Under the 21st Century Cures Act, the GAO sought to identify bestpractices for training & certifying mental health peer specialists. 

They surveyed 6 states that receive funding from SAMHSA &interviewed 10 key stakeholders .

Leading Practices for CertifyingMental Health  Peer Specialists

Summary of Key Findings U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Report to Congressional Committees

Surveyed states included: Florida, Georgia, Michigan,Oregon, Pennsylvania, & Texas

Conduct Core TrainingIn-Person

Incorporate Physical Health& Wellness

Engage Peers in Leadership& Development of  Programs

Prepare Organizations toEmploy Peer Specialists

Screen ApplicantsSystematically

Offer ContinuingEducation

1

Screen Applicants SystematicallyThe majority of states reported that it is importantto ensure comprehensive & consistent screening ofapplicants.  

Assess applicant'sunderstanding of thepeer roleTelephone interviewsUse a standardizedrubric for a fair reviewof  applicationsUse multiple reviewersfor objectivity

Screening Approaches:Screening questionsshould notunnecessarily excludepeople with little workhistory, given theemployment barriersfaced by many people inrecovery 

Special Considerations:In Florida, peer supportspecialists areprovisionally certified, ifthey meet all criteriaother than 500 hours ofwork or volunteerexperience. Peer supportspecialists are thengranted 1 year tocomplete thisrequirement to achievefull certification.

Leading Practice Example:

2

Conduct Core TrainingIn-PersonThe majority of states & stakeholders endorsedin-person training (rather than online) as aleading practice.

Incorporatesexperiential learning todevelop skillsFosters relationship-building & networking

Allows observation ofskills that cannotbe assessed withwritten tests alone

Benefits of In-Person Training: Special Considerations:Cost of conducting in-person training &observations is oftenhigherYet, observations area more accurateassessment  than writtenexams alone

3

Incorporate Physical Health & WellnessGiven the high prevalence of co-morbid medicalconditions among people in recovery, trainingprograms need to include strategies for addressingphysical health & wellness.

Teach how to setpersonal health goalsthat promote wellness Create access toneeded care &prevention services Teach healthy habits toprevent or lessen theimpact of medicalconditions

In Georgia, peers are certified inWhole Health ActionManagement, are trained towork in primary care &behavioral health settings, &receive support from registerednurses. Their services areMedicaid-billable.

Leading Practice Example:Effective Strategies:

4

Prepare Organizations to EmployPeer SpecialistsMost states agree that community & hospitalprograms benefit from preparation & planning tomake the most effective use of peer specialists intheir workforces.

Ensure that  staff understandthe peer role & its benefitsTrain supervisors tounderstand the role,including differencesbetween peer specialists& clinical providers Encourage organizations toemploy multiple peersto prevent isolation & helpembed peer staff in theworkforce

Organizational Strategies:Michigan embeds a peer liaison at allcommunity mental health programs.Liaisons prepare agencies to effectivelyincorporate peer specialists. They also helpthe State identify training topics to ensurepeer specialists will succeed in theworkplace. Texas runs a 12-month program to helporganizations effectively implement peerservices. The program operates as alearning community. It  focuses onchanging organizational culture, defining &clarifying the peer specialist role, &supervising these staff.

Leading Practice Examples:

5

Offer Continuing Education   It is important to provide access to continuing

education for peer specialists to help themmaintain their credentials & remain aware ofdevelopments in the field.

Pennsylvania expects that provider agencies ensurethat certified peer specialists meet their continuingeducation requirements. Licensed provider agenciesare required to develop a staff training plan.Pennsylvania also requires these agencies to provideopportunities for certified peer specialists to networkwith their peers both within & outside the agency.The state monitors compliance with theserequirements through annual inspections.

Leading Practice Example:

6

Engage Peers in Leadership & Devel opmentof ProgramsCertification programs are more effective& relevant when peers are involved in creating &leading  them. 

Leadership Opportunities:In Oregon, peer specialists help developeducation & training requirements fortheir peers through participation in theOregon Health Authority's TraditionalHealth Worker Commission. Michigan runs its continuing educationcourses in the same location as its initialcore training, in order to provideexperienced peer specialists anopportunity to mentor new peers.

Leading Practice Examples:

Screening applicantsDeveloping curriculaTraining other peerspecialistsServing as mentors &supervisors to others 

Source:

The Center is funded byNIDILRR & CMHS

Judith A. Cook, PhDDirector

Brought To You By:

Access the full report at: https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/695435.pdf