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Every third Thursday in October, we recognize Global Peer Support Celebration Day — a time to honor the power of lived experience, the dedication of peer support specialists, and the transformative impact of empathy and connection. In North Carolina, peer support services continues to gain momentum as an essential part of our behavioral health system.
Peer support complements clinical and therapeutic services by offering nonjudgmental, person-centered support rooted in lived experience. Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) foster engagement, reduce stigma, and help individuals achieve better outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations, improved adherence to treatment, and stronger social support networks.
CPSS’s play a vital role across a range of settings — including community centers, hospitals, mobile crisis units, and re-entry programs — meeting individuals wherever they are in their recovery journey. They help people identify personal goals, connect with clinical services, build meaningful communities, and work toward reducing hospitalizations, reincarceration, and suicide risk.
Peer support in North Carolina began in the early 2000s and became a Medicaid-reimbursable service in 2019, expanding its reach across the state. CPSS are now embedded in clinical teams, Assertive Community Treatment Teams, and Community Support Teams, using their lived experience to support others in recovery.
Over the past two years, the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (DMH/DD/SUS), in partnership with the NC CPSS Program at the UNC School of Social Work, has worked collaboratively with CPSS, providers, and community stakeholders to build a skilled and diverse peer workforce.
Together, we are developing accessible, low-cost training options, workforce support, and technical assistance for both peers and provider organizations. In addition, DMHDDSUS continues to uplift peer-run organizations and expand free peer-led services, including respite programs, wellness centers, and recovery community centers.
Looking ahead, DMH/DD/SUS is preparing to launch new initiatives, including a Peer Mentoring Program for individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), expected in 2026.
Certified Peer Support Program Progress in North Carolina
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New State Standardized Curriculum launched for certification: Foundations of Peer Support – Part I & II
- In development: Specialized curricula for justice-involved populations, crisis response, and hospital-based peer support
- Launching in 2026: I/DD and TBI Peer Mentoring Program
- Expanding training for working with specialized populations, including:
- Domestic violence and sexual assault survivors
- Trauma-informed approaches
- Cultural competency in recovery
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Peer-to-Peer Mentoring App launched via the Connections App — enabling CPSS to connect and support one another statewide
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