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Peer Support Specialists

A Peer Support Specialist (PSS) provides support to another person who shares a similar life experience. The Peer Support Specialist and their client may both share the experience of living with addiction. The PSS and their client may both share the experience of living with a mental health condition. A PSS and their client may both share the experience of having family members who live with mental health conditions.

Peer Support Specialists are trained and certified through the Oregon Health Authority’s Traditional Health Worker (THW) certification. 

There are four categories of Peer Support Specialists:

  • Adult Addictions: A person with lived experience in recovery from an addiction disorder. They meet the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in alcohol, drug, or gambling programs. They support people who want to recover from addiction.
  • Adult Mental Health: A person with lived experience of a mental health condition. They provide support to other people with similar experiences.
  • Youth Support: A person who is 30 years old or younger. They may have lived experience with foster care or juvenile justice systems. They may have been unhoused, have learning disabilities, or faced barriers to education. They may have addiction or mental health conditions. Youth Support Specialists help youth by providing youth-to-youth peer support.
  • Family Support: A person who has lived experience parenting a child who may have faced challenges such as living in foster care or being unhoused. They may have cared for children with learning disabilities, addiction, or mental health conditions. Family Support Specialists help parents and families who have children with complex needs.