Connecticut establishes Certified Peer Support and Recovery Professional credential, effective June 1, 2026

Connecticut has adopted a new Certified Peer Support and Recovery Professional credential that officials say will standardize training and ethical expectations for peer recovery workers across the state.

Elsa Ward, Director of Recovery Community Affairs, told the council the "Certified Peer Support and Recovery Professional credential became effective 06/01/2026," and that the credential was developed with extensive participation from people with lived and living experience. Ward said 180 people took part in developing the credential and that 177 of them identified as having lived experience.

State officials described two credential pathways: a full credential that requires training from an approved trainer, passing an exam and completing 300 hours of supervised employment, and a provisional credential that follows an 80‑hour course and passing the exam and lasts one year to allow accrual of supervised hours. Ward said the credential will carry an "F" modifier when the holder identifies their lived experience through family rather than firsthand lived experience.

The Connecticut Certification Board administers registration and testing: officials said registering for a unique CCB identifier is $50, the application processing fee is $150 and the exam/site fee is $150, which the presentation described as a combined $350 cost for the credentialing steps administered by the CCB. Ward said renewal requires continuing education credits (10 per year, with a two‑year grandparenting arrangement for those certified under prior processes).

The council heard that more than 1,000 people have already been "grandparented" into the credential (training completed on or before May 31) and that the grandparenting application window remains open for one year, with October 1 listed as the last date to apply under that process. Ward also listed approved training organizations at the time of the presentation (New Life 2 and Advocacy Unlimited) and announced twice‑monthly employer information sessions.

Ward cautioned that the CPSRP is a certificate, not a professional license, and does not authorize holders to practice independently; she said certificate holders "work for organizations" and are not independently insured. Contact information and full application instructions were put on the CCB/credential website, which Ward said contains the most detailed guidance.

The council praised the collaborative process used to develop the credential and encouraged employers and providers to review the materials and attend employer sessions. The presentation closed with an invitation to reach out to Ward directly for additional questions.