The Florida Certified Peer Specialist Program

There has been much confusion in the last year about the Peer Specialist program. What is a Peer Specialist? What are the qualifications? Who will provide the training? How much will it cost? These and other questions have troubled consumers as they have tried to navigate the pathway to certification. The Florida Peer Network hopes to provide some assistance on that difficult journey. The following Frequently Asked Questions should provide that assistance. Additionally, two in-depth reports, Peer Specialist Compensation Satisfaction Survey (PDF, 143k), and Certified Peer Specialist Role Delineation Study (PDF, 335k), are available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is a Peer Specialist?

A. A Peer Specialist provides peer mentoring and support for individuals with psychiatric disabilities and receiving mental health services. They assist individuals in navigating the mental health services system and in achieving resiliency and recovery as defined by the person. Peer Specialists are true peers in that they are self-disclosed individuals with mental illnesses.

Q. What is a Certified Peer Specialist?

A. Certification is a designation awarded by The Florida Certifications Board (FCB) to individuals who demonstrate their competency and training as Peer Specialists. Competency is achieved through a combination of education and experience. In order to apply for certification, applicants must document certain qualifications and pay a fee. For more information consult the FCB website at www.flcertificationboard.org and click the Certifications tab.

Q. What kind of qualifications does a Certified Peer Specialist have to have?

A. During the “Grandfathering” period an applicant must have:

• A High School Diploma or General Equivalency Degree (GED) or higher
• Been a recipient of public or private mental health services within the last 2 years.
• 1,000 hours of formal work and/or volunteer experience related to mental health issues. Experience must have been gained within the last 5 years.
• 2 personal or professional letters of recommendation.

Q. What is the “Grandfathering” period?

A. The Grandfathering period is from October 1, 2007 to October 1, 2008. It is a period for people who have been working in a Peer Specialist capacity prior to applying for certification. During this period the requirements for specific training and taking the examination are suspended. Once the Grandfathering period has ended applicants will be required to take a minimum of 40 hours of specialized training and pass a written examination.

Q. How much does certification cost?

A. The cost of certification as an Adult Peer Specialist is $100. For those wishing to be certified as both an Adult Peer Specialist and a Family Peer Specialist the cost of joint certification is $125.00

Q. What is the difference between an Adult Peer Specialist and a Family Peer Specialist?

A. The Adult Peer Specialist certification is for those persons who possess competency in the field of adult mental health peer-to-peer recovery. Applicants must attest to being a recipient of public or private mental health services within the last two years.

The Family Peer Specialist certification is for those persons who possess competency in the field of family mental health peer-to-peer recovery. Applicants must attest to active involvement with a child diagnosed with a mental illness. The applicant must be a first degree relative or primary care giver of the child.

Q. What is the Florida Certifications Board?

A. The Florida Certification Board “is the state's premier non-profit agency for protecting the citizens of Florida by ensuring that Certified Professionals working in a wide range of professions are providing safe and competent services to the public.

• The FCB administers 11 established certification programs and continues to add new professions.
• The FCB actively participates in legislative advocacy, ensuring that our partners have a voice in the political process.
• The FCB has established one of the country's most successful Political Action Committee funds.
• The FCB administers many state and federal grant programs directly related to workforce development.” The Florida Certification Board website www.flcertificationboard.org

Q. What are the job responsibilities of a Peer Specialist?

A. The job responsibilities of a Peer Specialist are many and varied. They include the following: (for a more complete listing see the Mental Health Recovery Peer Role Delineation Study located on the Florida Peer Network website.)

• Serve as the persons individual advocate
• Assure that the persons choices define and drive their recovery planning process
• Promote the principles of individual choice and self-determination
• Use person-centered language that focuses on the individual and not the diagnosis
• Respond appropriately to risk indicators to assure the persons welfare and safety
• Maintain confidentiality
• Document service provision as required by the employer
• Establish and maintain a “peer’ relationship rather than one of provider and client
• Serve as a role model of a person in recovery
• Assure that consumers know their rights and responsibilities
• Serve as an active member of the persons recovery oriented team
• Help the person access the services and supports that will help them attain their individual recovery goals

Q. What is involved in becoming a Certified Peer Specialist?

A. The following forms must be completed to become certified: (All of the forms are available on the FCB website or by contacting them at (850) 222-6314.

