To become a Peer Recovery Coach, you must be age 18 or older, have lived experience with recovery, and have at least one year of continuous sobriety. It is also important that you are comfortable with publicly identifying as a person in recovery, and that you have a desire to help others with their recovery process.

Through lectures, discussions, and role plays, you will obtain a strong foundation in the core competencies of a recovery coach, including strength-based goal planning, social support, linkage to services, and building recovery capital. You will finish the training understanding the roles and responsibilities of a recovery coach and the process for obtaining certification.

The cost for the five-day Peer Support Specialist Training is $425, which includes breakfast each day and snacks. Additional expenses you may want to budget for are travel, overnight accommodations, and evening meals.

Communities for Recovery occasionally offers training scholarships. We receive a high number of requests for scholarships and are unable to grant all requests. All scholarship applications will be reviewed on an individual basis. Only active Communities for Recovery volunteers that have been active for at least 3 months and have documented at least 25 hours of service work are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Following the RSPS/PRSS training, volunteers under the CforR Training Scholarship agree to continue to volunteer for at least 3 additional months and log an additional 25 hours of volunteer service hours. If you meet these eligibility requirements, contact our training coordinator at training@cforr.org to apply.

If you are not an active active volunteer and would like to apply to become one, you may contact our volunteer coordinator, volunteer@cforr.org. Click here to download an application.

To become a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist in the State of Texas, you must meet the minimum education and residency requirements, verify your education and training, complete 250 hrs. of  work experience (volunteer or paid) with 25 hrs. supervision, pass the International Peer Examination, and pay a fee for your certificate. The certification is valid for two years once you have earned it. Learn more at https://www.tcbap.org/page/PeerCertificationApplications.