Before you can apply for your Mental Health Peer Specialist (MHPS) or Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS) certification, you’ll need to complete 250 hours of work experience in a peer support role. Here’s everything you need to know about what qualifies and where you can complete those hours.
What Types of Work Count Toward My 250 Hours? #
A helpful way to evaluate whether your work counts is to review the Provision Standards for Peer Specialists outlined in the Texas Administrative Code. These standards define three core categories that peer specialist work should fall into:
Recovery and Wellness Support Providing information and support to help others plan for and sustain their recovery.
Mentoring Serving as a role model and helping peers find the community resources and services they need.
Advocacy Providing support in stressful or urgent situations, and helping to ensure a peer’s rights are respected.
Your day-to-day responsibilities may look different depending on where you work, but as long as your duties fall into one of these categories, your hours should count. Here are some common examples of qualifying job functions:
- Support peers in their recovery goals through groups or one-on-ones
- Connect peers to resources in the community
- Research and update community resource information
- Lead sessions on coping and wellness strategies
- Help peers navigate community resources and their recovery or wellness plan
- Assist peers in setting a goal, recovery, or discharge plan
- Collaborate with a treatment team to support a peer’s recovery plan
- Introduce peers to recovery pathways in their community
- Advocate for peers in their recovery or wellness plan
Where Can I Complete My Work Experience Hours? #
Your 250 hours can be completed through paid employment or volunteering. Here are examples of the types of organizations where peer specialist interns have successfully completed their hours:
- Mental and behavioral health services
- Substance use and recovery services
- Sober living facilities
- Domestic violence prevention and support
- Homeless and shelter services
- Peer-run organizations
- Harm reduction programs
- Hospitals
- Veteran services
- General social service agencies with front-facing services
- Youth, children, and family services
