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Certified Peer Support & Recovery Professional (CPSRP) Credential

Obtain a CPSRP Credential
Maintain a CPSRP Credential

The Certified Peer Support & Recovery Professional (CPSRP) credential is an initiative of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). The CPSRP credential combines Recovery Support Specialists and Recovery Coaches under one professional credential for people delivering Peer Recovery Services in the state of Connecticut. It may be preferred or required by some employers in the field of Peer Recovery Services. The administrator of the CPSRP Credential is the Connecticut Certification Board. Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. is a DMHAS-Approved Training Organization for the CPSRP credential.

Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. is a DMHAS-Approved Training Organization for the CPSRP credential. By completing the AU RSS Peer Certification & Training a person becomes qualified to move forward with the CPSRP application through the Connecticut Certification Board. The AU RSS Peer Certification & Training curriculum is aligned with the SAMHSA’s Twelve Core Competencies and DMHAS’ Peer Ethics & Values (2024).

Obtain a CPSRP Credential

The Certified Peer Support & Recovery Professional (CPSRP) credential is an initiative of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction services. It combines Recovery Support Specialists and Recovery Coaches under one professional credential for people delivering Peer Recovery Services in the state of Connecticut. It may be preferred or required by some employers in the field of Peer Recovery Services.

This Certified Peer Support & Recovery Professional credential is not a license and does not authorize the holder to practice independently. 

There are two different CPSRP credentials:

  • A Certified Peer Support & Recovery Professional (CPSRP) is defined as an individual having firsthand lived/living experience with a behavioral health condition(s) and identifies as being in recovery and/or has improved their health and wellness.
  • A Certified Peer Support & Recovery Professional -F (CPSRP-F) is defined as an individual having firsthand lived/living experience as a family member of someone with a behavioral health condition(s) and does not have firsthand lived/living experience.
    • Family is not limited to relations by blood, marriage, or adoption.

Maintaining your CPSRP credentials requires your participation in continuing education. You must document your continuing education hours and submit your application for renewal to the Connecticut Certification Board. You can find our guide on maintaining CPSRP credentials here. The CCB is the authority on this matter.

The provisional application process begins with submitting a CPSRP application on the CCB website. Then, you’ll apply to sit for the CPSRP credential exam. You must pass the exam to proceed.

Upon passing the exam, you will receive a provisional certification. Next, you’ll complete and document 300 hours of supervised work experience delivering peer recovery services, which includes 25 hours of direct supervision. Up to 150 supervised volunteer hours in a Recovery Support Specialist or Recovery Coach role are allowable.

Upon completion of the 300 hours of supervision, submit your documentation to the CCB with your application for a full CPSRP credential.

Detailed information on the Credential application requirements and process will be available on the CCB Applications & Renewals webpage on the CCB website by June 1, 2026.

The flexible application process begins with submitting a CPSRP application on the CCB website. With the flexible application process, you must still sit for and pass the exam and complete the 300 hours of supervised work experience.

For the flexible application, accrual of 300 hours of supervised work experience can begin upon completion of the CPSRP training. You can apply to sit for the CPSRP credential exam while you accrue your 300 hours of supervised work experience.

After passing the exam and completing your work experience, you’ll submit your documentation to the CCB with your application for a full CPSRP credential.

Detailed information on the Credential application requirements and process will be available on the CCB Applications & Renewals webpage on the CCB website by June 1, 2026.

The Provisional Credential is optional. It is available upon completion of training and a passing score on the examination. This option provides a one (1) year credential as individuals work towards obtaining the required supervised work hours.

The provisional credential may make sense for you if you are not currently working or volunteering in the field of peer recovery services.

The flexible application process may make sense for you if you are currently working or volunteering in the field of peer recovery services.

Detailed information on the Credential application requirements and process will be available on the CCB website by June 1, 2026: https://ctcertboard.org/applications-renewals/ 

These are the requirements as currently outlined by DMHAS on their CPSRP Credential webpage:

  1. Be age 18 or older
  2. Live or work in Connecticut
  3. CPSRP: Attest to having first-hand lived/living experience with behavioral health condition(s) and in recovery and/or has improved health and wellness

OR

  1. F. CPSRP-F: Attest to having first-hand lived/living experience through a family member with a behavioral health condition(s)
  2. Complete 80-hour Training by a DMHAS-approved training organization (see: DMHAS-approved training organizations)
  3. Achieve a passing score on the examination
  4. Complete 300 hours of supervised employment which includes 25 hours of direct supervision
    • 150 supervised volunteer hours in a Recovery Support Specialist or Recovery Coach role are allowable

Connecticut does not have reciprocity with peer & recovery professional credentials from other states. Credentials do not transfer between states. If you are credentialed outside of Connecticut, do not work in Connecticut, and relocate to Connecticut and wish to work in peer recovery services, you may need to complete Connecticut’s CPSRP credentialing process.

