Youth Peer Support Specialist Certification Training

Our Youth Peer Support Specialist training, PeerPlus, is a forty-hour Oregon Health Authority approved training for peer support specialists specifically tailored to fit the needs of youth/young adult peer support providers. This training enables peer support providers to register with the state as certified peer support specialists. This training provides a well-rounded, uniform base of knowledge and covers a variety of support methods centered on the lived experiences of the peer. 

Training topics include (but are not limited to):

• Youth engagement

• Trauma-informed care

• Person-centered planning

• Confidentiality

• Mandatory reporting

• Grief

• Suicide

• Domestic violence

• Sexual assault

• History of the peer movement

• Development of the peer profession

• Youth developmental assets

• Ethics and boundaries

PeerPlus is largely an instructor­lead training that includes powerpoint ­based instruction, videos, facilitator storytelling, group discussions, and role-playing. The training emphasizes the value of participant experience and encourages participants to share their stories and ideas during the training.