Application:
The application must be approved to attend training. Complete the application BEFORE continuing with your registration.
Click Here to Submit Application
Registration:
Complete AFTER your application has been submitted.
Cost:
Free
Who should attend/Requirements:
Individuals who are currently or who have been the primary caregiver of a child/children, under the age of 25, diagnosed with a behavioral health challenge (mental, developmental, substance use, or co-occurring disorder) looking to obtain family peer supporter certification. High school diploma or GED is required.
What is a Family Peer Support Specialist:
A Family Peer Support Specialist is legal caregiver (parent, guardian, relative with permanent custody) of a child, age 25 or younger, living with behavioral health challenges.
Family Peer Support Specialist must be:
- Experienced in navigating child serving systems of care in Ohio (i.e., Child Protective Services, Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, Special Education, etc.) for at least one year.
- Able to partner with families, youth, professionals, and other community members, in order to plan and implement services.
- Able to support family strengths in problem -solving and solution seeking.
- Knowledgeable of community resources.
- Able to accept direction, guidance and assignments made by supervisory and/or treatment team.
Description:
NAMI Ohio Family Peer Support Specialist Training ensures that those employed in Ohio as Family Peer Support Specialists meet the high standards of performance demanded by the state of Ohio. This training promotes uniformity of core competencies of Family Peer Supporters as practitioners by:
- Ensuring professional development, continued education, and supervision.
- Advancing uniform standards, scope of practice, and best practices.
- Promoting ethical practice within the profession.
- Encouraging cultural sensitivity and cultural competency within family and professional partnerships.
- Providing tools to instill confidence with the families served.
How to become a Certified Family Peer Supporter:
To obtain peer supporter certification, individuals will submit a complete and compliant application including the following documentation:
(a) Proof of a minimum of forty hours of department approved competency-based peer services training.
(b) Hold a high school diploma, a general educational development certification, or similar secondary education from outside of the United States;
(c) Documentation of passing the department peer supporter exam, or an exam administered or designated by the department;
(d) Certified peer supporters will attest to having read and understood the code of ethics at initial certification
(e) The results of a bureau of criminal investigation and federal bureau of investigation criminal records check conducted within one year of submission.
What do Certified Family Peer Supporters offer:
Certified Family Peer Supporter services may include:
- Providing empathetic listening and emotional support
- Assisting families in navigating systems
- Supplying information about child‐serving systems, children’s behavioral health and development, and community resources
- Rendering advocacy support
- Encouraging self‐care activities
- Facilitating familial engagement with service providers
- Modeling collaboration between families and professionals
- Engaging in safety and care planning; exploring and eliminating barriers to care plan follow‐through
- Offering skill‐building for parents that enhances resiliency, communication, advocacy and other areas affecting the ability to maintain a child with complex needs in the home, school and community
- Sharing personal stories
- Providing HOPE
Application:
The application must be approved to attend training. Complete the application BEFORE continuing with your registration.
Click Here to Submit Application
Registration:
Complete AFTER your application has been submitted.
Cost:
Free
Who should attend/Requirements:
Individuals who are currently or who have been the primary caregiver of a child/children, under the age of 25, diagnosed with a behavioral health challenge (mental, developmental, substance use, or co-occurring disorder) looking to obtain family peer supporter certification. High school diploma or GED is required.
What is a Family Peer Support Specialist:
A Family Peer Support Specialist is legal caregiver (parent, guardian, relative with permanent custody) of a child, age 25 or younger, living with behavioral health challenges.
Family Peer Support Specialist must be:
- Experienced in navigating child serving systems of care in Ohio (i.e., Child Protective Services, Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, Special Education, etc.) for at least one year.
- Able to partner with families, youth, professionals, and other community members, in order to plan and implement services.
- Able to support family strengths in problem -solving and solution seeking.
- Knowledgeable of community resources.
- Able to accept direction, guidance and assignments made by supervisory and/or treatment team.
Description:
NAMI Ohio Family Peer Support Specialist Training ensures that those employed in Ohio as Family Peer Support Specialists meet the high standards of performance demanded by the state of Ohio. This training promotes uniformity of core competencies of Family Peer Supporters as practitioners by:
- Ensuring professional development, continued education, and supervision.
