Front Range Community College’s new program aims to expand Larimer County behavioral health workforce
A new program at Front Range Community College (FRCC) aims to create more access for people to start careers in behavioral health — just when it's needed most.
The U.S. is facing a behavioral health crisis. More people than ever are struggling with mental health and substance use, and Colorado expects to be short more than 4,400 behavioral health professionals by 2026. Rural communities are expected to be hit hardest.
“The need for skilled professionals is huge right now,” said Dr. Claire Cronin, director of FRCC’s new credit-based Behavioral Health Program. “There are people out there who are really struggling.”
Starting in August 2025, students can take a new suite of classes through FRCC. Courses follow a 7- or 15-week format, and full-time students can complete a certificate in just one semester.
All classes are offered online or with remote meetings through Zoom. Only students completing a hands-on learning experience may have in-person requirements.
The new certificate options include:
- Behavioral Health Plus (6 credits) - Provides an introduction to behavioral health for those wanting to learn about the field and can also be taken as an add-on certificate for those who work in a community-facing role, such as EMTs, PK-12 educators, librarians, and others who may encounter people in crisis.
- Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant (QBHA) (10 credits) – includes training in case management, cultural competency, therapeutic communication, and more. QBHAs work under a licensed clinician, and agencies can bill Medicaid for their services.
- Behavioral Health Assistant II (16 credits) – builds on the QBHA certificate and adds training in diversity and hands-on learning at a community site (30-40 hours per semester).
These certificates are tied directly to real jobs, including:
- Behavioral health assistant, aide, or technician
- Mental health worker
- Clinic support staff
- Patient care technician
- Case manager
- And more
FRCC will also launch a Patient Navigator certificate in fall 2026.
For those not ready to commit to a full program, FRCC also offers online, non-credit microcredential courses. These are low-cost (just a $50 registration fee, thanks to state funding from SB22-181) and offer flexible learning options.
Why the shortage?
The short answer: demand is outpacing supply.
The longer answer: It’s a complex mix of challenges.
There aren’t enough therapists, counselors, and other providers to meet growing needs. Many people struggle to find care due to cost, long waitlists, or lack of culturally competent providers. A 2024 national study found that most behavioral health professionals are non-Hispanic white women — meaning many clients don’t see themselves reflected in their care.
Providers face their own hurdles: low pay, insurance headaches, unclear practice standards, and widespread burnout — especially since COVID-19.
What’s being done?
In 2022, Colorado lawmakers passed Senate Bill 22-181, using federal stimulus funds to address workforce gaps. The Behavioral Health Administration rolled out a plan to boost access to care, improve career pipelines, and remove barriers to entering the field.
That funding helped FRCC build its new programs, shaped by input from across the state.
“There was collaboration among all 13 community colleges,” said Amber Phebus, FRCC Behavioral Health program manager and a licensed clinical social worker. “The idea is that the experience is consistent—whether you're in Westminster, Aurora, or Pueblo.”
Skills for any career and a chance to explore the field
The program teaches behavioral health skills useful in any job, like de-escalation and therapeutic communication.
Students also get support building résumés, practicing job interviews, and learning about career options.
Phebus says she didn’t get hands-on experience until graduate school — and while it worked out for her, not everyone wants to wait that long or spend that much money only to realize the field isn’t a good fit.
The new program gives people real exposure early on, she said. “It’s not just theory — it’s learning how to connect with someone and how to care for yourself afterward.”
“These pathways are an opportunity to begin to change that and provide more impactful care to everyone in the community.”
Learn more about behavioral health through non-credit, microcredential courses
For career changers who already have a degree or those wanting to learn behavioral health skills, FRCC also offers non-credit microcredential courses. These are taught in a hybrid format with self-paced content combined with virtual, instructor-led sessions.
People may take them at any time (they aren’t tied to traditional semester start dates), and courses cost just $50 each, thanks to state funding from SB22-181. For more information and to register, visit this website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Larimer County Behavioral Health Services asked Dr. Clare Cronin and Amber Phebus, who oversee the non-credit and credentialed Behavioral Health Programs at Front Range Community College, a few questions that may benefit the organizations in Larimer County working to advance behavioral health services for all individuals. Here is what they had to say:
Question: What are the biggest benefits for organizations that hire someone with a Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant certification?
Answer: The biggest benefit is hiring trauma-informed trained staff, who understand therapeutic communication and use a culturally-responsive approach to working with clients. This means less in-house training and vetting, when the employee already has the QBHA/BHA 2 certification. Plus, if employers host students in the SWK 1100 class, they have a clear pipeline to hiring these students. An added benefit to an organization of hiring a QBHA, or having staff pursue the Behavioral Health Plus certificate, would be the addition of staff members who are able to help keep situations from escalating. While I am not naïve enough to think that these individuals would alleviate every crisis situation, having additional people trained in crisis communication skills and recognizing distress can help to shorten critical incidents, or head them off before they begin.
QUESTION: How can these credentials help reduce workload or Make things more efficient for organizations that hire them?
Answer: For clinicians, it could be immensely helpful to have a trained QBHA on staff for helping with assessment, crisis intervention and case management. I formerly worked in an organization that supported youth experiencing homelessness, and I wish that our outreach team, and our direct care staff all had the QBHA/BHA 2, because they would have had the skills to intervene and communicate with clients who were in distress/crisis and also provide case management. I spent so much time as the only on-site counselor often dealing with crisis or typical case management, and this could have easily been offloaded to a staff member with a QBHA credential. Additionally, the QBHA and BHA 2 certifications focus on professional skills, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma. If frontline care staff have this foundational understanding, there will be less turnover – this in turn creates a more stable program for clients. Co-facilitating psycho-educational groups would be a fabulous job for a person with a QBHA/BHA 2 certification, and they are qualified to enter clinical notes, too.
Question: What code or codes can be billed under the QBHA (and/or any of the other credited courses/certifications)?
Answer: There are no restrictions on where an individual with a QBHA certification can practice. If a setting is approved on the code in the manual where a QBHA is a provider type, they can work as part of a team in a variety of settings. There are many services they can provide, including but not limited to:
- Crisis Intervention: H2011
- Mobile Crisis Response: H2011
- Rehab Program (per half day): H2001
- Drop In Center: H0046
- Comprehensive Community Support Services: H2015
- Psycho Social Rehab Service: H2017
- Community Based Wrap Around Service: H2021
- Alcohol and/or drug services. Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), ASAM level 2.1: H0015
- Behavioral Health Outreach Service (planned approach to reach a population): H0023
- Stress management classes, non- physician provider, per session: S9454
- Supported employment: H2023
Note: Please refer to the latest Colorado billing manual, as some changes to codes may occur.
Madeline Novey
Communication Specialist
Behavioral Health Services
970-619-4255
noveyme@co.larimer.co.us
