Advocacy Unlimited programs help people recover, achieve wellness, and integrate consumers of mental health and addiction services into community life.
Advocacy Unlimited’s Recovery Support Specialist Certification & Training is an 80-hour advanced certification and training course for persons who experience mental health challenges. It is the only state authorized program to certify individuals as meeting the requirements for Certification as a Recovery Support Specialist. Upon successful completion of the course and the certification exam, graduates are state certified to offer Peer Delivered Services.
Many behavioral healthcare organizations and mental health agencies, including the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, offer positions for Recovery Support Specialists. The RSS certification is required for many of these positions, and preferred for all.
For Continuing Education see RSS CEU.
For the current Recovery Support Specialist job openings, see Job Opportunities.
Important Information about the RSS Certification and Training Program…
CTRSS is the only state authorized program to certify individuals as meeting the requirements of Certification for Recovery Support Specialist.
- Each RSS class has a specific application period during which you must submit your application. Applications do not carry over from one class to another.
- If you were accepted to a class but would like to defer your acceptance, you must re-submit an application during the next application period.
- If you are placed on a waitlist for an RSS class, that waitlist will only be for the specific class you applied to.
- If you are not granted admission, you may re-apply during the next application period.
- You can submit your applications in person, online, by emailing them as a PDF file to [email protected], by fax, or through the post. To be considered, you must meet all eligibility criteria, submit your applications on time, and complete them according to the checklist on the cover page. Note that if you choose to email your application it must be in PDF file format. Applications submitted as photo files will not be accepted.
- The course is 80 hours and includes computer-based and between-class assignments.
- The course generally runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on class days. You can expect the class to meet approximately three times per week, with allowance for holidays. The class schedule provides time for breaks and a one-hour lunch period.
- Continuing Education Credits must be completed and submitted for re-certification every 3 years. 60 Continuing Education Credits are required.
Application Process:
The process for applying for each course will be as follows:
- The application period will be announced prior to the start of each course;
- Application forms can be downloaded here, or can be picked up at the AU Office;
- Application forms should be submitted as a PDF file to [email protected].
- For alternate ways of submitting an application, please view the “Checklist & Instructions” section below.
- For information on cost and payment methods, see Course Fees below.
- We do not accept late applications.
- We do not accept applications submitted as photos.
- Applications do not roll over between application periods.
Upcoming Classes:
January 2025
- Our January 2025 CLASS will be ONLINE – the application deadline for this class Has Passed.
- Course Dates: January 22, 27, 29; February 3, 5, 10, 12, 19, 24, and 26.
- The exam will be held in person in Rocky Hill on March 3 and graduation will be held March 7.
April 2025
- Our April 2025 CLASS will be in Waterbury, CT – the application period for this class opens November 1, 2024 and the deadline for applications is January 31, 2025. Only applications submitted between November 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025 will be considered.
- Course Dates: April 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21, 23, and 24.
- The exam will be held April 28 and graduation will be held May 2.
Course Fees:
The total fee for RSS core training is $200. The first payment of $125 is due by the second day of class and the second payment of $75 is due at the end of the third week of class. Please contact us for information about available scholarships or to have an employer or third party pay on your behalf. Lack of funds will not bar eligible students from applying or being accepted for the training.
All fees are non-refundable unless otherwise stated.
NOTE: Please only make a payment once you have submitted an application and have been accepted.
Checks or Money Orders can be made out to Advocacy Unlimited.
To pay by credit card, click here.
If you pay by credit card, a receipt will be emailed to you. If you do not receive an emailed receipt, please check your junk/spam folder.
Curriculum Outline:
Overview & Key Concepts
Wellness, Trauma & Holistic Stress Management
Cultural Humility
History of Mental Health Treatment
Peer Support Part I
Alternatives
Peer Support Part II
Patient Rights & Grievances
Job Readiness
Community Integration & Resources
Exam
Graduation
Checklist & Instructions:
Carefully read the instructions and checklist on the application. Please check off that you understand each item in the checklist. Only complete applications will be considered.
- Application Form: Please complete the entire application prior to submitting it to Advocacy Unlimited.
- Fees: AU is not accepting payment prior to acceptance in the class, please see payment schedule below.
