The education section of this web site provides information on becoming certified as a peer specialist and as a supervisor. You will also find information on upcoming trainings, how to register for trainings and related costs as well as information on upcoming continuing education opportunities.

There are three vendors approved in Pennsylvania to provide Certified Peer Support Specialist trainings and Supervisor trainings, The Institute for Recovery, RI Consulting, and the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery. Learn more about them here.

The Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition does not provide certification trainings, however we do offer several continuing education opportunities. Click here to view upcoming continuing education trainings.

Becoming a Certified Peer Support Specialist

Peer Support Specialist certification offers a standard for our work in the mental health system. Anyone who works as a peer specialist in a Peer Support Services program that bills Medicaid must be certified. To become certified, you must complete Certified Peer Specialist training and then be credentialed through the Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB).

Peer Specialist certification training focuses on recovery as its core value. The training is two weeks long (75 hours). Certification training explores active listening, cultural competency, appropriate self-disclosure, inspiring hope with our own recovery stories, goal setting and other important skills that are essential to providing effective peer support.

As peer support specialists, we are living, breathing role models of recovery. As participants in the Certified Peer Specialist training, we learn by relating elements of each training session to our own personal experiences of recovery through small group exercises, role playing, reading, and discussion.

Find Peer Support Specialist Services/Employers

Go to our Peer Providers page to search for providers in your area.

Certification Trainings

Look for upcoming peer support certification trainings in Pennsylvania here.

Continuing Education Trainings

Look for upcoming continuing education trainings in Pennsylvania here.

Get notified!

As a benefit of membership of the Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition, you will be notified of upcoming trainings and job opportunities. Join today.