Georgia
Yes.
There are different certifications for Mental Health and Addictive Disease specialists.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Mental Health (CPS-MH): This certification is focused on supporting individuals with mental health challenges.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Addictive Disease (CPS-AD): This certification is specifically for those who provide peer support to individuals with substance use disorders.
Additional certifications:
• Certified Peer Specialist – Parent (CPS-P): A parent or legal guardian (in a permanent relationship for at least three (3) years) certified by DBHDD who has the lived experience of raising a young person with either a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder and has supported that young person in an experience of recovery.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Youth (CPS-Y): A young adult between the ages of 18 and 30 certified by DBHDD who has lived experience of either a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder as a youth and is practicing recovery as related to that condition."
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Willing to identify as a person living with a mental health condition and be willing to use their lived recovery experience to support others in their recovery.
- At least a high school diploma/GED, and may be required to provide documentation.
- Must be well-grounded in recovery with at least one year working towards wellness and recovery.
- Strong reading, comprehension, and written communication skills as indicated by answers on the application.
- Ideally, applicants will have demonstrated experience with leadership, advocacy, or governance.
- The application process also requires a written application and a phone interview, which determines who will proceed to the training.
There are limited training seats, so it is possible that not all applicants will be accepted into the training.
Personal requirements:
Candidates must be willing to identify as a person living with a mental health condition and be willing to use their lived recovery experience to support others in their recovery. Applicants must have at least a high school diploma/GED, and may be required to provide documentation.
Must be well grounded in recovery with at least one year working towards wellness and recovery.
Strong reading, comprehension and written communication skills as indicated by answers on the application.
Professional requirements:
Demonstrated experience with leadership, advocacy, or governance.
Applicants are evaluated in this order: those currently working and required to be certified, those who have received an offer of employment who need certification, and all others who are seeking a CPS-MH.
The training lasts five days, Monday–Friday. Classes start every day at 8:30AM and go to approximately 6PM. (Some days end at 5:30 PM, and some days end at 7 PM.) There is a 30-minute break for lunch. A detailed schedule is provided to those who are accepted into the program.
Certified Peer Specialist - Mental Health (CPS-MH) application and training is done through Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
Cost: Training is $125 with an additional application fee of $20
Certified Peer Specialist - Addictive Disease (CPS-AD) application and training is done through Georgia Council on Substance Abuse
Cost: Unable to locate costs
The individual is responsible for paying the training and application fees, and there are no known scholarships.
The individual is responsible for paying the training and application fees, and there are no known scholarships.
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network requires those who complete the training to take an exam at their offices. The fee for the exam is $125. Individuals who are peer specialists in other states may attend this exam if their training is determined to be sufficiently similar to the training provided by The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network.
This is determined by the CPS Certification Coordinator by emailing Mariam at [email protected].
It will depend on employer requirements.
No requirement found
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network requires those who complete the training to take an exam at their offices. The fee for the exam is $125. Individuals who are peer specialists in other states may attend this exam if their training is determined to be sufficiently similar to the training provided by The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network. This is determined by the CPS Certification Coordinator by emailing Mariam at [email protected].
No requirement to regularly take a test or recertify unless the individual fails to meet yearly CEU requirements.
The current training is held online only due to budget constraints. In the past years, there have been in-person training sessions, which would require the individual to pay for lodging, with opportunities for lodging scholarships.
The examination is held in Tucker, GA, at the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network offices. This is a one-day event, so lodging may not be necessary, but transportation costs will likely be.
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, with funding and oversight from Georgia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
1990 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 100 Tucker, Georgia 30084
[email protected] Tel 404-687-9487 Toll Free 800-297-6146
Georgia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
200 Piedmont Avenue, S.E. West Tower, 14th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30334 US Phone: (404) 657-2252
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network with funding and oversight from Georgia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
1990 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 100 Tucker, Georgia 30084
[email protected] Tel 404-687-9487 Toll Free 800-297-6146
Georgia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities 200 Piedmont Avenue, S.E. West Tower, 14th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30334 US Phone: (404) 657-2252
https://www.gmhcn.org/contact-us https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/recovery-transformation/cps
Through the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network website at https://www.gmhcn.org/cps-training-schedule
Through the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network website at https://www.gmhcn.org/cps-training-schedule
Georgia Certified Peer Specialist Project Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
1990 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 100 Tucker, Georgia 30084
[email protected] Tel 404-687-9487 Toll Free 800-297-6146
After successful completion of the CPS examination, a CPS is required to have a minimum of 12 continuing education units (CEUs) per calendar year. The time frame for beginning the acquisition of CEUs is the year following the year in which the CPS passed the certification exam. There are many opportunities to obtain CEUs through workshops, webinars, and conferences. Continuing Education Information: https://www.gmhcn.org/cps-continuing-education .Individuals are required to scan or fax CEU documentation to the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network.
