Certified Peer Support Specialist

What is a Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS)?

A Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) is an individual who uses their lived experience in recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorder, in addition to skills learned in a formal training, to deliver services promoting recovery and resiliency.

What is a Family Peer Support Specialist (FPSS)?

Family Peer Support Specialist (FPSS) offers hope, guidance, advocacy, and camaraderie for parents and caregivers of children and youth receiving services from mental health, substance use, and related services systems. Family Peer Support Specialist deliver peer support through face-to-face support groups, phone calls, or individual meetings. They bring expertise based on their own experience parenting a child or youth with social, emotional, behavioral, or substance use challenges, as well as specialized training, to support other parents and caregivers. Working within a peer support framework that recognizes the power of mutuality and experiential understanding, Family Peer Support Specialist deliver education, information and peer support (Obrochta et al., 2011)

Parents trying to identify and access appropriate services for their child may find child-serving systems (e.g. mental health, education, juvenile justice, child welfare, substance use treatment) complicated and overwhelming. Family Peer Support Specialist support can help these parents navigate systems more effectively, learn from the experiences of other families, feel less alone, and gain hope, ideas, and information. This support can help parents meet their children’s needs more efficiently, and with greater confidence and hope. (Kutash et al, 2011, Hoagwood et al, 2009)

Continuing Education

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Trainings

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Copa Health’s Peer Support Training Program equips aspiring Peer Support Specialists with the skills and techniques necessary to effectively assist individuals with behavioral health and substance use disorders. Students will learn how to facilitate a group, practice motivational interviewing, and share their stories in a way that inspires hope and encourages others. Students will explore career opportunities available in the field and graduate with an understanding of state requirements for continuing education and recertification. This is a hybrid training that can be taken either in person or online via Zoom and each training is held Monday - Thursday from 8:00 am - 2:30 pm.

Upcoming Training

Nov. 6-9 and 13-16, 2023
Dec. 11-14 and 18-21, 2023

El objetivo del entrenamiento de ECAP (Especialistas de Apoyo entre Pares) de Latino Behavioral es proveer información y herramientas necesarias para empoderar y animar a personas en recuperacion de uso de sustancias y salud mental a seguir en su camino de recuperacion. El participante aprendera a identificar su propria recuperacion, apoyar a otros en el camino de recuperacion mediante la experiencia vivida, y involucrarse en una red de pares para construir comunidades de recuperación que promuevan el movimiento de pares en el estado de Utah.

The goal of Latino Behavioral's ECAP (Peer Support Specialists) training is to provide information and tools necessary to empower and encourage people in recovery from substance use and mental health to continue on their path to recovery. The participant will learn to identify their own recovery, support others on the road to recovery through lived experience, and become involved in a peer network to build recovery communities that promote the peer movement in the state of Utah.

Upcoming Training

Sept. 18-22, 2023

Cancelled Training

July 17-21, 2023: St. George

Completed Training

April 24-28, 2023

El entrenamiento virtual para obtener la certificacion del Especialista en Apoyo Emocional se basa en el manual de entrenamiento desarrollado por Appalachian Consulting Group y editado por la Utah State University el cual ha sido traducido al espanol. Este entrenamiento provee a los asistentes las herramientas necesarias para poder participar en la fuerza laboral como un Especialista de apoyo. Esto es, el entrenamiento proveee la base teorica, etica y de practica para poder utilizar nuestras experiencias de recuperacion y transmitir un mensaje de esperanza con la finalidad de ayudar a otros que aun se encuentran en un mal estado. Este entrenamiento cumple con las 40 horas que son requeridas por el estado y los horarios se han modificado para que sea de Lunes a Jueves de 6:30 pm - 9 pm por 3 semanas. Esto se hizo consientemente para poder brindar la oportunidad de participar a miembros de la comunidad que tienen un trabajo de tiempo completo.

This virtual training to obtain the Peer Support Specialist certification is based on the training manual developed by Appalachian Consulting Group and edited by Utah State University which has been translated into Spanish. This training provides attendees with the necessary tools to be able to participate in the workforce as a Peer Support Specialist. That is, the training provides the theoretical and ethical foundation as well as uses practice to learn how to use our recovery experiences to help others who are still suffering or in crisis. The training schedule meets the 40 required hours for certification; however, it has been modified to last 3 weeks Monday through Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This was done purposely to provide the opportunity to participate for members of the community who have full-time jobs.

A mental health and substance use disorder training. The training prepares people grounded in their recovery, to learn tools and practices to help their peers find their own pathway to recovery. The curriculum covers mental health and substance use disorders evenly. Principles of recovery, discovering strengths, using your recovery story, motivational interviewing, ethics and boundaries, role of trauma, culture and worldview, working with groups, crisis prevention and intervention, self-care and maintaining personal wellness as well as preparing for employment. The cost of this training is paid by the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

CPSS Core Training

Trainings

Upcoming	Completed
September 25-29, 2023	Feb. 20-24, 2023 June 19-23, 2023

Only confirmed attendees will be admitted.

The objective of USARA’s CPSS (Certified Peer Support Specialist) training is to facilitate each participant’s progress toward mastery-level competence as a Peer Support Specialist. By the end of the week long CPSS Training, trainees will have the information and tools to:

Empower and uplift Peers to identify their own pathway in recovery and build a life grounded in success and forward momentum
Confidently deliver Peer Support services within a team of addiction, mental health &/or social service providers
Fulfill a role that is valued by yourself, the peers with whom you engage, and your employer
Describe your newly acquired Peer Support knowledge and skills
Identify your Peer Support development goals and tasks for progressing toward a mastery level of competence
Engage a network of peers to build communities of recovery and engage in efforts that promote the Peer/Recovery Movement & Peer Workforce Development

Trainings

Upcoming	Completed
December 4-8, 2023	January 23-27, 2023 May 8-12, 2023 August 7-11, 2023

Only confirmed attendees will be admitted

USU offers a state-approved curriculum based on Appalachian Consulting Group’s (ACG) nationally recognized peer support training, with an added substance use disorder component. The purpose of all USU trainings is to enlarge Utah’s behavioral health workforce, while introducing integrated health care into all peer support services. To make the training accessible, USU uses a mix of state and federal funds to cover the cost of the training and offers two formats.

USU 5-day in-person training
This is a 5-day in person training and can be broadcasted to various sites across the state.

USU Hybrid Training
This training includes a combination of distance-education, online learning modules, and a 2-day face-to-face training. This program is ideal for rural and/or working individuals who would like to become a peer support specialist, but are not able to manage costs, travel, and time for a 5-day in-person training.

The hybrid training is structured as:
One broadcast class, introduction to class cohort, and 4-hour training. 20 hours of online instruction—self-paced completed within a 3-week period. 16 hours of in-person intensive learning held 3 weeks after initial broadcast class.

Training Content:
Both programs contain 40 hours of training and cover understanding the state mental health system, a shift toward a recovery mindset, problem-solving and facing fears, effective listening, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed services, shared decision making, cultural humility, ethics, and many other topics.

For a limited time, USU has federal funding to support internships, apprenticeships, and professional development college courses.

Upcoming Trainings

In Person	Hybrid
TBD	Orientation: Oct. 11, 2023, 4:00 pm—8:00 pm Training continues in Salt Lake: Nov. 3 & 4, 2023 8:30 am—5:30 pm

Only confirmed attendees will be admitted.

Completed Trainings

Hybrid
Orientation: January 30, 2023 Training continues in Salt Lake: February 24-25, 2023 Orientation: March 29, 2023 Training continues in Vernal: April 21-22, 2023 Orientation: June 12, 2023 Training continues in Kaysville on July 7-8, 2023

Forms

If you would like to apply for any of the training courses listed above, please download and complete the application. Individuals who are currently employed may be given priority, however, all are welcome to apply.

Utah CPSS Code of Ethics

Utah Peer Support Supervisor Guide

How to Apply to Become a CPSS

How to Apply to Become a FPSS

CPSS Application

FPSS Application

CPSS Recertification Application

Sample CEU Tracking Form

Hoja de Documentación CEUs

Email or mail your completed application and related attachments to:

Email: utahpeersupport@utah.gov
Mailing Address: Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (SUMH)
Attn: Utah Certified Peer Support Specialist Program
288 North 1460 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84116