- Advancing uniform standards, scope of practice, and best practices.
- Promoting ethical practice within the profession.
- Encouraging cultural sensitivity and cultural competency within family and professional partnerships.
- Providing tools to instill confidence with the families served.
How to become a Certified Family Peer Supporter:
To obtain peer supporter certification, individuals will submit a complete and compliant application including the following documentation:
(a) Proof of a minimum of forty hours of department approved competency-based peer services training.
(b) Hold a high school diploma, a general educational development certification, or similar secondary education from outside of the United States;
(c) Documentation of passing the department peer supporter exam, or an exam administered or designated by the department;
(d) Certified peer supporters will attest to having read and understood the code of ethics at initial certification
(e) The results of a bureau of criminal investigation and federal bureau of investigation criminal records check conducted within one year of submission.
What do Certified Family Peer Supporters offer:
Certified Family Peer Supporter services may include:
- Providing empathetic listening and emotional support
- Assisting families in navigating systems
- Supplying information about child‐serving systems, children’s behavioral health and development, and community resources
- Rendering advocacy support
- Encouraging self‐care activities
- Facilitating familial engagement with service providers
- Modeling collaboration between families and professionals
- Engaging in safety and care planning; exploring and eliminating barriers to care plan follow‐through
- Offering skill‐building for parents that enhances resiliency, communication, advocacy and other areas affecting the ability to maintain a child with complex needs in the home, school and community
- Sharing personal stories
- Providing HOPE
Application:
The application must be approved to attend training. Complete the application BEFORE continuing with your registration.
Click Here to Submit Application
Registration:
Complete AFTER your application has been submitted.
Cost:
Free
Who should attend/Requirements:
Individuals who are currently or who have been the primary caregiver of a child/children, under the age of 25, diagnosed with a behavioral health challenge (mental, developmental, substance use, or co-occurring disorder) looking to obtain family peer supporter certification. High school diploma or GED is required.
What is a Family Peer Support Specialist:
A Family Peer Support Specialist is legal caregiver (parent, guardian, relative with permanent custody) of a child, age 25 or younger, living with behavioral health challenges.
Family Peer Support Specialist must be:
- Experienced in navigating child serving systems of care in Ohio (i.e., Child Protective Services, Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, Special Education, etc.) for at least one year.
- Able to partner with families, youth, professionals, and other community members, in order to plan and implement services.
- Able to support family strengths in problem -solving and solution seeking.
- Knowledgeable of community resources.
- Able to accept direction, guidance and assignments made by supervisory and/or treatment team.
Description:
NAMI Ohio Family Peer Support Specialist Training ensures that those employed in Ohio as Family Peer Support Specialists meet the high standards of performance demanded by the state of Ohio. This training promotes uniformity of core competencies of Family Peer Supporters as practitioners by:
- Ensuring professional development, continued education, and supervision.
- Advancing uniform standards, scope of practice, and best practices.
- Promoting ethical practice within the profession.
- Encouraging cultural sensitivity and cultural competency within family and professional partnerships.
- Providing tools to instill confidence with the families served.
How to become a Certified Family Peer Supporter:
To obtain peer supporter certification, individuals will submit a complete and compliant application including the following documentation:
(a) Proof of a minimum of forty hours of department approved competency-based peer services training.
(b) Hold a high school diploma, a general educational development certification, or similar secondary education from outside of the United States;
(c) Documentation of passing the department peer supporter exam, or an exam administered or designated by the department;
(d) Certified peer supporters will attest to having read and understood the code of ethics at initial certification
(e) The results of a bureau of criminal investigation and federal bureau of investigation criminal records check conducted within one year of submission.
