Helping Peer Specialists Succeed: Lessons from a Statewide Training Program

The purpose of this study was to determine factors related to successful completion of peer support specialist training and certification.

This study analyzed enrollment data to study graduation outcomes in 1,164 participants in the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) Success Program, an intervention designed to scale up the number of peer specialists in the state by funding tuition and direct supports for students. Exploratory institutional-level binomial regression and grant funding data was used to understand the relationship between funding and graduation rate. Post-graduation survey data from 171 participants was also analyzed with logistic regression to understand factors associated with attempting and passing the peer specialist certification exam.

Receiving financial support beyond tuition and receiving academic accommodations were strongly associated with an increased likelihood of graduation, while requiring service supports like counseling or legal assistance decreased this likelihood. Working as a peer specialist during training also significantly boosted the probability of graduation, whereas taking a leave of absence did the opposite. Among graduates, receiving tangible support during their training and having a smaller gap between graduation and attempting the exam were associated with attempting and passing the exam, respectively.

Direct supports for students are associated with successful progression through the peer specialist training pipeline. Workforce development programs like the CRSS Success Program can further optimize outcomes by providing additional supports, especially to students at-risk of attrition.