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.
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.
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.
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.
The Cultural Endorsement is intended for appropriately certified professionals who are dedicated to providing exceptional services to participants in communities of culture and committed to their professional development. A professional with a cultural endorsement provides support to individuals with substance use, or co-occurring mental health in communities of culture where support can assist individuals in their commitment to achieving and maintaining recovery and wellness using their own lived experience. Professionals with cultural endorsement ask questions, offer insight, and help provide resources and services to participants as they become resourceful, and capable of choosing what is best for them.
Peer Recovery Specialist with the Cultural Endorsement will have the capacity to (1) value diversity, (2) conduct self-assessment, (3) manage the dynamics of difference, (4) acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge, and (5) adapt to diversity and the cultural contexts of communities they serve.
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.