Not an internship. Not a certificate program.
A registered apprenticeship is a formal, state-recognized training model that combines paid, on-the-job work with structured related instruction — the classroom hours, supervised practicum, and exam that Massachusetts requires for LADC licensure. Apprentices are employees from day one, working under supervision while they train, rather than students paying for their own path in.
Because the model is registered with the Commonwealth, it also opens the door to public funding that helps cover training costs — which is what allows GROW Together MA to offer this pathway to apprentices at no cost to them.
Backed by the Commonwealth
GROW Together MA is funded through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with additional support from RIZE Massachusetts, and administered by Advocates for Human Potential (AHP).
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
GROW Together MA is funded through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as part of the state's investment in registered apprenticeships across in-demand fields.
RIZE Massachusetts
RIZE Massachusetts provides additional support to the program, helping expand its reach across the Commonwealth's behavioral health workforce.
Advocates for Human Potential
The program is administered by Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), supporting the program's infrastructure and statewide reach.
About AHP
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) is a nationally recognized leader in delivering training and technical assistance, consulting, research and evaluation, and project management services. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Sudbury, Massachusetts, AHP has more than 250 professionals with expertise in behavioral health, workforce development, curriculum design, and grants management. For four decades, AHP has partnered with federal, state, and local agencies to strengthen workforce capacity, expand career pathways, and improve access to critical human services.
AHP has extensive experience designing and implementing workforce development initiatives that address workforce shortages, build employer capacity, and create sustainable career pathways. A key focus of this work has been strengthening the behavioral health workforce in response to growing national demand for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services. As workforce challenges across the behavioral health field have intensified, AHP has led initiatives spanning the entire workforce pipeline, from recruitment and training to credential attainment, career advancement, and retention. Through its Workforce Innovation Lab for Behavioral Health and Human Services, AHP works with government agencies, educational institutions, and employers to attract, train, retain, and advance workers in high-demand occupations while expanding opportunities for underrepresented populations.
Visit ahpnet.com →
Proven results across two funding rounds
Across both funding periods, AHP educated more than 300 employer partners about Registered Apprenticeship opportunities; established 18 apprenticeship sponsors, including two of Massachusetts' largest SUD treatment providers; engaged more than 250 prospective apprentices; and enrolled 140 apprentices into career pathways leading to addiction counseling credentials.
| Metric | Target rate | Round 1 Cohorts 1–7 (100 enrolled) |
Round 2 Cohorts 8–10 (40 enrolled) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer Partner Retention Rate | 95% | 100% | 100% |
| Apprentice Retention Rate1 | 80% | 81% | 90% |
| RTI Completion Rate | 80% | 89% | TBD |
¹ Footnote definition to be added.
Current employer partners
GROW Together MA currently works with 18 employer partners across Massachusetts, including:
This list is growing — new employer partners are added regularly.
Education
For entry-level clinical staff, recovery coaches, and baccalaureate-level apprentices pursuing LADC II licensing, AHP has confirmed its continued partnership with HPTC, a BSAS-approved Addiction Education Provider in Brockton, Massachusetts. HPTC's ACT Program will deliver the mandated 270 curriculum hours over approximately 54 weeks.
The ACT curriculum is delivered using a 100% virtual synchronous instructional model. This virtual framework is a deliberate equity strategy chosen to remove regional transport barriers and expand access to rural and historically underserved safety-net community clinics, CCBHCs, and FQHCs across Massachusetts. By holding classes online, AHP ensures that candidates from the Berkshires to Cape Cod can participate equally. HPTC's ACT program also integrates weekly synchronous instructor office hours, personalized academic tutoring, and targeted LADC exam study preparation.
Classes will be held virtually twice per week from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM, totaling 5 hours of live instruction per week. This schedule is designed for working professionals, allowing apprentices to maintain full-time employment at co-sponsor organizations while satisfying state educational standards. Each of the six core courses spans 9 active weeks of instruction. The entire 270-hour program is completed over approximately 54 weeks, allowing 7 weeks of integrated scheduling flexibility for participant onboarding/orientation, federal/state holidays, and an additional session of licensure exam preparation.
Massachusetts needs more licensed counselors than it has
Labor market data show sustained demand for behavioral health professionals, with more than 3,100 behavioral health job openings posted across Massachusetts as of July 2026. State workforce reports identify behavioral health as a sector facing persistent shortages and staffing instability — community-based outpatient providers report an average of 17 staff vacancies and lose 13 clinicians for every 10 they hire.
These challenges come amid ongoing, significant substance use disorder needs across the Commonwealth. The BSAS Dashboard continues to track substance-related deaths, emergency events, treatment utilization, provider access, and harm reduction services — underscoring the need for a qualified SUD workforce.
Becoming a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor takes real time — hundreds of training hours, thousands of supervised hours, and a state exam. That length keeps good people out of the field before they ever get a chance to start. Apprenticeship changes the equation: an employer and an education provider carry apprentices through every requirement, from training hours to the state exam.
3,100+
Behavioral health job openings posted in MA as of July 2026
4,000–6,000
Supervised hours required, depending on pathway and prior education
2–3 years
Typical time to complete on-the-job training — varies by pathway and experience
$0
Cost to apprentices — GROW Together MA is a paid, funded program
Get in touch
Whether you're exploring an apprenticeship, considering an employer partnership, or just have a question about the program, we'd like to hear from you.