Certified Peer Specialists help break down barriers to community resources and provide encouragement to get involved in community activities that align with the individual’s goals and interests. Individuals with a lived mental health experience are trained to be a direct service for mental health staff to offer support to individuals with lived mental health experience by sharing their personal experience and assist individuals in discovering their strength.
Certified Peer Specialist Training Opportunity
May 11th-22nd, 2026
Monday-Friday
8:30am-4:30pm
In-person only:
Sourcewell
202 12th St NE
Staples, MN 56479
Training Requirements
How to apply:
Application link: Certified Peer Specialist Training Application
Certified Peer Specialist Information Session Details
March 5th, 2026
11:00am-1:00pm
Hybrid:
In-person attendees will be able to receive lunch and join at Sourcewell (address below).
Sourcewell
202 12th St NE
Staples, MN 56479
Virtual attendees can join via Zoom (Zoom information below).
Join Zoom link
Meeting ID: 698 936 3427
Passcode: 695251
What to expect
Interested in attending?
If you have questions you would like to submit ahead of time or be added to an email list for important updates for the Certified Peer Specialist Training, please fill out the below questionnaire:
How can a Certified Peer Specialists Help?
Certified Peer Specialists are eligible to provide services as a paid team member with.
Non direct service roles:
How to become a Certified Peer Specialist:
Training Commitment:
Helps individuals become ready and willing to seek treatment by supporting the individual in exploring their options for recovery or treatment.
Use a strength-based approach helping recipients find and utilize their values, assets, and strengths while supporting them in achieving success. Help recipients recognize and fill gaps in their skills or development. They work as a partner with the recipient.
Peer recovery specialist requirements:
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist must be supervised by an appropriately certified or licensed professional in the behavioral health field (CPRSR, ADCR-MN, LADC, LPCC, etc) who is also knowledgeable of the Peer Recovery domains, MCB Peer Recovery Specialist Code of Ethical Conduct, and other relevant statutes, rules, and standards pertaining to the provision of peer recovery services.
Certified Peer Support Specialist Supervisors promote good ethical practices and play a key role in the successful integration of peer workers in the workplace comprised of three basic functions; administrative, educative, and supportive.
Training Commitment:
A peer recovery specialist with forensic endorsement provides support to individuals with substance use, or co-occurring mental health and the criminal justice system related challenges where peer support can assist individuals in their commitment to achieving and maintaining recovery and wellness using their own lived experience. Peer Recovery Specialists with forensic endorsement ask questions, offer insight, and help service participants as they become resourceful, and capable of choosing what is best for them.
For more information visit the site below:
Certified family peer specialists (CFPS) work with the family of a child or youth who has an emotional disturbance or a severe emotional disturbance and is receiving mental health treatment to promote the resiliency and recovery of the child or youth. They provide nonclinical family peer support building on the strengths of the family and help them to achieve desired outcomes.
Services provide the family with skills, knowledge and support to strengthen the family and increase parents’ ability to support the treatment goals of the child or youth.
For more information visit the site below:
Mental Health Services – Certified Family Peer Specialist (state.mn.us)
An advanced level of Certified Peer Support and additional qualifications. An individual must meet all the qualifications of a Certified Peer Specialist Level I and: