Have you overcome addiction or a mental disorder personally or been very close to someone who has? When you understand first-hand how important it is to have a good support system, it's natural to want to help others facing the same problems. The Peer Support Specialist course will provide you with the education and training you need to appropriately help others and use your experiences for positive outcomes. Whether you've experienced recovery from addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring substance and mental disorders becoming a Peer Support Specialist may be a great option for you. You will gain an understanding of the roles of Peer Specialists and Peer Supporters relative to advocacy, addressing stigma and discrimination, interpersonal communication, an overview of mental health and substance use disorders, cultural competence, ethical responsibilities and legal issues, including HIPAA. You'll learn to empower and help others through videos portraying stories of peers in recovery from mental illness and/or addiction throughout the coursework, and become a role model for others and show them that it is possible to achieve recovery.
This course includes content and standards that are promoted by N.A.P.S. (formerly INAOPS), the National Association of Peer Supporters, and may be accepted by State Certification Boards that provide credentials for Recovery Peer Specialists or Peer Supporters. You should check with your State Certification Boards for more information, as we cannot guarantee that our program will fulfill your state’s requirements. To our knowledge, the Texas Certification Board, State Board of Georgia, Minnesota Certification Board, Tennessee State Board, and Washington State Board do not recognize this course.