These credentials may be desirable to employers, but they are not the same thing as the CPSRSP credential. Some employers may prefer that you complete Connecticut’s CPSRP credentialing process.

All training organizations utilize an approved curriculum in alignment with SAMHSA’s Twelve Core Competencies and DMHAS’ Peer Ethics & Values (2024).

All training organizations are privately owned and set their own schedules and fees.

Training programs are by application and have limited space.

The list of approved training agencies will be updated as they become eligible.

Although employers may express preferences for specific trainings, this is largely up to your discretion. You are only required to complete one DMHAS-approved training for your CPSRP credential, but you are able to take multiple trainings if you would like. You are encouraged to explore the webpages for each program listed in the section above. You can check whether additional trainings have been approved on the DMHAS CPSRP credentialing webpage.

However, some programs may have specific eligibility requirements.

  • If you are an individual with firsthand lived/living experience with a behavioral health condition(s) and identify as being in recovery and/or having improved your health and wellness: You may be a candidate for Advocacy Unlimited’s Recovery Support Specialist Training Program. Completion of our training is one pathway to CPSRP credentialing.
  • If you are an individual with firsthand lived/living experience as a family member of someone with a behavioral health (conditions) and do not have firsthand lived/living experience: You are not eligible for Advocacy Unlimited’s Recovery Support Specialist Training Program. You may be eligible for another training program that prepares students for a CPSRP-F credential. Please refer to the full list of training organizations that have been approved on the DMHAS CPSRP credentialing webpage.

First, you must apply to our training. Admission is by application only.

To apply to Advocacy Unlimited’s RSS Training Program, we highly recommend you first thoroughly read the Recovery Support Specialist Training Program webpage. Begin with the “Important Information” and “Application Process” sections at the top of the page. We have Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of the page. This is a comprehensive guide for what you can expect of Advocacy’s Unlimited’s RSS Training and our application process.

Space is limited. Applicants sometimes apply multiple times before being admitted.

Next, gather documentation for your CPSRP credential application.

  • We suggest you take a picture of your certificate of completion on the day you complete your training. Use this as proof of completing the training requirements when filing a CPSRP application.
  • You may also need to submit a government-issued photo ID as part of verification of your age as 18+.

Then, file a CPSRP application or a CPSRP-F application with the Connecticut Certification Board. You can find the CCB Applications & Renewals webpage here on the CCB website. CPSRP & CPSRP-F application information is located on the top of this webpage.

From here, you have two pathways that ultimately lead to receiving a CPSRP certification via email: the provisional application process and the flexible application process.

You will receive your CPSRP certification via email from the Connecticut Certification Board.

Advocacy Unlimited does not have, maintain, or send out records of CPSRP credentials. The CCB is the administrator of the credential. Advocacy Unlimited only keeps records of completing the Recovery Support Specialist Training.

Maintain a CPSRP Credential

You do not need to maintain certification as a Recovery Support Specialist through Advocacy Unlimited because there is a new CPSRP Credential.

You may be eligible for participating in the grandparenting process, which would exempt you from having to complete the new training curriculum or take the examination. This is not an automatic process. You must do this yourself.

The deadline for grandparenting into the new credential is October 1, 2026. The CPSRP grandparenting application is free of charge and the credential will be valid for 2 years from the date it is issued. These are the requirements:

  • Verification of Age (18+) with a government-issued photo ID.
  • Verification of Completed Training by one of the following DMHAS-approved organizations:
    • Advocacy Unlimited (AU)
    • Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR)
    • Healthcare Recovery Leadership Academy (HHC-RLA)

OR

  • Verification of an active CPRS credential through the Connecticut Certification Board (CCB)

The CPSRP Grandparenting Application is available on the Connecticut Certification Board (CCB) website: https://ctcertboard.org/applications-renewals/

If you do not participate in the grandparenting process by October 1, view the information above for an outline of how to obtain a CPSRP credential.

Contact Elsa Ward, Director of Recovery Community Affairs @ [email protected] with any questions. 

