Certified Peer Recovery Supporter Training

The OhioMHAS 40-hour PRS Training is a live, interactive training that teaches prospective Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS) in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use issue to use their experience to help their peers in recovery. Prospective CPRS will engage in role-play activities and learn the skills necessary to offer high-quality Peer Support. Upon successful completion of PRS training, prospective CPRS will be eligible to apply for Adult Peer Recovery Supporter Certification in Ohio.

Eligibility:

• Must be personally in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use issue. (Having a friend or family member in recovery will not qualify you to attend this training.)
• Be willing to share your personal story appropriately in a group setting.
• Have a high school diploma/GED
• Not currently on probation/parole.
• Do not have any disqualifying offenses on your record. A list of disqualifying offenses can be found at https://mha.ohio.gov/community-partners/peer-supporters/resources/disqualifying-offenses.

The 40-hour PRS Training is just one step on the path to becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Supporter.  Here are the steps on the path to PRS certification:

STEP 1: Complete the eBased Academy Coursework.  Register for a free eBased Academy account at www.ebasedacademy.org.

11 Ebased Academy Courses

1. Introduction to Certified Peer Recovery Support for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
2. History of Substance Use, Mental Health, and Advocacy for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
3. The Recovery Environment for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
4. Cultural Competency for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
5. Ethics and Boundaries for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
6. The Spirit of Motivational Interviewing for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
7. Trauma Informed Care for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
8. Understanding Human Trafficking for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
9. Health and Wellness for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
10. Supervision for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
11. Realities of Peer Recovery Support for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters

For technical issues with eBased Academy, please e-mail mhahelpdesk@mha.ohio.gov.

STEP 2: Complete Background Checks.  This should be completed as you are registering for the 40-Hour PRS Training after you have completed the 11 eBased courses.  If you are an Ashtabula County resident please contact the Ashtabula MHRS Board for locations to complete your background checks.  More information about the background checks can be found here.

STEP 3: Complete the OhioMHAS 40-Hour PRS Training. The Ashtabula MHRS Board usually hosts two 40-hour PRS Trainings per year.  However, other organizations across Ohio host both in-person and online trainings throughout the year.  You can find the OhioMHAS 40-hour PRS Training Calendar at https://mha.ohio.gov/community-partners/peer-supporters/certified-peer-recovery-supporter-cprs-adult/paths-to-certification/complete-the-ohiomhas-prs-training/complete-the-ohiomhas-40-hour-prs-training/complete-the-ohiomhas-40-hour-prs-training.

STEP 4: Gather the documents needed for certification. After you complete the PRS training, it is time to apply for PRS certification using the eLicense website. Before you apply for certification in eLicense, you must have all required documents ready to upload to the eLicense website at https://www.elicense.ohio.gov/OH_CommunitiesLogin.

You will need the following 2 documents ready to upload into eLicense.

1. Certificate of Training Completion for the OhioMHAS 40-hour PRS Training
2. Certificates of completion for the below 11 eBased Academy courses

STEP 5:  Apply for PRS Certification in eLicense.

STEP 6:  Pass the PRS Certification Exam. The online Peer Recovery Supporter (PRS) Certification exam is the final step of the certification application process. Once you have successfully applied for certification and your BCI & FBI background checks have been received, you will receive by e-mail a link to complete the online exam. You will receive your Ohio Peer Recovery Supporter certification via email through the eLicense portal within 14 business days after passing your PRS exam.

Exam Information:

• The exam is not proctored. You may complete the exam wherever you are most comfortable. To ensure success, please choose a quiet, private location to complete your exam without interruption.
• The exam has 113 multiple-choice questions.
• The exam must be completed in one session. You cannot log out and return to the exam.
• A passing score is 70%. You can take the exam up to 3 times.
• The exam must be completed on a laptop or desktop computer. The exam website will not work properly on a phone or tablet.

STEP 7: Download a copy of your PRS Certification. You may download a copy of your wall certificate for your State of Ohio Peer Recovery Supporter Certification by logging into your eLicense account.

Once you have logged in, please select “OPTIONS” next to your license. From the drop-down menu that appears, please select “Download Wall Certificate.” This will be your State of Ohio PRS Certification, which you may save to your computer.

Additional information can be found on the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services website at  https://mha.ohio.gov/community-partners/peer-supporters/certified-peer-recovery-supporter-cprs-adult