The Florida Certified Peer Specialist Program

In addition to this Frequently Asked Questions page, the following in-depth reports, Peer Specialist Compensation Satisfaction Survey (PDF, 143k), and Certified Peer Specialist Role Delineation Study (PDF, 335k), are available.

What is a Peer Specialist?

A peer specialist is a mental health consumer who has self-identified as having received or is receiving mental health or co-occurring disorder services in his or her personal recovery process. This individual has the ability to assist others in regaining control over their lives based on the principles of recovery and resiliency. By inspiring the hope that recovery and resiliency are achievable goals, Certified Recovery Peer Specialist can assist others who are diagnosed with mental illness or co-occurring disorders to achieve their personal recovery goals by promoting self-determination, personal responsibility, and the empowerment inherent in self-directed recovery.

Direct peer to peer services can include a variety of support services such as:

• assisting in the development of strengths-based individual goals
• serving as an advocate, mentor, or facilitator for resolution of issues that a peer is unable to resolve on their own
• assisting in the development of rehabilitation goals
• developing community support
• providing education on ways to maintain personal wellness and recovery
• providing education on mental health navigation

Peer Specialists are not therapists, and, as such, are trained to refer therapeutic issues to therapists.

What is a Certified Peer Specialist?

A Certified Recovery Peer Specialist (CRPS) is a professional designation awarded by the Florida Certification Board to individuals who demonstrate competency in the field of peer recovery. Individuals holding the CRPS credential have met minimum standards for professional certification, including education, experience, training, and testing. Certified peers perform their work according to a professional code of ethics and maintain their knowledge and skill base by completing annual continuing education units. The application for certification is maintained on the FCB website at http://www.flcertificationboard.org/Certifications_Certified-Recovery-Peer-Specialist.cfm.

What Certified Recovery Peer Specialist credentials are available?

The FCB offers three different levels of Recovery Peer Certification:

• The Certified Recovery Peer Specialist – A (CRPS-A) indicates an individual who is competent to provide peer mentoring and support to adult consumers of mental health services. The CRPS-A must be a true peer; this means that the peer specialist is also a consumer of public or private mental health services.
• The Certified Recovery Peer Specialist – Family (CRPS-F) credential signifies competency in providing peer mentoring and support to families that include at least one child diagnosed with a mental illness before his or her 24th birthday. The CRPS-F must be a true peer; this means that the peer specialist must be a first-degree relative or primary caregiver of a child diagnosed with a mental illness.
• The Certified Recovery Peer Specialist (CRPS) credential is for those persons who possess competency in both family and adult peer mentoring. The CRPS must be a true peer; this means that the peer specialist must be a consumer of private or public mental health services AND is a first-degree relative or primary caregiver of a child diagnosed with a mental illness.

Where can I locate the standards for each level of Certified Recovery Peer Specialists?

The applications for each credential, which includes the credential standards, as well as directions for earning and maintaining certification, is maintained on the FCB website at http://www.flcertificationboard.org/Certifications_Certified-Recovery-Peer-Specialist.cfm.

How much does certification cost?

There are several fees associated with earning and maintaining certification: certification application, testing, and renewal.

Certification Application Fees

The first fee is the certification application fee, which is a one-time fee assessed for processing the application and providing technical assistance to applicants for up to one year, until certification is awarded. The certification fee for each credential is as follows:

• CRPS-A is $100
• CRPS-F is $100
• CRPS is $125 (a CRPS is competent to serve both adults and families)

Examination Fees

Once the application for certification has been approved by the FCB, candidates are eligible to register for the written exam. Exam fees are non-refundable and must be paid for each attempt at the written exam. All recovery peer examinations are $50.

Renewal Fees

Once certification is awarded, annual renewal fees are assessed on October 30 of each calendar year. The annual renewal fee for all recovery peer credentials is $50.

What is the Florida Certification Board?

The Florida Certification Board (FCB) 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 certification programs in addictions, mental health, behavioral health, child welfare, and prevention; and it 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 is www.flcertificationboard.org

What is involved in becoming a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist?

The first step to certification is to complete an official application, which includes the following forms. The application can be downloaded for free at http://www.flcertificationboard.org/Certifications_Certified-Recovery-Peer-Specialist.cfm.

• Application Form
• Certification Fee ($100 or $125, depending on credential)
• Assurance and Release Form
• Code of Ethics Acknowledgement Form
• Work Hours Verification Form (provided this form to your current or former employer and ask them to complete the form and mail it directly to the Florida Certification Board)
• 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 for Certification 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.

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

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.

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

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.

Are there professional organizations for Peer Specialists?

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.

What is the future for the Peer Specialist movement?

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.

This website is funded in part by the Disability Rights Florida,
through the PAIMI grant from SAMHSA.

Florida Peer Network, Inc. Office: 850-922-0090

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