Listed below are common questions regarding the A-PEERS program. If you have any additional questions, or have suggestions to add to the FAQ, please reach out to our team at citee-main@uwm.edu.
A-PEERS stands for Advancing Peer Education, Employment, and Recovery Services and is a four-year federal grant program through the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) for Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program for peer supporters. Up to 25 trainees will participate in each training cohort. A-PEERS trainees complete 9 credits of undergraduate college courses that lead to a microcredential, which includes completing the Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) training and certification exam to become a state-recognized CPS. Trainees will also complete 50 hours of supervised field experience. As an A-PEERS trainee, you will complete 9 credits, 50 hours of supervised field experience and the Wisconsin-recognized Certified Peer Specialist certification exam. You’ll receive a living stipend of $6,000 distributed across the training period (up to 3 semesters) and up to $4,000 in tuition scholarships for the required course credits. This training takes about 3 semesters or 6 months.
A-PEERS is also working to establish a registered apprenticeship program for trainees who complete their required microcredential. The apprenticeship will be available to about 9 trainees per year, who will work for a registered employer as a CPS, continuing to practice their peer support skills and develop their skills as supervisors of peers in a co-supervision model with a “competent mental health professional.” This is a 12-month apprenticeship with paid employment, a living stipend, and tuition scholarship.
Specialist?
A Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) is trained to use their lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery, to support others in achieving their recovery, wellness, employment, and life goals in Wisconsin. A Certified Peer Specialist provides peer support to people with similar lived experiences to offer hope and non-judgmental human connection in a non-clinical, provider as part of someone’s mental health and/or substance use treatment and recovery plan.
Applicants must have personal lived experience of mental health and/or substance use challenges, be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma, GED or HSED, and be eligible to work in the U.S. Additionally, we are looking for applicants who want to work in Wisconsin.
To complete the A-PEERS application, you will need a current resume (covering the last 3 years of applicable employment), and an unofficial high school transcript (if you are not currently enrolled in a post-secondary program). You will also need to provide short responses to questions about your lived experiences and interest in A-PEERS.
A-PEERS trainees are required to complete 3 college courses (9 credits) to earn the Peer Specialist micro-credential. These courses are offered in partnership with the UWM/HBBSW Department of Social Work. A-PEERS trainees can participate in these courses online from anywhere in Wisconsin. They are primarily synchronous courses that require in and out of class time.
- SW599 – Independent Learning
- For A-PEERS trainees, this course will include the Wisconsin-recognized CPS training delivered by CPS trainers, completion of the 50-hour field experience in a supervised peer setting, and preparation for, and completion of the CPS certification exam. Note: the timing of the field experience and exam may not align with the course offering, but are associated with this training course.
- SW260 – Introduction to Case Management
- For A-PEERS trainees, this course explores the role of the CPS as a facilitator, advocate, and capacity builder. Students learn how to write complete “case” notes and build a resource toolkit for use in their community. This course introduces concepts, models, responsibilities, legal issues, and best practices in the case management role in a variety of settings through experiential learning. Students learn about the case management process, the various functions of case managers, and skills to help engage clients, while also applying knowledge and skills acquired in class throughout the trajectory of a case using a real-world hypothetical client scenario. Trauma-informed practices and cultural competencies are interwoven throughout the curriculum.
- SW100 – Introduction to Social Work
- For A-PEERS trainees, this course provides a foundation of knowledge about (the social work profession and) social service systems. It offers trainees an introduction to interdisciplinary teams. Students identify the social service and social policy responses to populations at risk and to specific social problems (e.g. physical and mental health, substance use, poverty, violence, child and family welfare, etc. Trainees will also recognize how one’s own attitudes, beliefs, and values affect practice as a CPS and role of family and lived experiences.