Grants for Peer Recovery Specialist Training

Peer recovery specialists—individuals with lived experience of substance use disorder or mental illness—are becoming the backbone of addiction and mental health treatment systems. Federal and state governments are investing heavily in training, certifying, and employing peer specialists. Whether you're launching a peer support program, training peer recovery specialists, or building recovery coaching capacity, substantial grant funding is available for workforce development in this emerging and high-demand field.

Who Should Apply?

• Treatment programs adding peer support and recovery coaching services
• Nonprofit organizations training individuals in recovery to become peer specialists
• Behavioral health agencies developing peer-led or peer-enhanced programs
• Educational institutions offering peer specialist certification training
• Community recovery organizations employing peer specialists and coaches
• Peer-run organizations operating mutual support and recovery advocacy groups
• Health systems and clinics integrating peer support into clinical treatment
• Public health agencies supporting peer recovery workforce development
• Workforce development organizations training people in recovery for employment

Types of Grants Available

• Certification training: Funding to certify peer specialists through state-approved training programs
• Program development: Starting new peer support programs or expanding peer services
• Curriculum development: Creating peer specialist training materials and curricula
• Employment support: Hiring peer specialists and providing ongoing supervision
• Workforce development: Training individuals in recovery for peer specialist careers
• Capacity building: Peer program evaluation, quality assurance, and fidelity monitoring
• Recovery community development: Building peer-led recovery organizations and mutual support groups

Why Peer Support is a Funding Priority

Peer recovery support is gaining recognition as essential to substance use disorder and mental health treatment:

• Treatment outcomes: Research shows peer support improves treatment engagement and retention
• Lived experience value: Peer specialists bring credibility and understanding that professionals cannot provide
• Cost-effectiveness: Peer specialists often require less training than clinical staff, expanding workforce affordably
• Equity and access: Peer specialists represent and serve their communities more effectively
• Workforce crisis: Shortage of clinical addiction specialists; peer specialists help close the gap
• Recovery culture: Peer-led programs reinforce hope and recovery-oriented values
• Policy momentum: States expanding peer specialist licensure and Medicaid reimbursement

Types of Peer Specialist Roles

Grant funding supports development of diverse peer roles:

• Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) - State-certified individuals with lived experience providing peer support
• Recovery Coach - Peers helping individuals develop recovery goals and navigate systems
• Peer Navigator - Guiding patients through treatment systems and community resources
• Peer Advocate - Representing interests of people in recovery in policy and organizational settings
• Peer Support Specialist - Leading peer support groups and mutual support programs
• Recovery Community Leader - Coordinating recovery-oriented activities and community building
• Peer Counselor - Providing counseling-adjacent peer support (varies by state licensure)
• Peer Mentor - Supporting individuals early in their recovery journey

Key Funding Sources

Major federal funders of peer recovery specialist programs:

• SAMHSA - Grants for peer specialist training and peer program development
• CDC - Opioid response funding supporting peer support components
• HRSA - Health center grants supporting integrated peer support
• DOL (Workforce Innovation) - Peer specialist job training and employment
• State health departments - State opioid response and mental health funding
• Medicaid programs - Reimbursement for peer specialist services (varies by state)
• Private foundations - Robert Wood Johnson, National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, etc.

Peer Specialist Training Standards

Most grants require alignment with evidence-based training standards:

• Curriculum-based: SAMHSA-recommended peer specialist core competencies and training modules
• Lived experience requirement: Trainers and participants must have lived experience of substance use disorder or mental illness
• Certification: Many states have formal peer specialist certification exams and requirements
• Ongoing training: Continuing education, supervision, and professional development
• Cultural competence: Training addressing trauma, health equity, and diverse population needs
• Code of ethics: Professional standards for peer specialist conduct and relationships
• Fidelity monitoring: Evaluation of program quality and fidelity to evidence-based peer support model

Application Tips

• Engage people in recovery: Include individuals with lived experience in program design and governance
• Show evidence: Reference research on peer support effectiveness and cost-benefit
• Plan training logistics: Outline curriculum, instructors, schedule, and trainer qualifications
• Include employment plan: Show how trained peers will be hired and integrated into treatment
• Address compensation: Peer specialists should earn competitive wages; include salary/benefit budget
• Plan supervision: Describe clinical oversight and peer specialist support structures
• Measure outcomes: Track trainer and participant satisfaction, certification rates, job placement, wages
• Demonstrate sustainability: Show how peer specialist positions will be funded long-term