- Legal Requirements: AU will only accept applications that are (i) complete; (ii) use full names and not nicknames or initials; and (iii) are signed as required.
- Letter of Recommendation: Please note that a letter of recommendation is required to be submitted with your application. It is your responsibility to make sure that we receive the letter of recommendation on time. If no letter is provided, then the application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.
- Submitting your application: you may download a paper copy of the application, complete it, and submit it by any of the following methods:
- Mailing it through regular U.S. mail
- Dropping off your application at our Rocky Hill office between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays
- Scanning and saving the application as a PDF file and emailing it to [email protected]
NOTE: Applications submitted by email must be in PDF file format. Applications submitted as photo files will not be accepted. - Faxing it to us at 860-259-5731.
- Other submission options: Alternatively, if you prefer, you may use our online application form below and submit via our website. Finally, we are happy to mail you a paper copy of our application on request if you are not able to access or print it.
When submitting your application please be mindful of the deadlines set forth under “Application Process” above. We cannot consider applications received after the deadline date.
Continuing Education Credits:
As with many professional certifications, the Recovery Support Specialist certification requires 60 hours of continuing education every three years to maintain certification. Each hour equals one credit. You should submit credit hours, along with any supporting documentation to the RSS Training Administrator. Advocacy Unlimited offers quarterly Peer Forums and Advocacy Education; along with a variety of both in person and web-based trainings throughout the calendar to enhance the peer workforce. There are no fees required to keep the certification active. In the event that documentation requirements are not met the certification will expire. To regain certification the course and exam will need to be passed. To learn more about continuing education click here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. How do graduates of the RSS CT program use their Recovery Support Specialist Certifications?
Graduates of the RSS CT program may go on to deliver peer recovery support services in non-clinical and clinical spaces, as advocates, educators, coaches, community bridgers, support group facilitators, and more! We do not offer job placement. However, we share job opportunities here on our website and through our newsletter.
2. Can I apply for the RSS training if I do not live in the State of Connecticut?
You may apply for RSS training regardless of where you reside. However, if you do not reside in or intend to use your RSS certification in the State of Connecticut, please check your state’s laws and regulations to determine whether your Connecticut certification will enable you to work as an RSS. Not all state certifications are transferable between states.
3. How do I keep updated on course open enrollment and locations?
The following are the best ways to stay informed:
- Advocacy Unlimited’s Facebook page: @ AdvocacyUnlimitedCT
- Sign up for our newsletter! Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this screen, and enter your email in the field next to our logo.
- Open and read our newsletter sent out monthly with updates on RSS-CT.
4. Is the course offered hybrid or online?
We do not offer a hybrid version of the course. Once per year, we offer an online version of the course. The next online section of the RSS course is January 2025.
5. Where will the next course be held?
6. How often is the course offered?
The RSS course is offered to individuals 18 and older 4 times per year. Once per year, a section of the RSS course is offered to emerging adults 18-29. The next emerging adult sections of the RSS course is June 2025.
7. When are the upcoming application periods?
- The application period for the January 2025 Online Course is September 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024.
- The application period for the April 2025 Course in Waterbury is November 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025.
- The application period for the June 2025 Course for emerging adults 18-29 in Rocky Hill is February 1, 2025 through March 31, 2025.
8. Can you extend the deadline for the RSS course?
No. Application periods are firm. To apply to the specific course you want, you must submit your application after the application period begins and before the application deadline. To be considered, applications must be on time and complete, including completely checked off instructions, signatures, and a letter of recommendation.
9. When can I expect to hear back about whether I was accepted into a section of the RSS course?
We respond via email to all complete, on-time applications approximately one month before the beginning of the course to which they applied.
10. Is there a waitlist?
The admissions process generally entails a class waitlist and we may offer placement to students who were not offered a seat initially. Any student who was not accepted into the class or placed on the waitlist must submit a new application each time they apply for RSS training. There is a deadline for initially accepted applicants to respond via email to accept their offer of placement in the class. After this deadline, we open the waitlist if there are any remaining spots in the class. Both initially accepted applicants and waitlisted applicants who do not respond to their offer of placement via email by the deadline lose their offer and must reapply.
11. Do applications roll over between application periods?
No. We receive a very high volume of applications. We are unable to roll applications over between application periods.