After successful completion of the CPS examination, a CPS is required to have a minimum of 12 continuing education units (CEUs) per calendar year. The time frame for beginning the acquisition of CEUs is the year following the year in which the CPS passed the certification exam. There are many opportunities to obtain CEUs through workshops, webinars, and conferences. Continuing Education Information: https://www.gmhcn.org/cps-continuing-education .Individuals are required to scan or fax CEU documentation to the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network.
No, but "Georgia Mental Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities", in collaboration with "Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network", developed the "Supervisor Guide: Peer Support Whole Health and Wellness" manual located here https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/peer-support-whole-health-and-wellness
There are different certifications for Mental Health and Addictive Disease specialists.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Mental Health (CPS-MH): This certification is focused on supporting individuals with mental health challenges.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Addictive Disease (CPS-AD): This certification is specifically for those who provide peer support to individuals with substance use disorders.
Additional certifications:
• Certified Peer Specialist – Parent (CPS-P): A parent or legal guardian (in a permanent relationship for at least three (3) years) certified by DBHDD who has the lived experience of raising a young person with either a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder and has supported that young person in an experience of recovery.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Youth (CPS-Y): A young adult between the ages of 18 and 30 certified by DBHDD who has lived experience of either a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder as a youth and is practicing recovery as related to that condition.
There are different certifications for Mental Health and Addictive Disease specialists.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Mental Health (CPS-MH): This certification is focused on supporting individuals with mental health challenges.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Addictive Disease (CPS-AD): This certification is specifically for those who provide peer support to individuals with substance use disorders.
Additional certifications:
• Certified Peer Specialist – Parent (CPS-P): A parent or legal guardian (in a permanent relationship for at least three (3) years) certified by DBHDD who has the lived experience of raising a young person with either a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder and has supported that young person in an experience of recovery.
• Certified Peer Specialist – Youth (CPS-Y): A young adult between the ages of 18 and 30 certified by DBHDD who has lived experience of either a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder as a youth and is practicing recovery as related to that condition.
Yes, they are reimbursable through the Home and Community Cased Services Waiver Programs primarily through two mechanisms; The New Options Waiver (NOW) and The Comprehensive Supports Waiver (COMP).
NOW provides support to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities who do not need 24-hour care. It was designed for individuals with disabilities who live with family members or in their own home. This waiver is for those who need less intensive service supports.
COMP was designed for individuals who need a full range of out-of-home services or intensive in-home services. This waiver is used for those who are transitioning out of institutions into community living.
Yes, they are reimbursable through the Home and Community Cased Services Waiver Programs primarily through two mechanisms; The New Options Waiver (NOW) and The Comprehensive Supports Waiver (COMP).
NOW provides support to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities who do not need 24-hour care. It was designed for individuals with disabilities who live with family members or in their own home. This waiver is for those who need less intensive service supports.
COMP was designed for individuals who need a full range of out-of-home services or intensive in-home services. This waiver is used for those who are transitioning out of institutions into community living.
Yes, this is reimbursable as a telemedicine service to promote accessibility. Mechanism is the same and billed as "MH Peer Support Services - Individual" or" AD Peer Support Services – Individual," depending on whether the reimbursement is for mental health peer services or addictive disease peer services. Information is found in the Provider Manual for Community Behavioral Health Providers for the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities.
While Georgia does not have an organization composed solely of and for Peer Specialists, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) is widely recognized as the national leader in developing and implementing peer support programs in the United States.
While Georgia does not have an organization composed solely of and for Peer Specialists, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) is widely recognized as the national leader in developing and implementing peer support programs in the United States.
While Georgia does not have an organization composed solely of and for Peer Specialists, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) is widely recognized as the national leader in developing and implementing peer support programs in the United States.
While Georgia does not have an organization composed solely of and for Peer Specialists, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) is widely recognized as the national leader in developing and implementing peer support programs in the United States.
None found
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network annual conference was suspended between 2019-2024 and resumed in June of 2024.
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network annual conference has a banquet and awards ceremony on day 2. Unsure of the scope of these awards.
Unknown
No information that COVID-19 changed the process.
The certification and training were, and are still, developed by the peer workforce and the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network. They are known to have developed the first training for certified peer specialists and to have been the first to provide Medicaid-reimbursable peer services.
No requirement found & None found
Through the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network website at https://www.gmhcn.org/cps-training-schedule
3822 (2024)
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