About the Peer Support Certification

This program does:

Help prepare peer specialists for work in the North Carolina mental health and substance use disorder (mh/sud) service system. Issue a certificate that shows that the person has satisfactorily completed approved training and met application criteria.

This program does not:

Certify anything other than that the person has satisfactorily completed approved training.
Guarantee the individual's job qualifications or employment skills. The employer agency in which the peer specialist works is responsible for hiring, supervision, performance reviews, and ensuring the peer specialist can perform the essential functions of that job, just like other positions.

What is a Peer Support Specialist?

Peer Support Specialists are people living in recovery with mental illness and / or substance use disorder and who provide support to others whom can benefit from their lived experiences. The North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist Program provides acknowledgment that the peer has met a set of requirements necessary to provide support to individuals with mental health or substance use disorder.