Central Texas VA Health Care System
- Industry: Healthcare
- Employees: 350,790
- Work Arrangement: On-site
- Accommodations: Schedule A hiring, Reasonable Accommodation program, peer support roles
- Transit Access: Yes
Program
Mental Health Peer Specialist Certification
Offered by Via Hope (Mental Health Resource of Texas)
A one-week certification that turns lived experience of recovery into a paid career.
| Format | Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Length (weeks) | 1 week |
| Cost | $650 |
| Requirements | Lived experience of mental health recovery, 18+, HS diploma or GED |
| Industry | Healthcare |
| Provider | Mental Health Resource of Texas, doing business as Via Hope |
| Address | 4301 W. William Cannon Dr., B-150 #517, Austin, TX 78749 |
| Contact hours | 40 |
| Related programs | Substance Use Peer Specialist (46 hours) and Reentry Peer Specialist (60 hours) |
| State listing | Texas Workforce Commission Statewide Eligible Training Providers List |
Overview
Via Hope's 40-hour training prepares people in mental health recovery to become certified peer specialists, a job where lived experience of disability is the core qualification.
Peer specialists are people with lived experience of mental health conditions or substance use recovery who are trained to support others on the same path. They work in clinics, hospitals, crisis programs, and veterans' services. In Texas, Via Hope has been a central organization for peer specialist training and certification, and its Mental Health Peer Specialist course is 40 contact hours delivered in about one week.
The state's training provider list reports a cost of $650 and a hybrid format. Via Hope's website now directs prospective students to Peer Academy, which offers Texas Mental Health Peer Specialist (MHPS), Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS), and Peer Specialist Supervisor (PSS) certification courses on Zoom, open to anyone in Texas. Remote delivery makes the training reachable for people whose disabilities make commuting difficult. Via Hope has also offered Substance Use Peer Specialist and Reentry Peer Specialist training for people with experience of addiction recovery or incarceration.
This program is unusual on AbilityWorks ATX because it turns a disability, psychiatric disability, into the central qualification for the job. Certified peer specialists are hired by local mental health authorities and by the VA, which employs peer support specialists across its health care systems, including in Central Texas.
How you can help
Give your time
Volunteer with a local peer-run recovery community organization or warmline.
Share your talent
Clinicians and HR professionals can help employers design peer specialist roles with fair pay and supervision.
Give money
Sponsor a certification seat for someone in recovery who cannot cover the training fee.
Watch and explore
The Power of Connection: Youth Peer Support in Texas
4301 W William Cannon Dr, Austin, TX 78749
Links
- Peer Academy: Texas peer certification classes
- Via Hope
- Texas Eligible Training Providers List (data.texas.gov)
- Wikipedia: Peer support
Data sources: data.texas.gov Eligible Training Providers API, Wikipedia REST API, YouTube oEmbed
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