Providing Peer Support as a Professional.

Understanding peer support roles.

What is a peer?

Put simply, a peer is a person we identify with in some capacity. This connection might be based on shared experiences, age, gender, cultural background, sexual orientation, or other aspects of identity.

In behavioral health, a peer typically refers to someone who has personal experience living with a mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorder.

While shared mental health or substance use experience is important, there are often other factors that help shape someone’s sense of “peerness” in mental health. For example, veterans may want support from other veterans, new mothers may want support from other mothers, or others may want support from those with shared health conditions like diabetes.

Read more-According to Mental Health America

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According to samhsa.gov, A peer support worker is someone with the lived experience of recovery from a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both. They provide support to others experiencing similar challenges. They provide non-clinical, strengths-based support and are “experientially credentialed” by their own recovery journey (Davidson, et al., 1999). Peer support workers may be referred to by different names depending upon the setting in which they practice. Common titles include peer specialists, peer recovery coaches, peer advocates, and peer recovery support specialists. PEER SUPPORT WORKERS inspire hope that people can and do recover; walk with people on their recovery journeys; dispel myths about what it means to have a mental health condition or substance use disorder; provide self-help education and link people to tools and resources; and support people in identifying their goals, hopes, and dreams, and creating a roadmap for getting there.

Peer support workers can help break down barriers of experience and understanding, as well as power dynamics that may get in the way of working with other members of the treatment team. The peer support worker’s role is to assist people with finding and following their own recovery paths, without judgment, expectation, rules, or requirements. Peer support workers practice in a range of settings, including peer-run organizations, recovery community centers, recovery residences, drug courts and other criminal justice settings, hospital emergency departments, child welfare agencies, homeless shelters, and behavioral health and primary care settings. In addition to providing the many types of assistance encompassed in the peer support role, they conduct a variety of outreach and engagement activities.

A CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST is A Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPS) is a trained professional who uses their lived experience with mental health or substance use challenges to support others in their recovery journey and for Medical Certified PSS, they must understand the core competencies.

Role and Responsibilities

Certified Peer Support Specialists provide various forms of support, including:

• Mentorship and Advocacy: Assisting peers in setting personal goals and advocating for their needs.

• Support Group Facilitation: Leading recovery-focused groups to foster community and peer connections.

• Resource Navigation: Helping individuals access housing, employment, and healthcare resources.

• Skill Development: Teaching self-care, coping strategies, and life skills for long-term recovery.

Certification Process

To become a Certified Peer Support Specialist, individuals typically need to follow these steps:

1. Lived Experience: Candidates must have personal experience with mental health or substance use challenges and demonstrate a sustained period of recovery.

2. Training Programs: Completion of a training program from an approved provider is required. This training usually covers topics such as recovery principles, communication skills, and ethical considerations. In California, for example, an 80-hour training course is mandatory.

3. Certification Examination: After completing the training, candidates in California must pass a state certification exam to demonstrate their knowledge of peer support best practices.

4. Continuing Education: To maintain certification, peer specialists must complete continuing education credits periodically.

Importance of Certification

Certification is essential for providing billable peer support services, ensuring that specialists are adequately trained to offer effective support based on their lived experiences. This formal recognition also enhances the credibility of peer support services within the mental health community.

In summary, Certified Peer Support Specialists play a vital role in the recovery process by offering unique insights and support to individuals facing similar challenges, making their certification a crucial aspect of professional peer support services.

To get certified in the state of California, click the link below. Others will need to check for the peer certification regulatory agency in your state.