Peer Support Specialist

Position Overview

A Peer Support Specialist is an individual with lived experience who has been trained to support people experiencing mental health challenges, psychological trauma, or substance use disorders. The personal recovery experience of a Peer Support Specialist provides a unique and valuable perspective that complements professional clinical services.

Peer Support Specialists assist individuals in articulating recovery goals, learning and practicing new skills, monitoring progress, supporting treatment engagement, modeling effective coping strategies, and advocating for themselves to access appropriate services. They also support the development and implementation of individualized recovery plans.

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognized peer support services as an evidence-based practice.

Recovery Planning

Recovery planning is a central component of the peer support role. Recovery plans are developed by the individual receiving services and reviewed collaboratively with a Recovery Support Specialist (RSS).

These plans focus on the individual’s overall health and well-being, not only mental health. Components may include:

• Participation in support groups and individual therapy
• Basic healthcare maintenance
• Stable housing
• Improvements in family life and personal relationships
• Community involvement and connections
• Educational goals, vocational development, and employment planning

Some recovery plans also include timelines for monitoring progress and strategies for re-engagement when needed, supporting long-term recovery and quality of life.

Work Settings and Funding

Peer Recovery Support Specialists work in a wide range of settings, including community-based recovery centers. Funding for peer recovery programs may come from federal and state agencies, as well as local and national charities and grant programs.

Training and Certification

Peer Support Specialists working in publicly funded programs must meet applicable state and government certification requirements.

Training programs are offered by state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and approved for-profit providers, including online training programs in mental health and addiction recovery. Training typically includes:

• Ethics of recovery coaching
• Recovery coaching core competencies
• Clinical theories and stages of change
• Motivational interviewing
• Co-occurring disorders

Core Competencies and Roles

A Peer Support Specialist may serve in one or more of the following roles:

• Outreach Worker: Engages hard-to-reach individuals and demonstrates the transformative power of recovery
• Motivator: Encourages recovery, celebrates achievements, and supports positive change
• Resource Connector: Promotes self-advocacy and access to community and economic resources
• Ally and Confidant: Builds trust, listens actively, and identifies areas for personal growth
• Truth-Teller: Provides honest feedback on recovery progress and potential challenges
• Role Model and Mentor: Uses lived experience to provide recovery education and guidance
• Planner: Assists individuals in developing and following personal recovery plans
• Problem Solver: Helps address personal and environmental barriers to recovery
• Resource Broker: Connects individuals and families to housing, employment, healthcare, and recovery supports
• Monitor or Companion: Provides structured support, including sober companionship when appropriate
• Tour Guide: Introduces individuals to recovery culture, community roles, and opportunities
• Advocate: Supports individuals navigating legal, medical, family, or service systems
• Educator: Provides information about stages of recovery, available services, and long-term recovery pathways
• Community Organizer: Helps build recovery-friendly communities and partnerships
• Lifestyle Coach: Supports individuals and families in developing healthy, recovery-focused daily routines
• Peer Companion: Provides sober companionship and a bridge from addiction or mental illness toward recovery

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Pay: $20.00 - $22.00 per hour

Work Location: In person