Services >> Peer Specialists Certificate Program

Program Description

The Certified Peer Specialist Program, located within the Institute for Recovery and Community Integration, teaches participating consumers specific skills relevant to providing peer support, creating a new standard for consumers providing peer support services in systems of care where credentialing requirements have traditionally excluded consumers from staff positions. As “certified provider staff,” peer specialists work to help other consumers with skill building, recovery/life goal setting, problem solving, establishing self-help groups, utilizing self-help recovery tools (e.g. WRAP), and serve as a model for personal recovery.

The Certified Peer Specialist Program curriculum is designed with recovery as the core value. The training provides an atmosphere that is conducive to learning core philosophies, helper attitudes, concepts, and skills related to recovery and peer support. Additionally,training sessions are designed to provide a “hands-on” experience translating concepts and skills into practice. And finally, sessions provide an experiential process (small group work) to parallel Certified Peer Specialist practice expectations. The curriculum is designed to help solidify learning by relating each session of the training encounter to the participant’s personal experience of recovery.  By participating in the training, it is expected that participants will:

a.  gain new knowledge;

b.  develop new skills;

c.  increase their personal awareness; and

d.  enhance their personal recovery.

In conjunction with  the core training, the program also provides a broad array of technical assistance activities and support (before, during and after the core training).

Certified Peer Specialist Program Continuing Education Credits

In addition to the intensive ten day Certified Peer Specialist Program, ongoing continuing education workshops are available to graduates of the Program. Cost is determined on an individual basis subject to length and scope of continuing education need.  Examples of continuing education courses include but are not limited to:                                 

a. Crisis Intervention

b. Problem Solving

c. Conflict Resolution

d. The Cycle of Engagement

e. Cultural Competence

f.  Facilitating Double Trouble Groups

g. WRAP Facilitator training  

Who can participate?

MHASP contracts with state, county, and/or individual organizations to provide the Certified Peer Specialist training. Upon completion of the training course, participants are awarded a Certificate of Achievement and Completion. It is ultimately the sponsoring organization’s obligation to determine the specifics of certification and how that process will be monitored.

How people apply and are selected to participate?

Sponsoring states, counties, and/or organizations are free to develop their own criteria and process for selection of training participants. An application process has been used in previous course offerings and MHASP could provide technical assistance in this area if requested by a contracting organization.

Sample criteria we have used in previous course offerings include: current or former mental health consumer; high school diploma or GED; reading/writing proficiency; two years of relevant volunteer or paid work experience, preferably in the mental health field, or a B.A. in a relevant field; commitment to consumer choice and empowerment; and an ability to establish trusting relationships with peers.

Length of Training: 10 days          

Training Location: Negotiable

Fee:  A fee is charged to provide the Certified Peer Specialist training course. For a specific quote, contact the Institute for Recovery and Community Integration.