A peer specialist is a person with lived experience with trauma, mood and/or substance conditions who is willing to disclose and then trained to provide support, help, and encouragement to others working toward wellness. Peer Specialists are also known as Recovery Coaches.
Peer specialists are committed to helping others, working from a strengths-based perspective. Utilizing those with shared experiences in support roles can be empowering, and research continues to show that this approach is highly effective in:
- Supporting people to achieve wellness goals, be they small, medium, or large
- Reducing inpatient service use
- Reducing recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations for patients at risk of readmission
- Improving relationships with healthcare providers
- Helping people engage more fully in their care
- Helping people manage symptoms and achieve positive wellness outcomes
A Conversation About Peer Support and Peer Specialists
Listen and learn from Douglas Hulst, DBSA’s Peer Specialist Workforce Development Senior Program Manager and State of Illinois credentialed peer specialist, as he discusses peer support and its benefits for those living with depression or bipolar disorder. Also, hear from Jennifer, a peer specialist, who talks about her journey to becoming trained, where she works, and how her role impacts and supports others.
Where do Peer Specialists work?
The rapidly growing peer workforce is integral to treatment teams in both public and private settings. Peer Specialists may serve in the Department of Veterans Health Affairs, integrated behavioral health centers, inpatient facilities, community-based mental health centers, and peer-run respite services. Most frequently, Peer Specialists work as paid employees, while others offer their services as volunteers.
Peer Specialists serve in a wide variety of roles, working with individuals and groups to:
- Create individual service plans based on recovery goals, setting steps to achieve those goals
- Introduce recovery tools that help with specific challenges
- Create personalized wellness plans
- Provide support for decision-making
- Organize and sustain self-help and educational groups for peers
- Offer a sounding board and a shoulder to lean on
What Qualifications Do Peer Specialists Need?
DBSA strives to provide as much simplicity and clarity as possible. Peer specialists exist in two areas: TRAINED and STATE CREDENTIALED. A trained peer specialist has taken a reputable form of peer specialist training from a credible training body. A state-credentialed peer specialist has taken training but has also decided to obtain their state’s peer credential. Each state, including Washington DC and Puerto Rico, is unique in what they require to obtain their credential. If a person intends to move to another state, it is up to the individual to see how their peer credential will transfer.
NOTE: It is up to the individual to understand what is needed in their state and if the DBSA Peer Course is applicable. This website can help: https://copelandcenter.com/doors-wellbeing/peer-specialist-database
How do I become a Peer Specialist?
Peer specialist courses promote personal growth, whether for volunteer or paid work. They teach self-care skills that are valuable in any setting. State credentials enhance training for those pursuing a formal career. DBSA believes the world needs more trained, state-credentialed peer specialists and supports the path that best fits your goals.
We are fortunate to have one of the most established and respected peer courses and are honored that our clients include the Veterans Health Administration and a growing list of states.