Graduates who need a reprint of their RSS certificate can contact [email protected] with “Certificate Request” in the subject line. Requests will be processed on the last Friday of each month. If that Friday is a holiday, they will be processed the following Monday. Any requests made ON the last Friday of each month will be processed the following month. Your certificate reprint will be delivered by email as a PDF. 

We strongly encourage you to complete this process before September 2026 to accommodate both our and the CCB’s processing time. Without exception, the deadline for Certificate Reprint Requests is Thursday, September 24, 2026. We will be unable to process requests in time for the grandparenting deadline after that date.

All continuing education must be completed during your renewal period. This period begins when you are issued your CPSRP certificate and ends when your certification expires. For people who participated in the grandparenting process, this is most likely a 2-year period.

You must complete 10 Continuing Education (CE) hours annually to qualify for re-certification. If your CPSRP credential is active for 2 years, that means you must complete 20 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) before your certification expires.

For every 10 CEUs, you must cover the following categories:

  • 2 CEUs on CPSRP Ethics & Values
    • Individuals must complete the CPSRP approved Ethics & Values Training; no other options will be accepted for re-certification.
    • Trainings will be available through DMHAS Workforce Development catalog and other trainings may be held by approved training organizations. More information to come!
  • 4 CEUs on Peer Support and Coaching topics
  • 4 CEUs of Electives that enhance knowledge within the behavioral health field, i.e. Harm Reduction, CBT/DBT.
    • Electives can include peer support/coaching CE as well.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are obtained through courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, or other professional development opportunities. CEUs must focus on topics directly related to the professional practice standards of the RSS, including the 12 Core Competencies of the Peer Worker defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), SAMHSA 8 Dimensions of Wellness, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) 2026 Code of Ethics & Values of the CPSRP, and other topics relevant to peer recovery services.    

Not all mandatory professional development through employers are eligible for CEUs. For example, trainings that include clinical assessment, physical management, or medication administration may be ineligible.

Advocacy Unlimited’s continuing education offerings typically meet these requirements.

You should also consider seeking out continuing education hours that are CCB approved.

For the most comprehensive possible answer, please email [email protected].

Most CCB credentials require that half of all training applied towards renewal be CCB reviewed and approved to ensure the content meets or exceeds CCB educational standards. It is your responsibility to verify that a portion (typically half) of the training you apply towards renewal is CCB approved.

For a list of CCB approved distance learning providers, visit the CCB website as all content offered by these providers is CCB approved. All training provided by DMHAS – Education and Training is CCB approved as well as many of the training events offered by the Connecticut Association of Non-Profits and the CT DARC programs. Trainings that are CCB approved usually note this on their course description or on the training certificates. You should ask training providers if the content is CCB approved. Also, all trainings approved by other IC&RC member boards are considered CCB approved. Please visit www.internationalcredentialing.org for a list of member boards.

For the most comprehensive possible answer, please email [email protected].

For the most comprehensive possible answer, please email [email protected].

Always hold onto your own certificates of completion. Training agencies are unlikely to be able to reissue certificates of completion. We recommend you hold onto certificates for a minimum of 3 years. Maintain a folder with your certificates of completion and a back-up copy of your folder.

The CCB hosts a “Credential Renewal Packet” on the CCB Applications & Renewals webpage. This credential packet needs to be updated to include the fees & schedule for the CPSRP credential. However, in the meantime you should still track the following for each training you participate in:

  • Date of Training
  • Training Title
  • Sponsoring Agency/Organization/Trainer
  • Do you have training documentation on hand? (Yes or No)
  • CEUs (Continuing Education Units)
  • Was the training CCB Approved? (Yes or No)

You can renew your certification for one, two, or three years. This requires 10, 20, or 30 CEUs in the areas specified above. The fees are:

  • 1 year: $25.00
  • 2 years: $40.00
  • 3 years: $55.00

You will submit your application to the CCB, not Advocacy Unlimited. The application form will most likely become available on the CCB Applications & Renewals webpage here.

As of June 2026, no one has had a CPSRP credential long enough for it to need renewal. The grandparenting process is ongoing through September 2026.

All continuing education must be completed during your renewal period. This period begins when you are issued your CPSRP certificate and ends when your certification expires. We suggest you wait until 2-4 months before your certificate expires. This should give you time to complete any additional CEUs you may need if you have not met the CCB’s requirements.

For the most comprehensive possible answer, please email [email protected].

Contact Elsa Ward, Director of Recovery Community Affairs @ [email protected] with any questions or to file a complaint regarding the CPSRP credentialing process.

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