The program aims to prepare individuals as paraprofessional adult peer specialists for entry-level employment supporting behavioral health treatment services. The course content is designed to familiarize students with the fundamentals of the recovery process and the knowledge necessary to become state-certified Adult Peer Support Specialists (APSS). Our course is taught by instructors who are in recovery, actively working in the recovery industry, and have or are in pursuit of advanced degrees in social work and knowledge. This 30-contact-hour course is delivered online or in person over two consecutive weekends.
Prerequisites:
- Be eighteen (18) years of age or older;
- Have a current or past diagnosis of a mental health, substance use, or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders;
- Have received or be receiving treatment;
- Have a minimum educational requirement of a high school diploma or General Equivalence Diploma (GED) certificate;
- Demonstrate a pattern of recovery from a mental health, substance use, or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.