Specialization Training Coming Soon to Peer Certification Program
Key staff: Lucero Robles, LCSW, Director, Quality Assurance
Continuing to expand the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification program, CalMHSA has finalized the core competencies for three areas of specialization and issued RFPs for training providers in each specialty.
The areas of specialization — justice-involved, crisis, and unhoused — focus on additional training that builds on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists but are not required for certification.
To identify the core competencies for each specialization, CalMHSA conducted landscape analyses in all three areas, held focus groups with subject matter experts, and solicited feedback from stakeholders. CalMHSA also compared the knowledge, skills, and abilities identified in the 17 core competencies for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist training to avoid redundancy in and build on the knowledge, skills, and abilities for certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists seeking training for these specializations.
As a result, an additional 40 hours of experiential learning specific to peers with experience in each of the specialization areas will be implemented to construct the training programs.
Responses to the training RFPs are due May 12, with application review scheduled to be complete by May 26.
April 25, 2023
