Lived experience is your greatest credential. A structured pathway for peer specialists dedicated to guiding others through recovery, mental health, and healing across Alaska.
Credential Levels
ACBHC's PS track offers a progressive credentialing structure rooted in lived experience — from entry-level practice through senior peer support roles, with a dedicated pathway honoring Alaska Native healing traditions.
Continuing Education
All PS certifications require 20 continuing education hours per 2-year renewal cycle — reflecting the lived-experience foundation of peer work. CEUs must come from ACBHC-approved providers or receive prior approval.
3 hours — Ethics & Boundaries in Peer Support
3 hours — Recovery Coaching or Motivational Interviewing
3 hours — Trauma-Informed Peer Practice
11 hours — Elective: behavioral health, cultural competency, crisis support, or lived experience leadership
3 hours — Ethics & Professional Standards
3 hours — Peer Leadership, Mentorship, or Supervision Practices
3 hours — Advocacy, Systems Navigation, or Policy
11 hours — Elective: advanced peer practice, co-occurring disorders, crisis intervention, or cultural healing
3 hours — Ethics & Professional Standards
Culturally grounded content accepted — traditional healing practices, community wellness, and indigenous knowledge systems
17 hours — Contact ACBHC to confirm which activities qualify for Traditional PSP holders
Training must come from an ACBHC-approved provider or receive prior written approval before attendance
Online, hybrid, and in-person formats are all accepted
Log and upload CEU certificates through your portal account — the tracker generates your CEU list automatically
Peer-led workshops and lived experience conferences may qualify — contact staff to confirm
Track your CEUs in your portal account. Log hours, upload completion certificates, and monitor progress toward renewal in one place. Email reminders are sent automatically before your renewal date. PS-specific questions? Contact us at peer.support@akcertification.org or (907) 332-4333.
What You'll Need
All documents are submitted digitally through the ACBHC secure portal — no paper mail accepted. Peer Support requirements differ from other tracks; contact our PS team before applying.
📄 Initial Certification
Log in to the ACBHC portal and complete the application form for your PS level (PSP I, PSP II, or PSP III) directly online. Traditional PSP applicants use a separate nomination form.
Required — All LevelsA personal statement attesting to your own experience with recovery, mental health, or behavioral health challenges. Reviewed with care and full confidentiality by ACBHC staff.
Required — All LevelsCertificate of completion from an ACBHC-approved Peer Support training program. Contact the PS team to confirm which programs qualify for your credential level before beginning training.
Required — PSP I, II, IIIA completed log of peer support work hours using the ACBHC standard form, signed and verified by your supervisor or program director.
Required — PSP II, PSP IIIA signed letter from a qualified supervisor or program director confirming your peer support work hours, role, and professional conduct at the applied credential level.
Required — PSP II, PSP IIIFor Traditional PSP applicants only — a formal nomination from a tribal organization, Alaska Native community, or recognized cultural authority attesting to the applicant's healing practice and community standing.
Required — Traditional PSPAttestation of understanding ACBHC's barrier crime policy. Certain criminal histories may require additional review documentation.
Required — All Levels🔄 Renewal & Recertification
Complete the renewal application for your PS credential level. Available in your portal account when your renewal window opens — 90 days before expiration.
RequiredUpload certificates for all 20 required continuing education hours. CEUs must be logged in your portal CEU tracker before your renewal application is considered complete.
RequiredGenerated automatically from your portal CEU tracker. Verify that all activities are logged accurately before submitting your renewal packet.
RequiredFor PSP II and PSP III renewals, an updated hours log documenting continued peer support work during the certification period may be required by staff review.
PSP II / PSP IIIA renewed attestation of understanding ACBHC's barrier crime policy is required at each renewal cycle.
RequiredPaid securely via Stripe at submission. Refer to the current ACBHC Fee Schedule on the Forms page for renewal amounts by credential level.
RequiredApplying for a higher level (e.g., PSP I → PSP II) requires additional documents — an updated hours log and a fresh supervisor verification letter. Contact the PS team before submitting to confirm exactly what you'll need at peer.support@akcertification.org.
Application Process
The ACBHC application process is fully digital — no paper forms, no mailing anything. Here's exactly what to expect for Peer Support certification.
Reach out to peer.support@akcertification.org to confirm requirements for your specific level before applying.
Log in to your ACBHC portal account and fill out the PS application form for your credential level directly online.
Collect your training certificate, hours log, supervisor letter, and barrier crime acknowledgment.
Log in and upload all documents through your secure ACBHC dashboard. No mail accepted.
Submit your fee securely via Stripe. Your application isn't complete until payment is confirmed.
Upon approval, your official certificate is delivered via Adobe Express to download or share.
Create a free ACBHC portal account to access PS forms, upload documents, and track your application status in real time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Peer Support track does not require a college degree. Lived experience — your personal history with recovery, mental health, or behavioral health challenges — is the core eligibility requirement. You will need to complete an ACBHC-approved Peer Support training program, but no academic degree is required for PSP I, PSP II, or PSP III.
Lived experience refers to personal experience navigating recovery from substance use disorders, mental health challenges, trauma, or related behavioral health conditions. This is documented through your Lived Experience Attestation as part of your application — reviewed with care and confidentiality. You do not need to disclose a specific diagnosis. Contact our PS team at peer.support@akcertification.org with any questions.
ACBHC maintains a list of approved Peer Support training providers. Requirements vary by level — PSP I applicants need foundational training, while PSP II and PSP III require additional hours in advanced peer practice. Contact the PS team before starting training to confirm your program qualifies. Attending an unapproved program may delay your certification.
The Traditional Peer Support Practitioner designation honors Alaska Native and indigenous healing traditions as legitimate forms of peer support practice. Rather than a standard application, it uses a nomination process — a tribal organization, Alaska Native community, or recognized cultural authority nominates the individual. Traditional PSP holders use a separate application form and have flexible CEU requirements; culturally grounded content is accepted. Contact ACBHC at peer.support@akcertification.org to discuss the nomination process.
Yes. ACBHC allows practitioners to hold certifications across multiple tracks. Many behavioral health professionals also carry Peer Support credentials because lived experience enriches clinical practice. Your ACBHC portal account can hold all active certifications in one place, with separate renewal tracking and CEU logs for each.
Your renewal window opens 90 days before your certification expiration date. You will receive email reminders through your portal account. Log in, navigate to your certification dashboard, and follow the renewal prompts. You need 20 CEU hours logged and all renewal documents uploaded before your submission is considered complete.
If your certification expires, you may no longer use your credential title until reinstated. You may apply for reinstatement within a grace period by submitting a renewal application, required CEUs, and any applicable late fees. After an extended lapse, you may be required to reapply as a new applicant. Contact the PS team as soon as possible — peer.support@akcertification.org.
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