The University of Colorado Denver’s Department of Sociology has partnered with the Alliance for Community and Justice Innovation (ACJI) to offer the Community Care Practitioner microcredential— a practical, evidence-based program for professionals in criminal justice, social work, behavioral health, and human services.
You'll build real-world skills in mental health support, ethics, cultural responsivity, peer support, health boundaries, and self-care.
You'll learn to provide non-clinical assistance, foster hope, and model recovery, while adhering to confidentiality and professional guidelines for peer support. The training is based on the most up-to-date evidence-based knowledge, tools, and strategies, which includes both theoretical and practical instruction. Participants completing the program become credentialed Community Care Practitioners.
Explore the flexibility of receiving either academic credit OR noncredit continuing education units (CEUs) for your participation in the program. You must have a high school diploma or GED to enroll for academic credit.
The Community Care program consists of 2 courses:
- 2113 Principles of Community Care is an introductory-level course that equips professionals—care managers, reentry specialists, coaches, officers, educators, healthcare and other service providers—with practical tools and skills to support individuals, families, and communities thrive. It focuses on resource navigation, skill building, and personal goal achievement. This is a self-paced course hosted on ACJI's learning platform.
- Learners sign up for the course through ACJI and can receive either 1 academic credit or continuing education units (CEUs) through CU Denver.
- Course cost: ~$575
- Participants who receive credit from CU Denver will also receive a digital badge acknowledging their achievement as a Community Care Practitioner I.
- This course is a prerequisite for 3113 Applied Community Care.
- 3113 Applied Community Care is an intermediate-level course for students looking to deepen their engagement with community care. This course takes the foundational concepts from Principles of Community Care and puts them into practice. You will dive into applying evidence-based practices directly to their day-to-day work. Participants will learn to craft personalized, research-driven approaches that lead to meaningful, lasting change. 3113 is an online, 8-week course hosted on CU Denver's learning platform (Canvas).
- Learners enroll for the course through CU Denver after completing the ACJI self-paced course. Those who complete the course will receive either 3 academic credits or continuing education units (CEUs).
- Course cost: ~$1600
- Participants who complete the course will also receive a digital badge acknowledging their achievement as a Community Care Practitioner II.