Mental health services: peer support specialist certification

The change broadens eligibility for people with lived experience of mental illness or substance use recovery to become certified peer support specialists in Medi-Cal-related services.

What the law does ​

• Eliminates the requirement that certification applicants have a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Retains age, lived-experience, ethics, training, examination, and ongoing certification requirements.

Who it affects ​

• People seeking certification as peer support specialists.
• Counties and county-representing agencies that operate department-approved peer support specialist certification programs.
• Medi-Cal behavioral and mental health service providers using certified peer support specialists.

Context ​

Peer support specialists draw on their own or a family member's recovery experience with mental illness or substance use disorder.