How do I become a Certified Peer Support Specialist?
Are you interested in using your lived experience with substance use and mental health challenges to be a force of good in our community and a pathway to help others in their recovery journey? Then learn more about becoming a Certified Peer Support Specialist.
A Peer Support Specialist can also be called peer specialists, peer recovery coaches, peer advocates, and peer recovery support specialists. This is a credentialed position where your life experience either replaces intensive schooling and formal work experience, or is an addition to schooling and work experience.
Peer Support positions often pay above minimum wage and is a professional pathway for those who face barriers to employment such as incarceration, houselessness, substance use recovery and mental health challenges.
By becoming a Peer Support Specialist, you can strengthen your professional opportunities as well as provide much needed support, hope and effective change in the community. For more information about the North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist (NCCPSS) certification process, click here.
What you need to know about becoming a Certified Peer Support Specialist
- A Peer Support Specialist is a professional position that combines lived experience with professional training certified by the UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work Peer Support Program.
- Candidates must have 18 months of personal recovery from substance use and/or mental health challenges to be eligible to apply for Peer Support Certification Training.
With the implementation of a statewide standardized curriculum, the NC Certified Peer Support Specialist Program now provides two certification tracks: Track A and Track B.
Please note the following essential details:
- Participants may choose ONLY one track, either Certification Track A or Certification Track B, but not both.
- Applicants must follow the same track they initially started with during the certification process.
- Track A is the option to do it at your own pace. Track B is more hands-on and in-class time. **Track A is the less expensive route**
- Click on the link below to go to the North Carolina Peer Support Training webpage, which will give you more information on Track A, Track B and where you can register for the 50-hour trainings throughout the state.
FIND OUT MORE HERE at https://pss.unc.edu/training
- Complete approved 50-hour peer support training program. CLICK HERE for a listing of current trainings offered or go to Sunrise’s “Pathway to Recovery” application webpage. Scholarships may be available if needed.
- Include two reference letters validating at least one year of personal recovery
- Complete an additional 20 hours of continued education through Sunrise’s Peer University, Recovery Coach Training or other professional and interpersonal training sessions.
- Take an additional 3-hours of Ethics and Boundaries Training through the UNC Springboard at https://pss.unc.edu/online Although there are other offerings, you MUST complete the Ethics 101 and Peer Support Boundaries and download the Certificate of Completion for your Peer Certification.
- Once you have completed your 70 hours of Peer Support Training and your 3 hours of Ethics and Boundaries training, you now have everything you need to mail in your proof of completion to receive your NC Peer Support Certificate. You MUST complete this final step of mailing in your documentation in order to be fully certified! Find out what next steps you need to take on the North Carolina Peer Support portal at https://pss.unc.edu.
- Speak to a Sunrise staff member at 828-552-3858, email peeruniversity@sunriseinasheville.org or register at www.sunriseinasheville.org/peer-university to enroll in Sunrise’s Peer University Program.
CALL 828-552-3858 to find out more about how to become a Certified Peer Support Specialist.