Peer Support Services
Overview
Peer Support Services (PSS) are an evidence-based practice of California's behavioral health system. With the passage of Senate Bill 803 (SB 803), the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) recognizes Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists as a new Medi-Cal provider type and PSS as a Medi-Cal benefit, effective July 1, 2022.
To bill Medi-Cal for PSS, services must be delivered by Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists (CMPSS, aka Certified Peers). Certification is administered statewide by California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) through the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification (PSSC) program, the DHCS-approved certifying program.
To bill Medi-Cal for PSS, services must be delivered by Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists (CMPSS, aka Certified Peers). Certification is administered statewide by California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) through the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification (PSSC) program, the DHCS-approved certifying program.
- Delivered by Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists
- Offered individually and in groups in clinic, community, or telehealth settings
- Complement clinical treatment by building recovery skills and engagement
- Promote resilience, self-advocacy, social connection, and natural supports
- Use structured coaching to help clients set and reach recovery goals
Peer Support Services
PSS are culturally competent services that help clients build skills, remain engaged in treatment, and achieve their individualized recovery goals. PSS must be delivered by a Certified Peer and may be provided to the client and/or the client's significant support person(s). Services can be delivered individually or in groups in clinical or community settings, including telehealth. PSS must be tied to the client's individualized treatment plan (plan of care).Under DHCS guidance, including BHIN 25-010, PSS includes the following service components:
- Education Skills Building: Providing a supportive environment in which members and their families learn coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills in order to help the members achieve desired outcomes. These groups promote skill building for the members in the areas of socialization, recovery, self-sufficiency, self-advocacy, development of natural supports, and maintenance of skills learned in other support services.
- Engagement: Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist led activities and coaching to encourage and support members to participate in behavioral health treatment. Engagement may include supporting members in their transitions and supporting members in developing their own recovery goals and processes.
- Therapeutic Activity: Structured non-clinical activity provided by a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist to promote recovery, wellness, self-advocacy, relationship enhancement, development of natural supports, self-awareness and values, and the maintenance of community living skills to support the member’s treatment to attain and maintain recovery within their communities. These activities may include, but are not limited to, advocacy on behalf of the member; promotion of self-advocacy; resource navigation; and collaboration with the members and others providing care or support to the member, family members, or significant support persons.
Peer Support Services Guide (January 2024)
This guide provides examples for Certified Peers to document their services.
This guide provides examples for Certified Peers to document their services.
Certified Peers
To provide and bill Medi-Cal for PSS, services must be delivered by a Certified Peer. Certification is administered statewide by CalMHSA through the Medi-Cal PSSC program.
Qualifications to become a Certified Peer:
Qualifications to become a Certified Peer:
- 18 years of age or older;
- Self-identified as having lived experience with the process of recovery from mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of mental health or substance use treatment services or as a parent or family member of a consumer of these services or as the parent or family member of the consumer; AND
- Granted certification under a county Medi-Cal PSSC program.
- Build trust through shared understanding
- Communicate recovery concepts in practical and relatable ways
- Model that recovery is possible
- Recognize barriers that may not be immediately visible to other members of the treatment team
- Help bridge communication between clients and the treatment system
How Lived Experience Guides Recovery
"It's kind of essential for you to interact with at least one other person who knows exactly what you're going through or has gone through what you're going through, so you don't feel like you're abnormal or weird or anything like that. So, I think it's essential for someone who really wants to recover."
- Client
Source: Ojeda, V. D., Jones, N., Munson, M. R., Gilmer, T. P., Rusch, D., Gil, K., Shumway, M., & Adams, N. (2022). Clients' perspectives regarding peer support providers' roles and support for client access to and use of publicly funded mental health programs serving transition-age youth in two Southern California counties. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 49(5), 740-753.
"It's kind of essential for you to interact with at least one other person who knows exactly what you're going through or has gone through what you're going through, so you don't feel like you're abnormal or weird or anything like that. So, I think it's essential for someone who really wants to recover."
- Client
Source: Ojeda, V. D., Jones, N., Munson, M. R., Gilmer, T. P., Rusch, D., Gil, K., Shumway, M., & Adams, N. (2022). Clients' perspectives regarding peer support providers' roles and support for client access to and use of publicly funded mental health programs serving transition-age youth in two Southern California counties. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 49(5), 740-753.
SAPC Peer Certification Scholarship Program Notice: All available scholarship funds have been awarded and the program has concluded. For more information on additional funding sources for the certification process, visit CalMHSA Fee Waivers.
Additional Information and Resources:
For information on the initial certification or renewal process, please visit CalMHSA Certification.
Benefits of PSS
Certified Peers allow providers to expand recovery-oriented care while strengthening client engagement, retention, and long-term recovery outcomes. Certified Peers bring lived experience that complements clinical care. This perspective helps build trust, foster hope, and support sustained recovery for clients and families.
Integrating Certified Peers into SUD treatment can:
Integrating Certified Peers into SUD treatment can:
- Increase engagement and retention in treatment compared with usual care
- Improve linkage from crisis and emergency settings to ongoing SUD treatment services
- Strengthen continuity of care by helping clients navigate appointments, complete paperwork, and connect with housing, benefits, and other community resources
- Promote recovery by building hope, self-advocacy, resilience, and natural supports
How Certified Peers Make Recovery Feel Possible
"Everyone is struggling, and everybody's on a different level. You can see [Certified Peers] evolving, and that's really wonderful because you know [recovery is] possible for you... You can see that [recovery] is possible and you can set goals."
- Client
Source: Ojeda, V. D., Jones, N., Munson, M. R., Gilmer, T. P., Rusch, D., Gil, K., Shumway, M., & Adams, N. (2022). Clients' perspectives regarding peer support providers' roles and support for client access to and use of publicly funded mental health programs serving transition-age youth in two Southern California counties. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 49(5), 740-753.
"Everyone is struggling, and everybody's on a different level. You can see [Certified Peers] evolving, and that's really wonderful because you know [recovery is] possible for you... You can see that [recovery] is possible and you can set goals."
- Client
Source: Ojeda, V. D., Jones, N., Munson, M. R., Gilmer, T. P., Rusch, D., Gil, K., Shumway, M., & Adams, N. (2022). Clients' perspectives regarding peer support providers' roles and support for client access to and use of publicly funded mental health programs serving transition-age youth in two Southern California counties. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 49(5), 740-753.
Resources:
SAPC-Contracted Peer Provider Agencies DHCS Behavioral Health Information Notices SAPC Informational Notices PSS Documentation- SAPC - Peer Support Services Guide
- SAPC - Provider Manual version 11.0 pages 102-105
- CalMHSA - Documentation Best Practices for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists