Below is a numbered list of core competencies created by the Wellness Workforce Coalition Core Competencies Work Group; the State of Georgia; and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The survey will ask you to comment, by number, whether there are competencies that are missing from the list, whether there are competencies that are unnecessary, and whether there are competencies that would be inappropriate to require for certified peer support workers.

You will also be invited to share your thoughts about core competencies for certified peer support workers.

LIST OF CORE COMPETENCIES

Peer support values and orientation: Peer support workers are trained in and have an understanding of: the human rights issues and history of peer support and the peer movement; individuals’ stories; peer support values and why they are important; differences between traditional mental health care and peer support; and the importance of relational support that is free of judgment and hierarchy.
Lived Experience: Peer support workers are thoughtful in telling their personal stories and sharing their lived experience when it is useful to the relationship, along with the skills and tools they have developed based on their own experience, to inspire and support the individuals with whom they work. Through mutual sharing of lived experience, peer support workers create connection with those they support.
Self-Awareness: Peer support workers build a capacity for introspection and self-reflection, can voice their own discomfort and needs and have the ability to recognize themselves as individuals.
Boundaries: Peer support workers create clear and respectful personal limits and boundaries which are essential to effective peer support relationships. They recognize that personal limits and boundaries are complex and can be physical, emotional, sexual, verbal and/or energetic. Boundary setting can change internal and relational dynamics.
Worldview and cultural awareness: Peer support workers are aware that everyone has their own values, beliefs, cultural experiences, familial influences and relationships which create a personal worldview. This worldview is the lens through which reality is experienced and influences individual attitudes, biases and judgments. Sharing this worldview can create connection, relationship and growth. Peer support workers develop the ability to work in a non-judgmental and compassionate manner, meeting individuals where they are at, regardless of differences in worldview.
Communication, dialogues and active listening: To create connection, peer support workers understand the components of dialogue, non-verbal dialogue, collaborative problem solving and remaining curious. They are able to clearly communicate their needs and the needs of the job or organization according to their particular role. They are able tobe reflective and transparent in what they share and how they respond. They also enable effective engagement, networking, teamwork and conflict management.
Authentic and mutual relationships: Peer support workers are encouraged to be honest with themselves and genuine when providing peer support and to approach relationships with a sense of curiosity. They consider the individuals with whom they work as equals while acknowledging relative power, privilege and status.
Wellness, resilience and self-care: Peer support workers understand, demonstrate and actively practice self-care strategies. They are aware of their own personal limits and recognize signs of becoming overwhelmed (e.g., burn out, compassion fatigue, vicarious or secondary trauma, over- engagement, over-identifying). They actively aspire to approach challenges with equanimity, to remain composed when under strain or tension and to acknowledge when this is difficult. Peer support workers often rely on their relationships as a source of suppo
Self-determination: Peer support workers focus on learning, exploring and growing together rather than on helping. They validate, encourage and support individuals in determining what they want their lives to be like by encouraging them to reflect on their needs and pursue their aspirations.
Trauma-informed: Peer support workers are aware of the short- and long-term impact of personal history and trauma on all aspects of an individual’s life. They recognize that certain actions (e.g., violence, substance use, anger) are coping mechanisms and that most challenges and forms of adversity experienced by individuals may result from personal history and trauma. Peer support workers’ orientation is not “what is wrong with you” but “what has happened to you;” they see crisis as an opportunity to grow and change.
Safety: Peer support workers identify potential risks and seek to work collaboratively with individuals to reduce risk to themselves and others. They may have to manage situations in which there is intense distress and work to ensure the safety and well-being of themselves and others and learn when to step out of harm’s way. In peer support, mutual safety is enhanced through relationship and connection.
Collaboration and teamwork: Peer support workers develop and maintain effective working relationships with team members, professional colleagues and other organizations, including policy makers and funders. All peer support workers seek to balance the needs of the program or organization with peer support values, but particularly when working in more traditional mental health settings (designated agencies, hospitals, etc.). Peer support workers may see themselves as representatives of a collaborative movement striving to improve the quality of life for individuals experiencing various forms of adversity.
Professional development, leadership and privacy: Peer support workers seek and pursue opportunities for personal and professional growth and development, including opportunities to provide leadership. They see themselves as ambassadors of the peer support movement and commit to acting in a respectful and responsible manner. At all levels, peer support workers honor the privacy and confidentiality of individuals and embrace peer support values regarding the sharing and disclosure of information.
Links to resources, services, and supports: Peer support workers help individuals acquire the resources, services and supports they need by connecting them to resources or services within mental health and community settings. Peer support workers have knowledge of resources within their communities as well as on-line and learn when and to whom to reach out for assistance.
Human Rights-based Approach and Advocacy: Peer support workers understand a Human Rights-Based Approach and how various forms of systemic oppression (racism, sexism, ableism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, etc.) intersect with mental health and the mental health system. They work to examine and reduce the impact of stigma and discrimination on mental health through advocacy and a social justice lens. They believe that individuals have a right to receive the services and supports of their choosing and will advocate for individuals to receive these services and supports within communities of their choosing.
Medicaid/Insurance- related Requirements: Peer support workers and supervisors in programs receiving federal (Medicaid, Medicare) or insurance reimbursement will abide by certain requirements pertaining to assessment, treatment planning, progress notes and program supervision in accordance with peer support values to the extent possible.
The recovery process and how to use their own recovery story to support others: Understand the five stages in the recovery process and what is helpful and not helpful at each stage; Understand the role of peer support at each stage of the recovery process; Understand the power of beliefs/values and how they support or work against recovery; Understand the basic philosophy and principles of psychosocial rehabilitation; Understand the basic definition and dynamics of recovery; Be able to articulate what has been useful and what not useful in his/her own recovery; Be able to identify beliefs and values a consumer holds that works against his/her recovery; Be able to discern when and how much of their recovery story to share with whom.
Understand the Code of Ethics within the state mental health system.
Provide information about skills related to health, wellness, and recovery: These competencies describe how peer workers coach, model or provide information about skills that enhance recovery. These competencies recognize that peer workers have knowledge, skills and experiences to offer others in recovery and that the recovery process often involves learning and growth. Educates peers about health, wellness, recovery and recovery supports; Participates with peers in discovery or co-learning to enhance recovery experiences; Coaches peers about how to access treatment and services and navigate systems of care; Coaches peers in desired skills and strategies; Educates family members and other supportive individuals about recovery and recovery supports; Uses approaches that match the preferences and needs of peers