STEP 1: MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
Applicants must meet the following requirements to apply:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Have lived experiences and be in recovery from a serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder (SUD). If you have co-occurring (mental health and substance use) disorders, you must be in recovery from BOTH to qualify for certification. View the definitions of serious mental illness and substance use disorders.
- Be in recovery for at least 18 months before starting training and certification.
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent.
STEP 2: COMPLETE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
To submit an application, please follow these steps.
- Complete 20 hours of prerequisite training: 3 hours of required Ethics training and 17 hours of related behavioral training (WRAP, college coursework may qualify).
- Training available HERE.
- Pay the $20 non-refundable fee.
- Submit an online application: Include training certificates, proof of education, request two reference letters, and select "I'm applying to enroll in the Foundations Course."
- If any information is missing, staff will request it. If denied, you will receive a denial letter. Please review the Denied Application Policy.
Please note that the 20-hour training is a prerequisite to apply and is not part of the Track A Foundation Course.
STEP 3: COMPLETE FOUNDATIONS OF PEER SUPPORT - PART I (ONLINE)
If approved to complete the Foundations of Peer Support (Part I) course:
- You will receive instructions on how to access the course online.
- This course is different from the required 20 hours of preliminary training for the application.
- You can only access this course after your application is reviewed and approved.
Important: You have 60 days to complete Foundations of Peer Support - Part I.
STEP 4: COMPLETE FOUNDATIONS OF PEER SUPPORT - PART II (IN PERSON)
To complete the Foundations of Peer Support - Part II,
- Complete Foundations of Peer Support - Part I before registering for Part II.
- Registration will not be possible until Part I is completed.
- Follow the registration instructions sent by email to enroll in the class.
- Complete Foundations of Peer Support -Part II before your 150-day program deadline.
Important: You have 150 days to complete both Foundations of Peer Support Part I and Part II.
STEP 5: CERTIFICATION AND EXAMINATION
After completing Foundations of Peer Support - Part II:
- You become certified after completing Part II (in person) and the course evaluation.
- Pass the certification examination before your first recertification (due in two years).
- Exam fee: $50 per attempt. Second attempt: after 14 days. Third attempt: after 30 days.
- If you do not pass after three attempts, your certification expires, and you must restart the certification process.
HELPFUL REMINDERS
Reciprocity: The NCCPSS Program does not accept certification from other states. Thus, the Program does not have reciprocity with other states regarding certification. CPSS from other states MUST meet the certification requirements to process their NC certification.
Tobacco and Caffeine Addiction: The NCCPSS Program does not grant certification based solely on lived experience with tobacco or caffeine addiction, or other types of addiction not clearly specified in the Program’s definition of serious mental illness or substance use (see definitions under the Eligibility section). Eligibility for certification requires lived experience with mental health or substance use challenges that align with the Program’s established certification criteria.
Application Processing Time: Please note that, due to the high volume of applications, processing time depends on whether the application is complete. Incomplete applications will delay the process. The average time to become certified (start to finish) can be 7-8 weeks. Please plan accordingly based on this timeline. To check the status of your certification/recertification, you can visit the Credential Verification page and search for your name to verify.
Application Expiration: Applicants who are unable to complete their certification within six (6) months of beginning the certification process must resubmit their application (including all required certification documents) as a new certification.
Designation/Specialization: Applicants interested in the Military designation may review the information under the requirements for the required documentation. Other designations (such as COAPS) require applicants to be a CPSS before completing training for that designation.