GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – The Freedom Institute introduces a new online course to become a Certified Community Care Specialist.

“This reflects a larger shift in mental health and not just in Colorado but across the country,” said Micah Espinoza, president and CEO of the Freedom Institute. “It’s a movement to recognize the value of lived experience within our community.”

The program will create a state-level framework for any individual to earn a Colorado Peer and Family Support Specialist certificate.

“The way we do it is we will have a module, and then we will have a community of practice discussion group,” Espinoza said.

The institute partners with the University of Colorado to offer college credit to students. However, even those who are not students can still enroll in the course, at a discounted price.

“I have the option of removing that from the price so that it’s more accessible to people who are trying to get that certification,” Espinoza said.

The certificate they can obtain at the end of the course will be recognized in 17 other states. The skills participants will learn include self-care, motivational interviewing, trauma care, and more.

Espinoza talks about the importance of making this program accessible to everyone.

“There are people who have done hard work to overcome addiction or overcome the stigma associated with it. They have changed their lives and are truly like superheroes among us. The problem is these superheroes don’t have legitimate teams to play on,” he said. “We show people that you can change your life, that you can be imperfect because I’m probably imperfect, but somehow there’s something fixable in our broken stories that helps not only individuals get out of poverty and addiction, but we do it, and we will, we will lift up the whole community.

The Institute plans to begin its first class in December 2024.

All information about the course and its program is available here.

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