What do Certified Family Peer Supporters offer:
Certified Family Peer Supporter services may include:
- Providing empathetic listening and emotional support
- Assisting families in navigating systems
- Supplying information about child‐serving systems, children’s behavioral health and development, and community resources
- Rendering advocacy support
- Encouraging self‐care activities
- Facilitating familial engagement with service providers
- Modeling collaboration between families and professionals
- Engaging in safety and care planning; exploring and eliminating barriers to care plan follow‐through
- Offering skill‐building for parents that enhances resiliency, communication, advocacy and other areas affecting the ability to maintain a child with complex needs in the home, school and community
- Sharing personal stories
- Providing HOPE
Application:
The application must be approved to attend training. Complete the application BEFORE continuing with your registration.
Click Here to Submit Application
Registration:
Complete AFTER your application has been submitted.
Cost:
Free
Who should attend/Requirements:
Individuals who are currently or who have been the primary caregiver of a child/children, under the age of 25, diagnosed with a behavioral health challenge (mental, developmental, substance use, or co-occurring disorder) looking to obtain family peer supporter certification. High school diploma or GED is required.
What is a Family Peer Support Specialist:
A Family Peer Support Specialist is legal caregiver (parent, guardian, relative with permanent custody) of a child, age 25 or younger, living with behavioral health challenges.
Family Peer Support Specialist must be:
- Experienced in navigating child serving systems of care in Ohio (i.e., Child Protective Services, Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, Special Education, etc.) for at least one year.
- Able to partner with families, youth, professionals, and other community members, in order to plan and implement services.
- Able to support family strengths in problem -solving and solution seeking.
- Knowledgeable of community resources.
- Able to accept direction, guidance and assignments made by supervisory and/or treatment team.
Description:
NAMI Ohio Family Peer Support Specialist Training ensures that those employed in Ohio as Family Peer Support Specialists meet the high standards of performance demanded by the state of Ohio. This training promotes uniformity of core competencies of Family Peer Supporters as practitioners by:
- Ensuring professional development, continued education, and supervision.
- Advancing uniform standards, scope of practice, and best practices.
- Promoting ethical practice within the profession.
- Encouraging cultural sensitivity and cultural competency within family and professional partnerships.
- Providing tools to instill confidence with the families served.
How to become a Certified Family Peer Supporter:
To obtain peer supporter certification, individuals will submit a complete and compliant application including the following documentation:
(a) Proof of a minimum of forty hours of department approved competency-based peer services training.
(b) Hold a high school diploma, a general educational development certification, or similar secondary education from outside of the United States;
(c) Documentation of passing the department peer supporter exam, or an exam administered or designated by the department;
(d) Certified peer supporters will attest to having read and understood the code of ethics at initial certification
(e) The results of a bureau of criminal investigation and federal bureau of investigation criminal records check conducted within one year of submission.
What do Certified Family Peer Supporters offer:
Certified Family Peer Supporter services may include:
- Providing empathetic listening and emotional support
- Assisting families in navigating systems
- Supplying information about child‐serving systems, children’s behavioral health and development, and community resources
- Rendering advocacy support
- Encouraging self‐care activities
- Facilitating familial engagement with service providers
- Modeling collaboration between families and professionals
- Engaging in safety and care planning; exploring and eliminating barriers to care plan follow‐through
- Offering skill‐building for parents that enhances resiliency, communication, advocacy and other areas affecting the ability to maintain a child with complex needs in the home, school and community
- Sharing personal stories
- Providing HOPE
To attend the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services 40-hour Peer Recovery Supporter (PRS) Training, individuals must meet the below criteria:
1. Personally be in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use issue.
2. Be willing to appropriately share your personal recovery story in a group setting and understand that to successfully complete PRS Training, you must share your story and participate actively.
3. Want to become a certified Peer Recovery Supporter in Ohio (this training will meet the live, 40-hour training requirement for PRS certification).
4. Completed all 11 eBased Academy courses. If you have not completed your courses, please do so my by clicking the link below. Do not submit your application until your courses are complete.
5. Be 18 years of age.
6. You must be present for all 40 hours of this training. If you arrive late, leave early, or miss any portion of this training, you will be required to repeat the entire 40 hours of PRS training. If you have prior obligations during any portion of this training (including medical appointments), please select a different training.
Click below to complete the APPLICATION
Priority will be given to Stark County residents. Applications from other counties will be accepted AFTER October 1, 2023.
You will be notified via email of your application status within 7-10 business days.
application deadline: october 23, 2023
Disqualifying Offenses:
Below please find information for individuals interested in becoming an Adult, Family or
Youth Peer Supporter in Ohio, who have criminal records or are on court sanctions
(including probation/parole).
CLICK HERE to review Ohio Administrative Code.
Please note, in Ohio, individuals may not be certified as a Peer Supporter while on
probation, parole or any type of court sanction. Individuals may complete The Ohio
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Adult or Youth Peer Support Training
while on probation/parole/court sanction, but you must wait until your court sanction has
ended to apply for certification.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a list of disqualifying offenses for Peer Supporter
Certification. Per Ohio Administrative Code, if an individual has any of the below offenses,
they are not eligible to apply for Peer Supporter Certification. There is no waiver for these
offenses. If you do have an offense listed below, make sure that the code of the offense
on your record matches the code of the offense listed below. If the code of your
offense is not listed below, then the offense is not a disqualifying offense.
If you do have an offense with one of the below codes, you may consider the below 3
options. Please note that The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
cannot provide legal advice or assist in any of the below processes:
1. Obtain a Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE) through the Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. You may read about the CQE at this
web address: https://drc.ohio.gov/cqe
2. Obtain a pardon through the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon project:
https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/priorities/expedited-pardon-
project. The Ohio State University offers assistance with this project:
https://www.ohioexpeditedpardon.org/
3. Have the charge sealed/expunged from your court record.
Disqualifying Offenses:
Note: This is the OhioMHAS list of disqualifying offenses. It is the minimum criteria used to
certify individuals as Peer Supporters.
Applications that include a certificate of qualification for employment of equivalent
certification associated with a permanent exclusion offense will be reviewed by the
department and a decision will be rendered by the department on a case by case basis as
to whether an application will be approved or not.
The following offenses are permanently disqualifying as set forth in the rule, any equivalent
federal offense or offense from another state will also be permanently disqualifying:
(a) 2903.01 (aggravated murder)
(b) 2907.02 (rape)
(c) 2907.03 (sexual battery)
(d) 2907.05 (gross sexual imposition)
(e) 2907.32 (pandering obscenity)
(f) 2907.322 (pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor)
(g) 2907.323 (illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material or performance)
(h) 2909.23 (making terrorist threat)
(i) 2909.24 (terrorism)
The following offenses are disqualifying for a period of five years from the end of any
sanctions; any equivalent federal offense or offense from another state will also be
disqualifying for a period of five years:
(a) 2903.15 (permitting child abuse)
(b) 2903.16 (failing to provide for a functionally impaired person)
(c) 2903.34 patient abuse and neglect
(d) 2903.341 patient endangerment
(e) 2905.05 criminal child enticement (felony level)
(f) 2905.33 (unlawful conduct with respect to documents);
(g) 2905.32 trafficking in persons
(h) 2907.04 unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, formerly corruption of a minor
(i) 2907.06 sexual imposition
(j) 2907.07 importuning
(k) 2907.08 voyeurism
(l) 2907.12 felonious sexual imposition
(m) 2907.31 disseminating matter harmful to juveniles
(n) 2907.321 pandering obscenity involving a minor
(o) 2909.22 soliciting/providing for act of terrorism
(p) 2913.40 (medicaid fraud)
(q) 2919.22 endangering children
To attend the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services 40-hour Peer Recovery Supporter (PRS) Training, individuals must meet the below criteria:
1. Personally be in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use issue.
2. Be willing to appropriately share your personal recovery story in a group setting and understand that to successfully complete PRS Training, you must share your story and participate actively.
3. Want to become a certified Peer Recovery Supporter in Ohio (this training will meet the live, 40-hour training requirement for PRS certification).
4. Completed all 11 eBased Academy courses. If you have not completed your courses, please do so my by clicking the link below. Do not submit your application until your courses are complete.
5. Be 18 years of age.
6. You must be present for all 40 hours of this training. If you arrive late, leave early, or miss any portion of this training, you will be required to repeat the entire 40 hours of PRS training. If you have prior obligations during any portion of this training (including medical appointments), please select a different training.
Click below to complete the APPLICATION
Priority will be given to Stark County residents. Applications from other counties will be accepted AFTER October 1, 2023.
You will be notified via email of your application status within 7-10 business days.
application deadline: october 23, 2023
Disqualifying Offenses:
Below please find information for individuals interested in becoming an Adult, Family or
Youth Peer Supporter in Ohio, who have criminal records or are on court sanctions
(including probation/parole).
CLICK HERE to review Ohio Administrative Code.
Please note, in Ohio, individuals may not be certified as a Peer Supporter while on
probation, parole or any type of court sanction. Individuals may complete The Ohio
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Adult or Youth Peer Support Training
while on probation/parole/court sanction, but you must wait until your court sanction has
ended to apply for certification.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a list of disqualifying offenses for Peer Supporter
Certification. Per Ohio Administrative Code, if an individual has any of the below offenses,
they are not eligible to apply for Peer Supporter Certification. There is no waiver for these
offenses. If you do have an offense listed below, make sure that the code of the offense
on your record matches the code of the offense listed below. If the code of your
offense is not listed below, then the offense is not a disqualifying offense.
If you do have an offense with one of the below codes, you may consider the below 3
options. Please note that The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
cannot provide legal advice or assist in any of the below processes:
1. Obtain a Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE) through the Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. You may read about the CQE at this
web address: https://drc.ohio.gov/cqe
2. Obtain a pardon through the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon project:
https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/priorities/expedited-pardon-
project. The Ohio State University offers assistance with this project:
https://www.ohioexpeditedpardon.org/
3. Have the charge sealed/expunged from your court record.
Disqualifying Offenses:
Note: This is the OhioMHAS list of disqualifying offenses. It is the minimum criteria used to
certify individuals as Peer Supporters.
Applications that include a certificate of qualification for employment of equivalent
certification associated with a permanent exclusion offense will be reviewed by the
department and a decision will be rendered by the department on a case by case basis as
to whether an application will be approved or not.
The following offenses are permanently disqualifying as set forth in the rule, any equivalent
federal offense or offense from another state will also be permanently disqualifying:
(a) 2903.01 (aggravated murder)
(b) 2907.02 (rape)
(c) 2907.03 (sexual battery)
(d) 2907.05 (gross sexual imposition)
(e) 2907.32 (pandering obscenity)
(f) 2907.322 (pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor)
(g) 2907.323 (illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material or performance)
(h) 2909.23 (making terrorist threat)
(i) 2909.24 (terrorism)
The following offenses are disqualifying for a period of five years from the end of any
sanctions; any equivalent federal offense or offense from another state will also be
disqualifying for a period of five years:
(a) 2903.15 (permitting child abuse)
(b) 2903.16 (failing to provide for a functionally impaired person)
(c) 2903.34 patient abuse and neglect
(d) 2903.341 patient endangerment
(e) 2905.05 criminal child enticement (felony level)
(f) 2905.33 (unlawful conduct with respect to documents);
(g) 2905.32 trafficking in persons
(h) 2907.04 unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, formerly corruption of a minor
(i) 2907.06 sexual imposition
(j) 2907.07 importuning
(k) 2907.08 voyeurism
(l) 2907.12 felonious sexual imposition
(m) 2907.31 disseminating matter harmful to juveniles
(n) 2907.321 pandering obscenity involving a minor
(o) 2909.22 soliciting/providing for act of terrorism
(p) 2913.40 (medicaid fraud)
(q) 2919.22 endangering children
To attend the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services 40-hour Peer Recovery Supporter (PRS) Training, individuals must meet the below criteria:
1. Personally be in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use issue.
2. Be willing to appropriately share your personal recovery story in a group setting and understand that to successfully complete PRS Training, you must share your story and participate actively.
3. Want to become a certified Peer Recovery Supporter in Ohio (this training will meet the live, 40-hour training requirement for PRS certification).
