Trailhead Institute Receives $150,000 to Expand Apprenticeship Programs for Community Health Workers and Peer Support Specialists in Colorado

DENVER, Colorado — We’re thrilled to announce Trailhead Institute has been awarded $150,000 through the Colorado Apprenticeship Incentive (CAI) Grant, administered by the Colorado Apprenticeship Hub at Arapahoe/Douglas Works.

Trailhead is one of 24 organizations selected to receive a share of $3 million in federal funding to develop and expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) and high-quality pre-apprenticeship programs across Colorado.

This funding will help Trailhead expand its apprenticeship programs for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and introduce a new Peer Support Specialist occupation within the RAP pathway. The grant will also support new employer partnerships with schools, community-based organizations, and public health agencies, and expand training opportunities for both employers and apprentices to aid in credentialing.

Community health workers and peer support specialists play an essential role in our health systems, especially in areas with limited access to care,” said Lyndie Kenlon, AmeriCorps Senior Program Manager at Trailhead Institute. “Registered Apprenticeship Programs help grow Colorado’s public health workforce by combining lived experience with skilled training and mentorship.”

Lyndie Kenlon, AmeriCorps Senior Manager
Public Health AmeriCorps member Emily Evans sits with fellow program members at a meeting at the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment

The CAI Grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Building America (ABA2) initiative. The initiative supports employer-driven apprenticeship models that increase access, strengthen program sustainability, and create pathways to quality jobs with family-supporting wages.

Public Health AmeriCorps member Emily Evans sits with fellow program members at a meeting at the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment

This award builds on Trailhead’s long-standing work with partners across Colorado to create accessible pathways into public health careers.

2021

Trailhead launches Colorado’s first registered Community Health Worker (CHW) apprenticeship program with key state and local partners. Trailhead also receives a $60,000 planning grant to explore how to bridge AmeriCorps and apprenticeship programs and expand public health career pathways.

2022

Trailhead is selected as a Colorado grantee of Public Health AmeriCorps, founded by AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Together with Serve Colorado and the Colorado Department of Labor, Trailhead launches Colorado Public Health Works, the state’s first integrated AmeriCorps apprenticeship program. Later that year, Trailhead and partners receive nearly $3 million from HRSA to expand CHW training and apprenticeships statewide.

2023

The National Governors Association recognizes Colorado Public Health Works as a national model for connecting service to economic opportunity.

2024

Colorado launches the Youth Mental Health Corps in partnership with the Schultz Family Foundation, Pinterest, AmeriCorps, the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, and the Colorado Community College System. The program trains members to help young people access mental health support. Trailhead is selected as one of five local host organizations, receiving $78,000 in funding.

2026

Trailhead receives $250,000 from Serve Colorado to expand its integrated AmeriCorps apprenticeship programs.

How to Get Involved

Organizations interested in hosting a CHW or Peer Support Specialist apprentice can contact [email protected]. Additional opportunities to engage with Trailhead’s workforce programs will be available through a request for applications (RFA) opening in fall 2026, along with upcoming engagement opportunities in collaboration with the Regional Health Connector Program.

Meet Our Current Employer Partners

The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE)
Gunnison Country Food Pantry

Let’s Work Together

Contact us through the form, or at [email protected], to learn more about becoming an apprenticeship host site for CHWs or Peer Support Specialists in Colorado.