(psst! if you already know about the training, and just want to see our upcoming sessions, scroll down!)

About the Training

The Vermont Certified Peer Support Provider (CPSP) Training is an 80-hour course that meets the Standard Path requirements for obtaining CPSP certification credentials, as well as licensure for billing purposes. This CPSP training has been approved by the VT Department of Mental Health and was developed by experienced peer supporters with lived experiences of trauma and mental health challenges. This training covers peer support core competencies, practical skills, and the foundational knowledge needed to take on a professional role as a CPSP. 

This training is in a hybrid format, including in-person learning sessions, live virtual learning on Zoom, and self-paced, asynchronous coursework. All live sessions are interactive and designed to promote engagement that accommodates a range of learning styles. Participants must attend 95% of the live sessions and complete all asynchronous content in order to be eligible for a certificate of completion. 

This training is offered to eligible applicants at a highly subsidized rate. Participants will only be responsible to pay the cost of $150 for participant manuals. Financial assistance is available upon request for people who have a financial hardship to paying this cost., and whose attendance is not paid for by an organization. We strongly encourage employers to cover this costs to support the growth of the CPSP workforce.

By the end of the training, participants will:

• Understand the history, values, and social change roots of peer support

• Agree to the role, scope, and responsibilities of the Certified Peer Support Provider (CPSP), including the Vermont Peer Support Code of Ethics  

• Deepen the practice of Intentional Peer Support (IPS) in their work

• Support self-determination for all individuals and facilitate personal and systemic change as a CPSP

• Understand where and how to use non-coercive, relationship-based, trauma-informed approaches to offer connection to others even in situations that may feel worrisome, including:

• Supporting people considering suicide

• Supporting people who choose to self-harm

• Supporting people experiencing extreme states, unusual beliefs and behaviors, or non-consensus reality

• Build relational skills that are grounded in values-aligned peer support practice

• Demonstrate sharing lived experience in a way that invites connection and mutuality

• Build wellness and self-care strategies, including boundary-setting and conflict navigation skills, to enhance the sustainability of the CPSP role 

• Learn about anti-oppressive practices and ways to center cultural humility 

• Gain insight into working in clinical service settings while remaining aligned with peer support values, including:

• Working alongside non-peer support providers

• Collaborative documentation 

• Advocacy and rights education 

After successful completion of this course, participants will be eligible to apply to take the CPSP exam. CPSP exams are administered by The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery, a peer-run organization, through their VT Peer Credentialing Center. With a passing score on the CPSP exam, participants can take the final step of applying for CPSP licensure with the Office of Professional Regulation. 

Important Note: Some peer support providers may choose to only pursue credentialing (if they don’t intend to bill under peer support codes) and not licensure (which is necessary for billing).

If you have questions about this, please contact the Training Center at:

 vtpeercertification@pathwaysvermont.org.

We know that the term “licensure” may have clinical associations, though this licensure differs from a clinical license (i.e. LICSW or LCMHC) and recognizes the profession of peer support in a way that lends credibility to the role, ethics, values, and scope of peer support practice.