A peer recovery specialist is a trained individual who has lived experience with mental illness and/or addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs who provides one-to-one strengths- based support to peers in recovery. Peer recovery specialists work in a wide range of settings including community health and mental health centers, behavioral health programs, substance use treatment facilities, peer-run organizations, community-based organizations, emergency rooms, courts, homeless shelters and outreach programs.
This guide is designed as a study aid to help peer recovery professionals prepare for and pass the Rhode Island Peer Recovery Specialist Certification Exam. The content of the guide is based on the knowledge, skills, and job tasks derived from the 2013 Peer Recovery Job Analysis conducted by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), which sets standards and develops examinations for the credentialing of prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery professionals.
The guide was developed by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., in consultation with the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH), subject matter experts in the behavioral health field, and input from peer recovery specialists who have taken the certification exam, or are working in recovery settings in Rhode Island. Funding is provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through a contract with the Center for Social Innovations (CSI). The contents of this guide do not necessarily represent the official views or policies of SAMHSA, CSI or BHDDH. JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., 2016.
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