• Application
• Assurance and Release Form
• Code of Ethics Acknowledgement Form
• Work Hours Verification Form (provide this form to your current or former employer and ask them to complete the form and mail it directly to FCB)
• Volunteer Hours Verification Form (also provide this form to your current or former volunteer supervisor and ask them to complete and mail to FCB)
• Recommendation Form
• Applicants must provide an official transcript to document formal education. This document must be mailed directly to FCB by the school you attended.
• If you have indicated that you have a criminal record you must contact the appropriate law enforcement agency and request an official copy of your background report showing the disposition of your case be mailed directly to FCB.

Q. Will there be financial assistance available to assist people with the cost of the certification process?

A. There are currently plans underway in several circuits to assist people with the related costs. Some circuits are requesting providers who employ Peer Specialists to assist their employees by paying the certification fees. Others are offering payment of the fees in exchange for volunteer work in providing the specialized training. We are hoping that organizations like the Florida Peer Network and Nami will eventually be able to provide assistance.

Q. When will training for Peer Specialists begin?

A. Trainings have already begun in several areas of the state. Both Pensacola and Jacksonville have conducted trainings in their areas and a number of graduates are currently working as Peer Specialists in those circuits. They will continue to train new people as the need arises. Consumer Support Services, a peer run organization, in Jacksonville currently employs a large number of Peer Specialists who work in agencies throughout the area. Broward County expects their new curriculum to be completed shortly and for training modules to begin within the next month. The Suncoast Region is currently conducting a needs assessment to determine the need for Peer Specialist training in their area. As time goes by it is expected that additional organizations will develop and implement their own trainings that will be recognized by the Florida Certification Board.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program Office in Tallahassee has recently received a grant that will partially be used to conduct trainings around the state, starting in the next few months.

Q. Will there be jobs available for people who become C.P.S.’s?

A. There are currently over 100 people employed as Peer Specialist’s around the state through a variety of mental health programs including the Florida Assertive Community Treatment teams (FACT). It is hoped that the certification process will create new opportunities for people to be employed. The SAMH office is working with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), the management organization for Medicaid, to authorize payment for services supplied by C.P.S.’s under Medicaid rules. There is much work that needs to continue to be done to assure that this process is fair to people currently working as Peer Specialists and to maintain fidelity to peer support principles.

Q. Are there professional organizations for Peer Specialists?

A. The National Association of Peer Specialists (NAPS) is an organization dedicated to promoting peer specialists throughout the United States. They are a group of dedicated peer specialists seeking ways to improve the effectiveness of the mental health system through the hiring of other peer specialists.

NAPS also works to enhance the profession--not just encourage the hiring of more peer specialists. They do this through training, education, and advocacy. The website address for NAPS is www.naops.org and they can also be reached at:

NAPS
755 Alta Dale SE
Ada, MI 49301
(616) 676-9230

Peer Specialists in Broward County have started their own association, the Broward Peer Specialists Association. Their contact information is:

President/Chair: Kristine Carleson
kcarleson@mhs.net
Located at: Rebel’s Drop-in Center
3400 N 29th Ave.
Behavioral Health Outpatient Bldg.
Memorial Regional Hospital
http://rebelsdropincenter.org
Tel: 954-965-6408

We hope that as the number of Peer Specialists increase throughout the state more circuits will follow the lead of Broward County and develop their own association chapter. Peer Specialists face unique challenges in the mental health care system and having a dedicated organization to help face those challenges and assist members in their ongoing educational needs is a powerful asset.

Q. What is the future for the Peer Specialist movement?

A. The use of Peer Specialist in the mental health field is a rapidly growing area. Peers are currently working in a wide variety of positions in drop-in centers, offices of consumer affairs, crisis stabilization units, hospitals, forensic services, case management, recovery support services and others. Peers bring a unique set of qualifications to the job. Not only are they trained professionally in their fields, but they are able to relate to the people they serve through their shared experiences and perspective. Peer/Professionals are a powerful asset to a system burdened with inadequate funding and antiquated services. We are only beginning to tap into the possibilities available as we shift our focus to a recovery based model of health care with people receiving services at its’ center.

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Florida Peer Network, Inc., 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MHC 2505, Tampa, Florida 33612
Phone: 877-FLA PEER (877-352-7337) or 813-974-2851
Fax: 813-974-6411
Email: info@floridapeernetwork.org

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