Education Project FUTRE
Project FUTRE (Families Uplifted Through Recovery Education)
Turn your personal experience into a career that changes lives.
When a family is navigating substance use, a steady, hopeful voice can make all the difference. Project FUTRE trains people with personal or family experience in substance use recovery to become parent and family support specialists — people who stand beside Arizona children and families on their path to healing. Training is online via Zoom and designed for real life.
Why it matters — and why you belong here
- Make recovery personal. Channel your experience into purposeful, professional support for others.
- Get career-ready fast. In about six months, you’ll be prepared to serve as a Parent & Family Support Specialist with confidence.
- Earn while you learn. Scholarships cover training costs, and monthly stipends + completion bonuses help keep life on track.
- Grow into a full-time role. After training, you’ll be eligible for an optional 12-month, paid apprenticeship with a community partner.
- Learn from people who’ve walked the path. Instructors and mentors bring lived experience, practical tools, and deep compassion.
If you live in Arizona and want your story to spark change – for your family, your community and your future – this program is for you. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds throughout Arizona.
What you’ll learn (and do)
Certification Training (Six months | Approximately five to 10 hours per week | 160 hours total)
- Live online classes (144 hours) that build real-world skills in family-centered, recovery-oriented support
- Professional shadowing (16 hours) with a partner organization
- Two SMART recovery sessions to strengthen evidence-informed tools rooted in REBT/CBT
- Optional paid apprenticeship (12 months | 40 hours/week | 2,000 hours)
Your job, simplified
Parent and Family Support Specialists are behavioral health paraprofessionals. Through Project FUTRE, you will learn how to provide guidance, resources and assistance to people who are affected by or involved in supporting a family member’s mental health or substance use treatment.
You will help empower families by promoting their well-being, advocating for their rights and facilitating access to essential services and resources.
Certification Training
Consists of six months of classroom learning and hands-on experiences at a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider.
Apprenticeship
Optional, paid, full-time 12-month placements, working on-site with a behavioral health agency or integrated health care provider.
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 is a nationwide nonprofit, evidenced-informed recovery method grounded in rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), offering 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: Facilitator Training and the GSF 202: Family & Friends Training add-on training, equipping trainees to successfully facilitate SMART meetings for individuals or family members.
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 apprentice’s employer). The typical hourly wage in southern Arizona as a behavioral health paraprofessional is $12-$15. 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 and 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
Important note: 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.
To better serve the needs of our patients, we prioritize varied life experiences in each cohort. Participation in Level II is not required for admission to Project FUTRE. However, we encourage all applicants to consider applying for an apprenticeship position. Admission priority will be given to those interested in on-the-job apprenticeship training. The goal of this program is to create relevant behavioral health aide work experience and increase the workforce in Arizona communities.
Level I Pre-Apprenticeship: February 2026 – August 2026
Level II Apprenticeship: August 2026 – August 2027
Project FUTRE is supported by the following types of health care organizations in Arizona:
- Community health centers
- Peer- and family-run organizations
- Behavioral health care organizations
- Nonprofit organizations
- Youth behavioral health organizations
- Substance use prevention coalitions
Graduates will be well prepared for roles such as:
- Behavioral health paraprofessional
- Parent and family support specialist
- Community health worker
- Community outreach worker
- Social services aide
- Mental health worker
- Promotoro/a
- Youth worker
Or learn more at the Workforce Development Program website.