Peer and recovery support specialists (PRSS) are transforming the behavioral health landscape by bringing lived experience into the center of care. Drawing on their first-hand experience with mental health and substance use challenges, PRSSs offer empathy, connection and hope. They are also generationally diverse, from young people to older adults, and provide support in ways that complement and strengthen traditional clinical approaches.
The roots of peer support date back to the late 18th century. While serving as governor of Bicêtre Hospital in Paris, Jean Baptiste Pussin hired staff with lived experience to deliver humane, compassionate care. Centuries later, the modern peer movement gained momentum through the mental health consumer/survivor advocacy of the 1970s, emphasizing empowerment and recovery.
In substance use recovery, peer-led communities such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) remain foundational examples of the power of shared experience.
Over the past decade, the peer support workforce in the United States has experienced significant growth, with the number of certified PRSSs increasing from 30,000 to over 82,000. That’s more than a 170% increase in the number of much-needed providers.
Today, peer specialists are embedded in a wide range of community-based organizations, schools, hospitals, correctional facilities and other diverse settings. State-led initiatives, training programs and federal leadership from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration support their professional pathways.
Illinois has been a leader in advancing peer support. State initiatives, such as the 590 Crisis Care system and the Living Room Program, along with other recovery-oriented services, underscore how peer support not only strengthens the continuum of care but is also a crucial component of its success.
Certification opportunities are available through the Illinois Certification Board (ICB) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), with two distinct pathways:
Both certifications require classroom training and supervised experience to establish a foundation in ethics and can be achieved through structured programs or independent pathways.
Policy changes have further elevated the profession. In 2023, Public Act 102-1037 expanded Illinois Medicaid to cover peer support services, increasing access in underserved areas and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). In 2024, IDHS launched the Community Outreach and Recovery Support (CORS) model, offering grants of up to $350,000 to organizations that deploy peer specialists to address the opioid crisis.
Illinois also introduced the CRSS Success Program, a grant-funded initiative operated through designated colleges and universities to help individuals with lived experience overcome barriers and complete requirements for the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credentials. The program provides tuition assistance, technology, stipends for internships and wrap-around supports such as childcare and transportation to strengthen the behavioral health workforce.
Since 2008, Illinois’ Warm Line, staffed by certified peers, has answered nearly 250,000 calls, offering compassionate, non-crisis support.
The value of peer support is clear in both research and practice. Studies show that individuals engaged with peer specialists experience:
More than 75% of those receiving peer-led support report increased hope, empowerment, and overall mental health. For specific populations, such as new parents in the perinatal period, peer support has proven especially effective in reducing isolation and fostering resilience.
Peer professionals are also uniquely positioned to address inequities by providing culturally relevant care, navigating complex systems, and reducing stigma in historically underserved communities.
Peer and recovery support specialists are not just filling service gaps; they are redefining what recovery support looks like. By bridging the wisdom of lived experience with clinical systems, PRSSs enhance recovery outcomes, foster equity, and strengthen community-based behavioral health. With ongoing investments in certification, Medicaid integration, and innovative models like CORS, Illinois is helping to ensure that peer support remains a vital part of behavioral health services.
Tanya Johnson, LCSW
Initiative Coordinator, BHWC
Tanya Johnson, LSW, serves as an Initiative Coordinator for the Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center, focusing on the needs of Support Specialists (CHW, CRSS, CPRS) across the state. Her passion for improving mental health services arose from other past roles as a social worker in a SMHRF (Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Center), community mental health center, and from providing home-based therapeutic intervention services. Ms. Johnson is committed to supporting behavioral health providers and improving the quality and availability of services for all those in need.
To increase access to effective behavioral health services through coordinated initiatives to recruit, educate, and retain professionals in behavioral health.