4. Completed all 11 eBased Academy courses. If you have not completed your courses, please do so my by clicking the link below. Do not submit your application until your courses are complete.
5. Be 18 years of age.
6. You must be present for all 40 hours of this training. If you arrive late, leave early, or miss any portion of this training, you will be required to repeat the entire 40 hours of PRS training. If you have prior obligations during any portion of this training (including medical appointments), please select a different training.
Click below to complete the APPLICATION
Priority will be given to Stark County residents. Applications from other counties will be accepted AFTER October 1, 2023.
You will be notified via email of your application status within 7-10 business days.
application deadline: october 23, 2023
Disqualifying Offenses:
Below please find information for individuals interested in becoming an Adult, Family or
Youth Peer Supporter in Ohio, who have criminal records or are on court sanctions
(including probation/parole).
CLICK HERE to review Ohio Administrative Code.
Please note, in Ohio, individuals may not be certified as a Peer Supporter while on
probation, parole or any type of court sanction. Individuals may complete The Ohio
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Adult or Youth Peer Support Training
while on probation/parole/court sanction, but you must wait until your court sanction has
ended to apply for certification.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a list of disqualifying offenses for Peer Supporter
Certification. Per Ohio Administrative Code, if an individual has any of the below offenses,
they are not eligible to apply for Peer Supporter Certification. There is no waiver for these
offenses. If you do have an offense listed below, make sure that the code of the offense
on your record matches the code of the offense listed below. If the code of your
offense is not listed below, then the offense is not a disqualifying offense.
If you do have an offense with one of the below codes, you may consider the below 3
options. Please note that The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
cannot provide legal advice or assist in any of the below processes:
1. Obtain a Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE) through the Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. You may read about the CQE at this
web address: https://drc.ohio.gov/cqe
2. Obtain a pardon through the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon project:
https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/priorities/expedited-pardon-
project. The Ohio State University offers assistance with this project:
https://www.ohioexpeditedpardon.org/
3. Have the charge sealed/expunged from your court record.
Disqualifying Offenses:
Note: This is the OhioMHAS list of disqualifying offenses. It is the minimum criteria used to
certify individuals as Peer Supporters.
Applications that include a certificate of qualification for employment of equivalent
certification associated with a permanent exclusion offense will be reviewed by the
department and a decision will be rendered by the department on a case by case basis as
to whether an application will be approved or not.
The following offenses are permanently disqualifying as set forth in the rule, any equivalent
federal offense or offense from another state will also be permanently disqualifying:
(a) 2903.01 (aggravated murder)
(b) 2907.02 (rape)
(c) 2907.03 (sexual battery)
(d) 2907.05 (gross sexual imposition)
(e) 2907.32 (pandering obscenity)
(f) 2907.322 (pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor)
(g) 2907.323 (illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material or performance)
(h) 2909.23 (making terrorist threat)
(i) 2909.24 (terrorism)
The following offenses are disqualifying for a period of five years from the end of any
sanctions; any equivalent federal offense or offense from another state will also be
disqualifying for a period of five years:
(a) 2903.15 (permitting child abuse)
(b) 2903.16 (failing to provide for a functionally impaired person)
(c) 2903.34 patient abuse and neglect
(d) 2903.341 patient endangerment
(e) 2905.05 criminal child enticement (felony level)
(f) 2905.33 (unlawful conduct with respect to documents);
(g) 2905.32 trafficking in persons
(h) 2907.04 unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, formerly corruption of a minor
(i) 2907.06 sexual imposition
(j) 2907.07 importuning
(k) 2907.08 voyeurism
(l) 2907.12 felonious sexual imposition
(m) 2907.31 disseminating matter harmful to juveniles
(n) 2907.321 pandering obscenity involving a minor
(o) 2909.22 soliciting/providing for act of terrorism
(p) 2913.40 (medicaid fraud)
(q) 2919.22 endangering children
To attend the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services 40-hour Peer Recovery Supporter (PRS) Training, individuals must meet the below criteria:
1. Personally be in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use issue.
2. Be willing to appropriately share your personal recovery story in a group setting and understand that to successfully complete PRS Training, you must share your story and participate actively.
