New Certificate Program: Community Health Worker Therapeutic Mentoring — Now Open for Fall 2026 Enrollment
UMass Boston’s Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring is offering a first-of-its-kind opportunity for mentoring professionals looking to deepen their practice and expand their credentials.
The Community Health Worker (CHW) Therapeutic Mentoring Certificate is an 80-hour, state-certified training program that prepares participants to work as therapeutic mentors with youth under age 21 in the Massachusetts behavioral health system. The program was built by researchers and practitioners together, and no bachelor’s degree is required.
Over 12 million young people in the United States experience a mental health disorder each year, and the majority cannot access care. Therapeutic mentors are a critical part of the community-based response: trained, nonclinical providers who work directly with youth, delivering strengths-based support, safety planning, and systems navigation in homes, schools, and community settings. The demand for qualified therapeutic mentors far exceeds the supply, and this program was built to close that gap.
Graduates are prepared for roles as therapeutic mentors, community health workers, family support specialists, and behavioral health paraprofessionals. Completion of the program creates a direct pathway to Massachusetts CHW certification and Medicaid-reimbursable practice.
The program is led by Dr. Jean E. Rhodes, Frank L. Boyden Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, alongside Josephine Cardona, MA, a certified Community Health Worker and pioneer in CHW certification for therapeutic mentors in Massachusetts.
Fall 2026: September 8 – December 11
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:00–5:15 p.m.
Tuition: $1,650 for the full 80-hour program
Format: Hybrid (online coursework + 24 hours applied practice)
Open to all adults 18+ with a high school diploma or equivalent. No Massachusetts residency required.
Become a certified therapeutic mentor | Register for Fall 2026
Questions? Contact the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring at jean.rhodes@umb.edu or 617.287.7585.
