Who can become a Certified Peer Support Specialist?
Anyone living or working in North Dakota, who is over the age of 18, has completed the education and training requirements, and self-identifies as:
a) an individual who has personal lived experience and is willing to publicly identify as an individual in recovery from a mental health disorder, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, or any combination thereof; or
b) a family member who has personal lived experience with an individual with a mental health disorder, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, or any combination thereof.
Please see the full eligibility requirements.
How long does it take to process my certification application?
Please allow up to 30 business days for your application for certification to be processed and for you to receive notification.
How do I know if my peer support training program is division approved?
If you completed a training other than the training program offered through the North Dakota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division, please submit your certificate of completion along with the curriculum objectives and any other accompanying materials to peersupport@nd.gov.
I am certified in another state, will I automatically be certified in North Dakota?
No, you will still need to complete the application process for certification for North Dakota.
What is the difference between a CPSS I and a CPSS II?
A Certified Peer Support Specialist II is a peer support specialist who has provided a minimum of 1,500 hours of direct service as a peer support specialist and has completed peer support supervisor training, they may serve as a supervisor for a CPSS I.
If I was a certified peer support specialist in another state and want to become a CPSS II in North Dakota, can I?
If you meet the eligibility criteria of a CPSS II you can apply, we will accept your direct service hours that were provided in another state. Please ensure that you have verification of your direct service hours.
How can I verify my direct service hours working as a peer support specialist?
Please submit the Peer Support II Work/Volunteer Hours Verification” form. A supervisor from the agency or agencies where you provided direct services will need to review and provide and their contact information on the form. Please review the template for verification of direct service hours for more information.
How do I demonstrate an ability to read and write at a level proficient enough for training, documentation, and the type of work peer support will require?
By completing the application and writing a personal statement, your ability to read, write and document at a level proficient for peer support work will be shown.
What if I work for an organization in Minnesota/Montana/South Dakota, can I still be certified?
If your agency services North Dakota residents, you are eligible for certification in North Dakota. Please answer this application question as “yes” under Part III Eligibility Criteria that states, “Do you work for or have a job offer at an organization that services North Dakota residents?”
Do I have to use the templates provided for the reference letters, personal statement and verification of peer support service hours?
Yes, please use these templates, it ensures that we receive all required components per administrative rule.
Once I am certified, how do I get a job as a Peer Support Specialist?
As a certified peer support specialist, you will want to keep in contact with local organizations, search job postings and follow the North Dakota Peer Support group on Facebook. The Behavioral Health Division will provide a list of certified peer support specialists in North Dakota to any employer that requests this information.
What are the Peer Support Specialist continuing education requirements?
To keep certified peer support specialists current and effective in their practice, they are required to complete approved continuing education for recertification.
A certified peer support specialist may renew their certification every two years and must have documentation that they have completed the 20 hours for the two-year certification period. Documentation may include certificate of attendance, transcripts, attendance records, or other verification provided by the training sponsor. Documentation must include name, training title and date, and number of hours completed.
• At least two hours must be on the topic of peer support ethics.
• A Certified Peer Support Specialist II must also complete a minimum of four hours of training specific to supervision of peer support specialists.
Please keep all records and documentation for continuing education if your certification is audited for compliance. It is the responsibility of the certified peer support specialist to ensure that all continuing education requirements are met prior to submitting a recertification application.
What if my continuing education wasn't pre-approved?
If a certified peer support specialist attends a training or event that was not pre-approved for continuing education, they may request post-event review.
Requests for approval must be emailed to peersupport@nd.gov with the following information.
• Proof of attendance (certificate or verification of participation)
• Event agenda or training description
• A brief written summary describing how the training relates to peer support practice
• Number of hours requested for credit
• Identification of ethics or supervision content, if applicable
Training events that were not pre-approved may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Submission of documentation does not guarantee approval. The Department reserves the right to deny continuing education credit if the content does not clearly align with peer support competencies, ethics, or supervision requirements.
How do I get approval to sponsor and provide continuing education?
Requests for approval to sponsor continuing education for Certified Peer Support Specialists must be submitted via email to peersupport@nd.gov and include the following.
1. Program description, content summary, and learning objectives
2. Agenda or training times
3. Presenters and their bio(s)
4. Location and date of training
5. Attendance verification requirements: sponsor must describe how attendance will be verified. Certificates of attendance at a minimum must include the participant’s name, training title, dates of training and total number of continuing education units awarded.
If I need help with my certification application, or have questions who can I reach out to?
Please email peersupport@nd.gov.