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SC SHARE's
Peer Support Specialist Certification
Training Curriculum
The Peer Specialist Certification curriculum is designed to expose participants to a variety of topics to include the following: Recovery Principles, Peer Support Practices, Ethics, Cultural Humility, Communication, Recovery & Personal Wellness Goals, All Pathways Recovery, Managing Crisis and Emergency Situations, Group Facilitation, Advocacy, Boundaries, Harm Reduction and Workplace Skills.
SC SHARE hosts multiple state certification trainings each year. The class size is capped at 20. The class is kept to a manageable size so that students can interact at a deeply personal level with the material and during the discussion sessions.
Class consists of 40 hours of intensive classroom training online, homework as assigned and a final certification exam.
Certification Standards
In addition to attending the Peer Specialist Certification training, potential Peer Support Specialist candidates must meet the minimum requirements as outlined below (Note: Background checks are not performed by SC SHARE and criminal history has no influence on your ability to receive this training).
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Upon program completion, candidates must successfully pass an oral evaluation and post-test survey before obtaining certification.
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**Please note: prior Peer Support Certifications obtained through other agencies and states are not transferable.**
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The following criteria must be met to apply for the certification program:
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Be at least 18 years of age
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Self-identify as a person diagnosed with mental illness or co-occurring disorder
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Meet minimum education requirement of high school diploma, equivalency, or in final year of high school or working towards GED completion
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Have demonstrated three years of self-directed recovery as documented by three professional references
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Have completed a minimum of 100 hours of supervised, paid, or volunteer work providing peer support services for individuals who have mental illness, substance use, or co-occurring disorders. Note: this requirement can be waived on a case by case basis, please reach out
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A minimum of four hours of professional supervision is required (one hour of supervision per every 25 volunteer hours)
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Job shadowing of another Peer Support Specialist is strongly recommended prior to employment within hiring agency
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Complete the Peer Support Specialist Certification training application packet
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Submit required documents and $250 registration fee to program administrators by applicable due date
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The following documentation must be submitted with application:
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Copy of high school diploma, GED, or current transcript. (College degrees may be substituted)
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Signed acknowledgement of the Certified Peer Support Specialist Scope of Activities
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Signed acknowledgement of the Certified Peer Support Specialist Code of Conduct
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Three completed professional reference forms in individually sealed envelopes
(The following are not considered professional references and will not be accepted: family members, therapists, friends, or psychiatrists)
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Peer Support Specialist Certification does not imply that Certified Peer Support Specialists are qualified to diagnose an illness, prescribe medication, or offer clinical services. Certified Peer Support Specialists are not authorized to provide treatment of any kind, outside of the authorized scope of their employing agency. Attending the Peer Support Specialist Certification Program is not an offer of employment or job placement, and in no way guarantees employment.
Each person certified as a Peer Support Specialist should apply for positions available in their community. Every Certified Peer Support Specialist may only operate under the supervision of a professional as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services.