On June 6, 2023, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), published National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification (see attached) for substance use, mental health and family peer workers. These national model standards were created as part of President Biden’s current national strategy to build and accelerate a National Certification Program for Peer Specialists to help address the nation’s current mental health crisis. Peer Specialists are persons with lived experience, who are in recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD) or a co-occurring SUD and mental health issue(s), who may be certified through the new Peer Support Certification program and then may provide invaluable experience, expertise, and assistance to those seeking help with the same issues while working themselves in the healthcare system. SAMHSA’s National Model Standards are not intended to substitute for any state certifications but have been developed as guidelines to promote alignment and reciprocity across the nation. For more information on this news brief or to see the new National Model Standards, please see the following links:
