The NH Peer Support Specialist Core Curriculum is designed to prepare students to enter a Peer Support role and to earn a Certified Peer Support (CPS) credential. A Peer means any person, 18 years of age or older, who self identifies their lived experience (their own or that of someone they know) in mental health and/or co-occurring substance use recovery. Peers have life experiences in common with the people they support. Their shared experience affords them the unique capacity to help those they serve reach their identified goals while promoting a sense of hope and belonging with their community.
In this asynchronous online training, students will complete learning modules online at their convenience following a structured 9-week course schedule. The program is offered as a workforce development course through White Mountains Community College.
Students should expect the core curriculum to take 40 to 46 hours to complete over the 9-week course, while also attending the required Community of Practice (CoP) virtual meetings that take place every Thursday from 4:00pm– 5:15pm for co-learning, guided practice, role playing, and discussion of complex topics between current students and experienced peers.
Any person, 18 years of age or older, who self identifies their own (or that of someone they know) lived experience in mental health and/or co-occurring substance use recovery.
The NH Core Curriculum is aligned with current national model standards for Peer Support Certification and core competencies for peer workers in behavioral health services as released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The nine sessions will cover discussions on:
- Roles and Settings
- Behavioral Health Recovery
- Person-Centered Support
- Recovery Planning
- Shared Living Experience
- Crisis and Crisis Support
- Suicide Prevention
- Co-occurring Substance Misuse
- Ethics and Boundaries
At this time, tuition for eligible students is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $399,917.00 annually with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources from September 1, 2025 – August 30, 2029. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
Sorry, no current open enrollment available at this time.
You will need a computer or laptop with a camera to participate in the theory portion of the course and the virtual interactive sessions.
If you have difficulty with any of the online resources provided by the College, check to see if your computer system meets the technology minimum requirements: CCSNH Browser and Technology Requirements.
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To request additional information, please contact:
Workforce Development & Community Education Office
White Mountains Community College
2020 Riverside Drive, Berlin, NH 03570
(603) 342-3063
[email protected]
