Peer Recovery

Peer Recovery Specialists help a person become ready and willing to seek treatment (if needed) and enter recovery by helping the person explore their options for recovery or treatment.  Peer Recovery Specialists ask questions, offer insight, and help service recipients as they become whole, resourceful, and capable of choosing what is best for them.

Peer Recovery Specialists use a strengths-based approach helping service recipients find and utilize their values, assets, and strengths while supporting them in achieving success.  They recognize that it is normal for recovering service recipients to have gaps in their skills or development.  The role of the specialist is to help service recipients recognize and fill these gaps with the skills needed.  Peer Recovery services focus on the present and future and are based on partnership with the recipient.

The role of Peer Recovery Specialists can be viewed on a continuum of services and falls between the role of recovery support individuals/recovery sponsor and the substance abuse or mental health counselors.  The role of the Peer Recovery Specialist has emerged from the recognition of a need to reconnect substance abuse and mental health treatment to the larger continuum of recovery management.  The peer is not a sponsor or a therapist but rather a role model, mentor, advocate, and motivator.

The Certified Peer Recovery Specialist credential is an entry-level state credential.  This credential demonstrates basic competency in peer recovery. 

Requirements:

• 46 hours of training
• Passing score on IC&RC Peer Recovery Exam or the State-based Peer Recovery Exam
• Must live or work in Minnesota at least 51% of the time
• Must have a personal lived experience related to substance use

Fees:

• First-time certification: $150 (includes processing fee, exam, and one year of certification)
• Annual renewal fee (one year): $75
• Biennial renewal fee (two years): $150
• Retest fee: $125

The Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Reciprocal credential is a reciprocal credential.  This credential demonstrates competency for advanced peer recovery specialists that have accrued sufficient supervised experience.

Requirements:

• 500 hours work experience
• 46 hours of training
• 25 hours of supervision
• Passing score on IC&RC Peer Recovery Exam or the State-based Peer Recovery Exam
• Must live or work in Minnesota at least 51% of the time
• Must have a personal lived experience related to substance use

Fees:

• First-time certification (included processing fee, exam, and one year of certification): $150
• Annual renewal fee (one year): $75
• Biennial renewal fee (two years): $150
• Retest fee: $125

If you possess a good standing CPRS credential and have achieved the additional requirements necessary for the CPRSR, you may complete an upgrade form to immediately upgrade your credential.

Requirements:

• CPRS credential in good standing
• 500 hours of work experience
• 25 hours of supervision

Fee:

• $30

The Peer Recovery Specialist Forensic Endorsement is intended for appropriately certified professionals who are dedicated to providing exceptional services to participants in the criminal justice system and committed to their professional development. A peer recovery specialist with forensic endorsement provides support to individuals with substance use, or co-occurring mental health and the criminal justice system related challenges where peer support can assist individuals in their commitment to achieving and maintaining recovery and wellness using their own lived experience. Peer Recovery Specialists with forensic endorsement ask questions, offer insight, and help service participants as they become resourceful, and capable of choosing what is best for them.

Requirements:

• Current Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS-MN) or a Certificated Peer Recovery Specialist Reciprocal (CPRSR-MN) credential as a pre-requisite to this endorsement. The credential must be maintained in good standing for the duration of approval.
• Must have a personal lived experience related to criminal justice system, and 2 years or more of compliant probation.
• Certificate of completion of 21 hours of forensic endorsement educational training that covers each of the 7 domains.
• Peer Recovery – Forensic Endorsement Domains:

1. 1. Advocacy
   2. Mentoring and Education
   3. Recovery and Wellness Support
   4. Professional and Ethical Responsibility
   5. Foundations of the Criminal Justice System and Correctional System Overview
   6. Trauma Informed Care in the Criminal Justice Settings
   7. Integration, Reintegration, and Reentry

• Training must be through a Minnesota Certification Board approved training provider of the Forensic Endorsement domains.
• Must live or work in Minnesota at least 51% of the time
• Education and training used to fulfill the requirements of this credential must adhere to the Minnesota Certification Board’s Education Policy
• Signed and dated Code of Ethics form.

Fee:

• $50 (2 years of approval)

The Approved Supervisor (Peer Recovery) credential is intended for appropriately certified or licensed professionals in the behavioral health field (CPRSR, ADCR-MN, LADC, LPCC, etc.) who are dedicated to providing exceptional supervision to Certified Peer Recovery Specialists and are committed to their professional development.

Requirements:

• Current certification (e.g., CPRSR, ADCR-MN, AADCR-MN) or licensure (e.g., LADC, LPCC, LICSW) in a behavioral health field in the state of Minnesota.  The credential must be maintained in good standing for the duration of approval as a supervisor.
• 3 hours of education (e.g., training, workshop) that covers each of the following topics: the MCB Peer Recovery Specialist Code of Ethical Conduct; the IC&RC Peer Recovery domains; relevant statutes, rules, and standards relevant to the provision of peer recovery services in Minnesota; and supervision concepts pertinent to peer recovery.
• Must live or work in Minnesota at least 51% of the time

Fee:

• $30 (2 years of approval)