The Peer Support Specialist course is a core competency course that provides the knowledge, tools, and state-recognized training needed to serve as a certified peer support specialist in behavioral health settings.

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Peer Support Specialist - At a Glance

   

Eligibility:            

Montana resident, 18+, High school diploma or GED preferred; lived experience in mental health or substance use recovery; Ideal for individuals with a commitment to using personal recovery experience to help others.

Format:

5 in-person training days over a 5-week period.

Cost:

$850 (scholarships may be available; cost may be covered when taken as part of a workforce development program).

Enrollment:     

Cohorts offered several times a year (e.g., July in Butte, September in Missoula)

Credential:

State-recognized certification as a Peer Support Specialist upon completion

Peer Support Specialist Overview

The Peer Support Specialist is a five-week certification course made possible, in part, thanks to Beautiful Minds Recovery. The course equips participants to provide compassionate, non-clinical support to individuals experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. Training focuses on leveraging personal recovery experience, practicing trauma-informed care, and fostering hope and connection in the recovery process. Graduates leave prepared to serve as vital members of behavioral health teams across Montana.

What You’ll Learn

  • Role of Peer Support Specialists: Understand the scope, boundaries, and responsibilities of peer support within behavioral health systems.

  • Recovery-Oriented Practices: Learn to foster hope, model recovery, and empower individuals navigating behavioral health challenges.

  • Communication & Coaching Skills: Build active listening, motivational interviewing, and strengths-based coaching abilities.

  • Trauma-Informed Support: Provide care that is sensitive to the impacts of trauma and focused on safety and trust.

  • Ethics & Boundaries: Apply ethical guidelines, confidentiality, and professional standards in peer support work.

Career Outcomes

Graduates are prepared to work as certified peer support specialists in diverse settings, including:

  • Behavioral health clinics

  • Recovery and treatment centers

  • Public health and community-based organizations

  • Tribal health programs

This course meets the core competency course requirement for the workforce development program, Behavioral Health Workforce Education Training. 

How to Enroll

This course is ideal for Montana residents with lived experience in recovery who want to support others navigating behavioral health challenges and are able to commit to five in-person training days spread over five weeks.

Registration managed by Beautiful Minds Recovery and is open to all interested participants meeting eligibility requirements.

 

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Questions

For more information or to find out
how you or your organization can get involved, please contact:

Beth Ann Carter
 Assistant Director, Behavioral Health Workforce
 📧 beth.carter@montana.edu | 📞 406-925-1261