HHS Publishes National Model Standards for Substance Use, Mental Health, and Family Peer Worker Certifications

Peer Workforce Integration is a Primary Goal of President Biden’s National Mental Health Strategy

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), today published National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification for substance use, mental health, and family peer workers. The national model standards were created to accelerate universal adoption, recognition, and integration of the peer workforce across all elements of the health care system. A peer worker is someone who, through their own lived experience of addressing a substance use or mental health issue, works to help others.