3. Want to become a certified Peer Recovery Supporter in Ohio (this training will meet the live, 40-hour training requirement for PRS certification).
4. Completed all 11 eBased Academy courses. If you have not completed your courses, please do so my by clicking the link below. Do not submit your application until your courses are complete.
5. Be 18 years of age.
6. You must be present for all 40 hours of this training. If you arrive late, leave early, or miss any portion of this training, you will be required to repeat the entire 40 hours of PRS training. If you have prior obligations during any portion of this training (including medical appointments), please select a different training.
Click below to complete the APPLICATION
Priority will be given to Stark County residents. Applications from other counties will be accepted AFTER October 1, 2023.
You will be notified via email of your application status within 7-10 business days.
application deadline: october 23, 2023
Disqualifying Offenses:
Below please find information for individuals interested in becoming an Adult, Family or
Youth Peer Supporter in Ohio, who have criminal records or are on court sanctions
(including probation/parole).
CLICK HERE to review Ohio Administrative Code.
Please note, in Ohio, individuals may not be certified as a Peer Supporter while on
probation, parole or any type of court sanction. Individuals may complete The Ohio
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Adult or Youth Peer Support Training
while on probation/parole/court sanction, but you must wait until your court sanction has
ended to apply for certification.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a list of disqualifying offenses for Peer Supporter
Certification. Per Ohio Administrative Code, if an individual has any of the below offenses,
they are not eligible to apply for Peer Supporter Certification. There is no waiver for these
offenses. If you do have an offense listed below, make sure that the code of the offense
on your record matches the code of the offense listed below. If the code of your
offense is not listed below, then the offense is not a disqualifying offense.
If you do have an offense with one of the below codes, you may consider the below 3
options. Please note that The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
cannot provide legal advice or assist in any of the below processes:
1. Obtain a Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE) through the Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. You may read about the CQE at this
web address: https://drc.ohio.gov/cqe
2. Obtain a pardon through the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon project:
https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/priorities/expedited-pardon-
project. The Ohio State University offers assistance with this project:
https://www.ohioexpeditedpardon.org/
3. Have the charge sealed/expunged from your court record.
Disqualifying Offenses:
Note: This is the OhioMHAS list of disqualifying offenses. It is the minimum criteria used to
certify individuals as Peer Supporters.
Applications that include a certificate of qualification for employment of equivalent
certification associated with a permanent exclusion offense will be reviewed by the
department and a decision will be rendered by the department on a case by case basis as
to whether an application will be approved or not.
The following offenses are permanently disqualifying as set forth in the rule, any equivalent
federal offense or offense from another state will also be permanently disqualifying:
(a) 2903.01 (aggravated murder)
(b) 2907.02 (rape)
(c) 2907.03 (sexual battery)
(d) 2907.05 (gross sexual imposition)
(e) 2907.32 (pandering obscenity)
(f) 2907.322 (pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor)
(g) 2907.323 (illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material or performance)
(h) 2909.23 (making terrorist threat)
(i) 2909.24 (terrorism)
The following offenses are disqualifying for a period of five years from the end of any
sanctions; any equivalent federal offense or offense from another state will also be
disqualifying for a period of five years:
(a) 2903.15 (permitting child abuse)
(b) 2903.16 (failing to provide for a functionally impaired person)
(c) 2903.34 patient abuse and neglect
(d) 2903.341 patient endangerment
(e) 2905.05 criminal child enticement (felony level)
(f) 2905.33 (unlawful conduct with respect to documents);
(g) 2905.32 trafficking in persons
(h) 2907.04 unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, formerly corruption of a minor
(i) 2907.06 sexual imposition
(j) 2907.07 importuning
(k) 2907.08 voyeurism
(l) 2907.12 felonious sexual imposition
(m) 2907.31 disseminating matter harmful to juveniles
(n) 2907.321 pandering obscenity involving a minor
(o) 2909.22 soliciting/providing for act of terrorism
(p) 2913.40 (medicaid fraud)
(q) 2919.22 endangering children
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