Peer Support

Peer support is the process of giving and receiving non-clinical assistance to help consumers achieve long-term recovery from severe psychiatric, traumatic or addiction challenges. This support is provided by peer supporters – people who have “lived experience” and have been trained to assist others in initiating and maintaining long-term recovery and enhancing the quality of life for individuals.

Positions within peer support:

Community Health Worker / Certified Recovery Specialist Credential

Community Health Worker 

The CHW is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence or service delivery. (American Public Health Association)

Certified Recovery Specialist

The CRS is a person in recovery from a mental health or addiction related disorder. The CRS provides peer support services, serves as a consumer advocate, provides consumer information and peer support for consumers in emergency, outpatient, or inpatient settings.

More information about the CHW/CRS program can be found on https://peernetworkindiana.org.

• CHW/CRS brochure

Certified Addiction Peer Recovery Coach

Recovery coaching is a set of nonclinical, activities, based on shared lived experience, that engage, educate and support an individual to successfully recover from mental and/or substance use disorders. Peer recovery coaches act as a recovery and empowerment catalyst linking newly recovering person to the recovering community, guiding the recovery process and supporting the individual’s recovery choices, goals and decisions.

For more information about the certification process, visit https://icaada.org/credentials-2/which-credential-is-right-for-you/.

• Peer recovery coach pamphlet

Additional Peer Related Trainings

• Youth peer support

Indiana Peer Support

• 2020/2021 Indiana peer support strategic plan
• Peer presentation - Coming soon!

Indiana peer regional recovery hubs - Connect to a peer now

Connect to peer resources

• Indiana Association of Peer Services
• SAMHSA Peer Support Resources
  • Who are Peer Workers
  • Peer Support Role
  • Peer Training Competencies
  • Supervision of Peers
  • Value of Peers
• National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
  • Division of Recovery Support Services
• Division of Recovery Support Services
  • Return on Investment for Peer Services

Questions or comments, please email: amy.brinkley@fssa.in.gov