Virginia
Yes
No, CPRS are individuals or family members of individuals with lived experience and in recovery from the effects of substance use and/or mental health challenges.
Minimum of high school diploma/GED from an accredited school
Must have personal, lived experience in their own recovery or experience as a family member.
Read and agree to Virginia Certification Board Code of Ethical Conduct
To attend the training: personal lived/living experience in their own mental health and/or substance use recovery or experience as a family member; high school diploma or GED. To be certified: complete the DBHDS training, accumulate 500 hours of peer support experience, and pass the IC&RC exam.
Virtual training = up to $500; in-person training = up to $800. Some trainers may provide full or partial scholarships. Some employers may provide funding. DBHDS has provided scholarships on a frequent basis.
Virtual training = up to $500; in-person training = up to $800. Some trainers may provide full or partial scholarships. Some employers may provide funding. DBHDS has provided scholarships on a frequent basis.
Virtual training = up to $500; in-person training = up to $800. Some trainers may provide full or partial scholarships. Some employers may provide funding. DBHDS has provided scholarships on a frequent basis.
Yes, successful completion of an IC&RC computer-based 75 multiple choice question exam is required. Offered on-demand basis at an approved testing site. Candidates may choose day, time, and site. Candidates who do not pass the exam can retest. The cost of the exam is included in the cost of the application for certification.
The applicant is responsible for payment. Regular cost of $175.
Individual must attain 500 hours of volunteer or paid experience specific to peer recovery services. Experience
hours include all aspects of peer recovery services. Examples include, but are not limited to: facilitating
recovery support groups, individual sessions and documentation. 25 of the 500 hours must be supervised hours and specific to the domains (Advocacy, Mentoring/Education, Recovery/Wellness Support, and Ethical Responsibility)
To become a Registered Peer Recovery Specialist you must have a CPRS through VCB or another accepted certification plus completion of the DBHDS Peer Recovery Specialist Training. To become a RPRS - apply through Board of Counseling website under the Applications and Forms page + fee
While felonies and disciplinary actions from other certification/licensing entities may not prohibit certification, documentation is required to be submitted at the time of application. Certification through the Board does not mean a professional should not disclose this information to potential employers and does not in any way exonerate charges.
Yes, successful completion of an IC&RC computer-based 75 multiple choice question exam is required. Offered on-demand basis at an approved testing site. Candidates may choose day, time, and site. Candidates who do not pass the exam can retest. The cost of the exam is included in the cost of the application for certification.
The applicant is responsible for payment. Regular cost of $175.
As long as certification doesn't lapse, testing is only required once.
Application fee is $175 (this includes fee to take test) Retest fee (for individuals that do not pass the exam): $150 Exam Cancellation Fee: $150
Yes, Virginia Certification Board. Responsibilities include processing certification applications, arranging testing, and handling ethical violations.
Virginia Certification Board
298 S. Progress Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17109
Phone: 804.741.2319
[email protected]
Responsibilities include processing certification applications, arranging testing, and handling ethical violations.
Find information at the DBHDS peer training portal, www.vaprs.org. Multiple trainings are held per month in both virtual and in-person formats.
Find information at the DBHDS peer training portal, www.vaprs.org. Multiple trainings are held per month in both virtual and in-person formats.
There is one accepted training for peer support certification, the DBHDS 72-hour Peer Recovery Specialist Training curriculum. The Office of Recovery Services trains the trainers of this curriculum. Trainers must be CPRS and have previous training experience. A list of trainers with contact information can be found at www.vaprs.org.
20 hours of peer support specific education, including 6 hours in ethics. A maximum of 6 hours of WRAP training may be submitted.
Individual is responsible for tracking CEUs and for making sure it is already approved education. Otherwise it must be submitted using the Education Approval Form found at https://www.vacertboard.org/education/approved
There is not a certification. A DBHDS supervisor training is required for direct supervisors of RPRS whose services will be billed to Medicaid. The same training is encouraged for anyone supervising peer supporters.
N/A
N/A
Yes, services offered by *Registered Peer Recovery Specialist may be billed to Medicaid.
*Registered Peer Recovery Specialist is one step further than Certified Peer Recovery Specialist - requires individuals to be registered with the Department of Health Professions Board of Counseling (DHP-BOC) for their services to be billed to Medicaid.
Peer Support Services and Family Support Partner Services are an added service under Mental Health (MH) settings for individuals with mental health challengers and under the Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) settings for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring substance use and mental health challenges.
Yes, services can be offered virtually or in-person and billed to Medicaid. How long billing for virtual services will be allowed is unknown.
Yes. VOCAL Virginia.
vocalvirginia.org.
Email: [email protected].
VOCAL Virginia.
vocalvirginia.org.
Email: [email protected]
VOCAL Virginia.
vocalvirginia.org.
Email: [email protected]
VOCAL Virginia.
vocalvirginia.org.
Email: [email protected]
Contact information for Board of Counseling / Registered Peer Recovery Specialist:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (804) 367-4610
Fax: (804) 767-6225
Address: 9960 Maryland Drive
Suite 300 Henrico, VA 23233
Yes. VOCAL Virginia's Annual Statewide Peer Conference. Also, more specific conferences such as Pathfinders for veterans and service members. Other peer conferences are funded by DBHDS periodically.
N/A
For questions, please contact
Mary McQuown, CPRS
Peer Recovery Specialist Liaison
Office of Recovery Services
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
757-403-3007
[email protected]
Training is now available virtually through Zoom. It will be a permanent option.
Fully peer-led and peer-developed
Criminal justice involvement does not necessarily prevent someone from becoming certified. However, it may prevent someone from being able to find employment in the public behavioral health system.
Find information at the DBHDS peer training portal, www.vaprs.org. Multiple trainings are held per month in both virtual and in-person formats.
There is one accepted training for peer support certification, the DBHDS 72-hour Peer Recovery Specialist Training curriculum. The Office of Recovery Services trains the trainers of this curriculum. Trainers must be CPRS and have previous training experience. A list of trainers with contact information can be found at www.vaprs.org.
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