Peer Certification
For details on training, certification, examination, applying and more, visit capeercertification.org.
In behavioral health, Peers are individuals who have lived experience with mental health conditions or substance use disorders, or family members of those individuals.
In California, certified Peer support specialists are eligible for Medi-Cal reimbursement through county behavioral health plans –an important step in the delivery of behavioral health care that values the experience that Peers can provide and expands counties’ capacity to provide care.
CalMHSA’s Role as Certifying Entity
County behavioral health plans selected CalMHSA to implement a single, standardized Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program. Key program activities include:
- Managing the certification program, approving training entities, certifying individuals, conducting investigations and collecting data
- Offering trainings for both Peers and their supervisors
- Monitoring program activities, evaluation and quality assurance
See more program highlights below. Questions or comments? Email [email protected].
Program Details
Lead Staff:
Lucero Robles, LCSW
Senior Director of Quality Assurance & Compliance
Email: [email protected]
Participating Counties:
Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Yuba, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Ventura, Yolo
- Check Out the New Peer Certification Job Board: A platform where job postings help county behavioral health departments and community agencies connect with Peer Support Specialists.
- Visit our training site to learn more about opportunities for peer specialization trainings, continuing education, supervision of Peer work, and more.
CalMHSA and the Department of Health Care Services sponsored a statewide digital advertising campaign to raise awareness about the impact and role of Peers in behavioral health.
In addition to raising awareness, the campaign aims to inspire more people to pursue certification. It uplifts the voices of real Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists, spotlighting their emotionally resonant stories to show how lived experience isn’t just valuable — it’s transformative. Learn more at www.peerhero.org.
Peer Support Specialists are required to demonstrate proficiency across seventeen core competencies that define the standard for practice. For additional information on core competencies, please visit capeercertification.org.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist
Parent, Caregiver, Family Member Peer Competencies (specialization)
Justice-Involved (specialization)
Persons Unhoused (specialization)
Please note: Specialized training to support individuals who are unhoused, justice-involved, or in need of crisis services, and for parent/caregiver/family member peers is not required for certification as a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist.
Medi-Cal Peer Certification Stakeholder Advisory Council
Recognizing the need for input from peers and other stakeholders to implement a Peer Support Specialist certification program, CalMHSA established a Stakeholder Advisory Council that makes recommendations on behalf of a variety of stakeholder groups. The development and selection of the Advisory Council members was conducted in collaboration with the California Association of Mental Health Peer Run Organizations on behalf of DHCS. Advisory Council members were selected through an application process, and the membership reflects the Medi-Cal populations served by the county specialty plans. Wherever possible, Advisory Council members represent underrepresented or difficult-to-engage communities. CalMHSA values continuous quality improvement; the Advisory Council will serve as an avenue for ongoing feedback during the implementation phase and beyond.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meetings
Council Member Information
This Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification program dashboard illustrates how peers are making a difference in and for their communities: