In looking at other state plans for peer services, Montana’s Peer Network quickly identified the need for standardization of peer services in Montana. That’s when the “Montana Peer Support Task Force was born. In 2012, The Addictive and Mental Disorder Division and Montana’s Peer Network collaborated to form the task force with the aim “to support and enhance the professional field of peer support for people in the process of recovery from substance use, other addictions, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders.” The task force was able to achieve its mission and goals and Governor Bullock signed Behavioral Health Peer Supporter Certification on March 31, 2017. (View the bill and legislative details here.)
The standardization of peer services ensures the following key qualities:
- Public Safety concerns are addressed such as professionalism
- Standardized training, supervision and continuing education for all peer workers
- Workforce development
- Establishment of a recovery-oriented curricula for peer supporter and behavioral health providers
- Peer Services are considered a resiliency factor for healthier communities
- Paradigm shift to “recovery-oriented” service delivery which positively impacts the human, social and financial consequences of untreated serious mental illness and substance use and or addiction
Additional information about Montana state certification is available from the Board of Behavioral Health.
Click here to access forms related to CBHPSS Certification and Licensing.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
MPN offers various training opportunities for people looking to become Peer Recovery Coaches or Certified Behavioral Heath Peer Support Specialists. We also offer an array of trainings eligible for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for CBHPSS. Visit our Learning Platform for more information.
Peer Support Jobs
Montana’s Peer Network does not necessarily endorse any jobs listed. The information is provided to help our members find positions.
If you would like us to post a job announcement, please email Andi.
Peer Specialist
The Peer Specialist is an active member of the Emergency Department Crisis Team and provides peer support services to patients in a behavioral health crisis. Under supervision, provides consumer information and peer support for clients in outpatient and inpatient settings. Is or has been a recipient of behavioral health services mental illness and/or substance abuse treatment. Acts as a positive role model through good work ethic, fairness, flexibility and commitment to appropriate and direct communication, demonstrates energy and enthusiasm for Bozeman Health’s mission and vision, and embraces, develops, and implements recovery-based principles with consumers, peers, and the community.
Peer Support Specialists Part and Full Time
Park County Drop In Center (PCDIC) is seeking either one full-time or two part-time Peer Support Specialists (PSS) to provide community-based peer support services that are designed to promote the recovery, empowerment, and community integration of individuals who have severe and chronic behavioral health challenges. The PSS will facilitate opportunities for individuals receiving service to direct their own recovery and advocacy process by: teaching and supporting individuals, promoting the knowledge of available service options and choices of natural resources in the community, and help facilitate the development of a sense of wellness and self-worth.
PACT Team - Peer Support Specialist
The Mental Health Center is currently recruiting for a Peer Support Specialist for our Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) team. The PACT team is an interdisciplinary team which works with people who have been diagnosed with a severe, persistent mental illness. The Peer Support Specialist must be a current or previous consumer of mental health services and have first hand knowledge and life experience coping with the symptoms of mental illness, the recovery process and stigmatism associated with mental illness. The Peer Support Specialist provides peer counseling, support and encouragement to PACT clients, acts as a liaison with community resources, assists with rehabilitation and support functions, assists with treatment and assists clients with daily living skills.
PACT Peer Support Specialist
The PACT Certified Peer Support Specialist has a unique role within a dynamic and fast-paced Assertive Community Treatment Team that provides clients with comprehensive wrap-around care in their community. Peer Support Specialists provide peer counseling and support by drawing on their common experiences as peers to validate clients' experiences and provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.
Peer Support Pulse Blog
Embracing Every Form of Resiliency
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and for me, as someone who walks this path not only for myself but alongside others as a peer and family peer supporter, it’s more than just a calendar observance. It’s a heartfelt invitation. It’s a chance to shine a light on mental well-being, reduce stigma, and encourage real, meaningful conversations about what it means to live with, and rise through, mental health challenges.
But beyond awareness, this month is also a celebration of something that’s often overlooked in clinical discussions: resilience. Real-life, hard-earned, deeply human resilience. I see it every day. In my own life, in the families I support, and in the courageous individuals I walk beside. In a world that constantly demands more, the ability to care for ourselves and each other, to bounce back, to try again, that’s nothing short of heroic in my eyes.
Awareness into Action
Reposted from Mental Health America’s Mental Health Month 2025 Planning Guide While one in five people experience a mental health condition each year, every single one of us has a mind to take care of. Furthermore, mental health is not just a personal issue—it’s a societal one. And the need for action has never been greater.This…
Taking the Reins
As a peer supporter, I’ve seen how empowering it can be when someone takes control of their own story and their own journey toward healing. The national “I Am in Control Day” is a reminder for all of us. Whether we are supporting others or working on our own personal growth, we have the ability to take charge of our lives, make choices, and advocate for what we need. It’s a day to celebrate our strength and remind ourselves that, no matter the circumstances, we have the power to harness and create positive change.
The Power of Kindness
Acts of kindness are often seen as simple gestures, yet their impact on mental health can be profound. Whether it’s offering a smile to a stranger, helping a coworker, or volunteering for a cause, kindness can create a ripple effect that benefits both the giver and the recipient. Research has consistently shown that engaging in acts of kindness boosts mental well-being, reducing stress, increasing happiness, and fostering a sense of belonging.
The Benefits of Mentoring and Job Shadowing
Peer support programs play a crucial role in mental health, addiction recovery, and various support communities. New peer supporters often face challenges as they transition into their roles, making mentorship and job shadowing invaluable resources. A strong mentoring and shadowing system enhances their confidence, competence, and overall effectiveness. Below, we explore the key benefits of mentoring and job shadowing for new peer supporters, highlighting how these relationships foster personal growth, professional development, and improved support for those in need.
HB76: Family Peer Support Certification
Family Peer Support is a trained parent or caregiver with lived experience raising a child with special healthcare needs and/or behavioral health challenges providing support to another parent or caregiver who is currently raising a child with similar healthcare needs. Family Peer Supporters provide emotional support, resources, and connection to community, helping the parent or caregiver feel less isolated, less stressed, and more hopeful. A Family Peer Supporter, because of their lived experience, can connect to another parent or caregiver in a way that few others can. The Family Peer Supporter knows what it feels like to raise a child with special healthcare needs and/or behavioral health challenges. The Family Peer Supporter knows the challenges that parents and caregivers face. They can relate to the often-overwhelming feelings of shame, blame, fear, and loss parents and caregivers experience. The Family Peer Supporter has navigated the confusing health system and has juggled multiple therapies, school meetings, doctor appointments, and other family commitments along with the needs of themselves, their child, and their family. Lived experience is the foundation of Family Peer Support. Lived experience is what makes Family Peer Support a unique service.
What kind of role model do I want to be today?
Today, before I act, I often ask myself what kind of role model do I want to be today? Six years ago, before I was in recovery, I never gave this much thought, or any thought really. I also didn’t realize the effect that my actions had on those around me, especially people like my nieces or nephews. I was about two years in recovery and was hanging out with my 12-year-old nephew, we were talking about life when he looked at me and said “Uncle Ty, do you remember when I wouldn’t share my taco with you one time, and you grabbed it and smashed it? You used to be mean!” I was absolutely blown away and devastated at the same time. I never realized the impact I had on him or the negative role model I was being. It was at that point in my life I decided from that point on I was going to be a positive role model for him and all the people around me.
CBHPSS Workforce Development
At the time of this article there are 210 certified behavioral health peer support specialists in Montana. Since the first peer supporter was certified by the board of behavioral health in September of 2018, there have been a total of 400 peer supporters certified. Roughly half or 50% are still working today. The other way to look at it is 50% or half are not. Losing half of its workforce in just over 5 years is not a sign of a healthy workforce. Historically MPN trains around 100 peer supporters a year, half of those who complete Peer Support 101 will not go onto get certified. Which is a topic for another article. Half of those who do complete training and are certified will not be for long. The CBHPSS workforce in Montana needs additional support.
The Journey
Today, I invite you to join me on a journey. The map I was given at birth was filled with detours, unexpected stops, fast-paced highways, and scenic routes, accompanied by plenty of bumps and flat tires. Through adaptation and countless obstacles, I navigated a less-traveled road—a highway leading to self-awareness and recovery. I want to pause a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you here today reading this. I know you have faced your own battles, and your presence signifies that you’ve found hope after being hurt and discovered the courage to keep showing up for yourselves. Thank you for allowing me the space to be vulnerable and share my story.
Recovery Month 2024
Every September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) leads the nation in celebrating Recovery Month, a time dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders, celebrating those in recovery, and highlighting the effective treatments available. Recovery Month has been a vital part of SAMHSA’s efforts to combat the stigma associated with mental health and substance use disorders, and in 2024, the initiative continues with renewed energy and focus on the theme, “Hope, Healing, and Health.”