prepare for employment in the field. She is certified as a recovery support specialist, parent and family support specialist and advanced level WRAP facilitator, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese language studies.

Kevin Phillips is certified as both a parent & family support specialist and a peer & recovery support specialist, and trains individuals with lived experience in mental illness or substance use disorder, empowering them to harness their backgrounds for positive transformation. As a graduate of Project MORE High School and Project FUTRE, he deeply understands the transformative potential of alternative pathways and options in shaping individuals’ lives. He is a proud and vocal advocate for recovery-oriented, person-centric, trauma-informed approaches in all aspects of life.

In 2024, he was accepted on the MODRN EQUIP advisory committee to help shape how the success of opioid treatment programs is measured across the nation. In 2025, he will continue his service on MODRN EQUIP and the National Institute of Health’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Connections Lived Experience Panel, explicitly contributing to the Hispanic/Latino/a/x/é subpanel for the second consecutive year.

Community Partners

Project FUTRE is supported by the following types of health care organizations in Arizona:

• Peer and family-run organizations
• Behavioral health care organizations
• Youth behavioral health organizations
• Substance use prevention coalitions
• Community health centers
• Nonprofit organizations

Diversity

Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information. We actively seek individuals who have experience living and working with diverse populations. Those with lived experience of substance use disorder (either self or family members) are encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements

Each applicant must write a 2-3 paragraph essay addressing the question, “What are your most important reasons for enrolling in this program?” This essay is weighted heavily in the admissions process, so edit for spelling, grammar and clarity before submitting. It may be useful to type your response in Microsoft Word, then copy and paste it into the text box.

Each applicant should ensure their contact information entered into the application will be the same used for communications during the program. We will use this application email and phone number to reach you for important updates, class notices, etc.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the U.S.
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• At least 21 years of age
• Proficient in spoken and written English
• Able to commit time to hands-on and classroom learning for 5-10 hours per week for the duration of the program
• Reside in Arizona
• All trainees will need reliable internet and a computer with web camera. If you do not have access to these resources, please contact us by email when you submit your application. We may be able to assist. All trainings will be held online.
• All trainees will need to provide supporting documentation: a W-9 form and an options ACH form for direct deposit

All classroom training activities will be conducted remotely via Zoom. Experiential shadowing (if in-person) will follow CDC guidelines and protocols setup by partner organizations to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Internet and laptop support is provided, as needed.

Contact us at fcm-wdp@email.arizona.edu or 520-306-6889.

Level I Pre-Apprenticeship: April 2025 – October 2025
Level II Apprenticeship: October 2025 – October 2026

Counties: Cochise, Coconino, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yuma

Classes are held on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling ~$2.4 million under grant number T26HP39459. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Este programa cuenta con el apoyo de la Administración de Recursos y Servicios de Salud (HRSA) del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los EE. UU. (HHS) como parte de un concesión de asistencia financiera por un total de ~$2,4 millones (USD) con el número de concesión T26HP39459. Los contenidos son los del autor (es) y no representan necesariamente la opiniones oficiales ni respaldo de HRSA / HHS o del gobierno de EE. UU.

Yearly Reports

2023 Paraprofessional Report

Cohort I 

Trainees

One Month Training Evaluation fix link

Three Month Training Evaluation

Six Month Training Evaluation

Trainees Self Evaluation

Cohort II

Trainees

One Month Training Evaluation

Three Month Training Evaluation

• Coaches family members on how to achieve the resiliency and recovery goals of the child (including adult children) and family
• Promotes self-determination, personal responsibility, and the skills, knowledge and confidence to be an effective advocate for their family member
• Mentors family members and inspires a sense of hope that resiliency and recovery are achievable goals
• Works to identify individualized goals by working with families to develop strengths, talents and abilities to make effective personal choices.

Trainees will learn the below concepts:

• Peer support, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Mary Ellen Copeland
• Motivational interviewing (MI), William R. Miller & Stephen Rollnick
• Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), Peter Drucker & Robert S. Rubin
• Whole Health Action Management (WHAM), SAMHSA

• Five consecutive Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., books and materials included. Fully revolving schedule. Any missed days can be made up by attending that specific day on the next cycle.
• Trainings are located at 1030 N. Alvernon Way in Tucson.
• Cost of training is $600
• Negotiable rates for groups

For more information or to request a program overview presentation to your group, please contact us at 520-621-1642.

Download application

Submit application by mail, email or fax.

Workforce Development Program
2302 E. Speedway Blvd., Suite 202
Tucson, AZ 85719

Email: fcm-wdp@email.arizona.edu
Fax: 520-626-7833

Questions? Call 520-621-1642