Applying for the Peer Recovery Specialist Certification:
The Rhode Island Certification Board certifies Peer Recovery Specialists in Rhode Island and renews certification every two years if requirements are met.
The initial application to take the certification exam includes the following requirements:
2 years of lived experience
Two years of sustained and continued recovery time of your own personal lived experience with a substance use and/or mental health disorder or as a family member or loved one of a person or persons with a substance use and/or mental health disorder.
46 hours of CPRS training
Training in the following Domains.
10 hours Advocacy Domain
10 hours Mentoring/Education Domain
10 hours Recovery/Wellness Domain
16 hours Ethical Responsibility Domain
500 hours volunteer or paid work as a PRS
Qualifying work experience is defined as providing individuals and family members in recovery with a support system to develop and learn healthy skills and gain access to needed community resources.
Peer Recovery Specialists serve people in the recovery process by supporting them in the accessing community-based resources, implementing self-directed recovery and wellness plans, navigating state and local systems.
Peer Recovery Specialists encourage individuals to develop a strong foundation in recovery that support long term wellness and recovery.
NOTE: No other work experience in the behavioral health field can be used for a PRS certification other than what has been stated above.
25 hours of supervision
On the job supervision of qualifying work experience in the peer recovery specialist domains (see CPRS Training).
RICB has no requirements for who provides supervision
The person providing supervision is at the discretion of the agency
Supervision can be provided by more than one supervisor
Current PRS job description
Copy of current peer recovery specialist job description, obtained from current employer, and which must be signed by both the applicant and their immediate supervisor.
The job description must be provided by your employer and must signed and dated by the applicant and the employer
Employer may also provide an official position description on agency letterhead.
This may include applicants dates of employment, employment status, title of position, detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of the position, average number of hours per week the applicant worked.
Minimum education
Highschool diploma or GED
Transcripts from an accredited college/university may be used if sent directly from the institution to [email protected]
Transcripts must be requested three weeks prior to sending in the completed application to RICertboard.
$175 fee
May be paid by check or money order.
If paid by an employer, the applicants name must be included in the payment
One half of the fee is refundable if application is denied prior to the examination
Send in the completed application
The application submitted by:
Mail
RICB, 298 S. Progress Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17109
Renewing Your Peer Recovery Specialist Certification:
Recertification application can be submitted no sooner than three (3) months prior to the credential’s expiration date.
Peer Recovery Specialist Certification is valid for two years
CRPS renewal requires continuing education
20 hours relevant to peer recovery including 6 hours in ethics
Education must be acquired no earlier than two years prior to the applicant’s current expiration date.
Education is defined as formal, structured instruction in the form of workshops, seminars, institutes, in-services, college/university credit courses and distance learning/online courses.
RICB does not accept general staff meetings, supervision, staff rounds, or case management as education.
RICB accepts education received outside of Rhode Island.