August 19, 2025
The College of New
Jersey (TCNJ), a member of NJAMHAA's Education Council, was recently approved
by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) to offer the nation’s first
paid two-year apprentice degree in clinical mental health counseling.
This new program comes after an executive order signed by President Donald J. Trump back in April that had the goal of adding 1 million new apprenticeships per year.
Students in the program will work in paid, non-clinical, behavioral health jobs while taking online courses during their first year. During the second year, the students will start doing paid, clinical work, earning hours toward earning their licenses.
The program also offers reduced tuition rates compared to TCNJ’s standard graduate tuition rates, along with possible additional tuition support from county workforce boards.
An agency can hire people who are accepted into a program that is participating in apprenticeships. Right now, it is just us, but any institution in New Jersey can become a provider. For example, Oaks Integrated Care gave me 10 jobs they want to apprentice, and they hired people who we just accepted to start this fall. They will have supervision one hour a week in year one, connecting what they learn in the classroom with how it plays out in the field. In year 2, it is a traditional practicum & internship, but it is during their workdays and is considered a standard part of their jobs and they are paid for it. Historically, people would have to leave work and go to a second, unpaid job to complete their 700 hours. No more! This increases accessibility to this degree for so many," said Sandy Gibson, PhD, LCSW, LCADC, Professor in TCNJ's Department of Online Counselor Education.
"The other pathway is that we are interviewing and accepting appropriate people who already work in our New Jersey agencies, creating this opportunity for them to upskill within their current employment. Oaks is doing this, too. A lot of NJAMHAA member participating agencies are doing this with us now. Our first group rolled out on today and we have 22 people in it. We are very excited," Dr. Gibson added.
Click here to see TCNJ's flyer tailored for employees and here for a flyer tailored for employers.
For more information, visit tcnj.edu/rap or email Sandy Gibson, Professor of Counselor Education, at gibsonc@tcnj.edu.
