Peer Support Trainings

Medium

To become a Peer Support Specialist in North Dakota, the first step is to take an initial peer support specialist training. 

  • Do you identify as a person with lived experience of recovery from mental health, substance use, brain injury and/or a combination thereof? Do you want to provide peer support to others with like, lived experience? You will want to apply for the Peer Support Specialist Training. 
     
  • Do you identify as a parent or primary caregiver who has navigated child or youth serving systems on behalf of their child(ren) with social, emotional, developmental, health, and/or behavioral healthcare needs? Do you want to provide others with like, lived experience? You will want to apply for the Parent and Caregiver Peer Support Training.

If you have completed a training program in a different state, reach out to peersupport@nd.gov to discuss next steps for certification. 

As a certified peer support specialist, you are required to obtain at least 20 hours of continuing education units during every 2-year renewal period; two hours must be specific to peer support ethics. Below you will find continuing education training opportunities.

Medium

Peer Support training is 40 hours long, over the course of 5 days. Full attendance is required for successful completion of Peer Support Training. For all upcoming trainings we utilize an application process to offer priority to those who have a current or pending position at an agency that would benefit from attending. Please note, the application does NOT register you for the training. As applications are processed, you will receive notification of next steps.

For individuals traveling from over 60 miles to an in-person training, we will be offering hotel accommodations and travel reimbursement dependent on successful completion of the training.

Who should attend?

  • Individuals who publicly identify as a person in recovery from a mental health condition, substance use disorder, brain injury or combination thereof
  • Individuals supervising Peer Support Specialists
  • A family member of an individual living with a mental health condition, substance use disorder, brain injury, or combination thereof

Please reach out to peersupport@nd.gov or any questions.

April 28-May 2, 2025

This class will be held in person in Bismarck, ND.

Please note, applying for the training does not guarantee you a spot in the training. We offer application priority to those who have secured a job offer that is dependent upon Peer Support training and those whose current role benefits from attending the training. If you have a job offer, or are currently employed somewhere, please be sure to enter your place of employment on the application.

Application is now closed.

June 16-20, 2025

This class will be held in person in Fargo, ND.

Application will open April 21, 2025.

Parent and Caregiver Peer Support Training:
A five day training, split into an initial 3 day foundational training (in-person or virtual) and a following 2-day virtual training. Full attendance in both is required for successful completion of Parent and Caregiver Peer Support Training. For all upcoming trainings we utilize an application process; please note the application does not register you for the training. As applications are processed, you will receive notification of next steps.

Who should attend?
Parent and Caregiver Peers have lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver who has navigated child or youth serving systems on behalf of their child(ren) with social, emotional, developmental, health, and/or behavioral healthcare needs.

Upcoming Training Dates: 
July 28 - 31, 2025 (Virtual)   |   Register Here 
October 7 - 9, 2025 (Location TBD)

For questions about Parent and Caregiver Peer Support, reach out to Emilie Bahr, bahremilie@nd.gov

Additional Trainings Coming Soon!

Peer Support Supervision Training will be scheduled again after June 30, 2025. 

Peer Support supervisors play a key role in the successful integration of peer support within the behavioral health system. This training will address the following topics:

  • Overview of Supervision Specialists
  • Recognizing Peer Drift
  • Supervision is a Peer Relationship
  • Job Descriptions
  • First Meeting
  • Supervision Models
  • Development Models
  • Evaluations
  • Professional Ethics and Standards
  • Relationship with the Agency

Register to attend the virtual workshop. Training is free. 

Each training is approved for a total of 12 CEUs by the North Dakota Board of Addiction Counseling Examiners, the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners and for North Dakota Certified Peer Support Specialists. This training meets the criteria for North Dakota peer support supervision.

Are you working as a Peer Support? Are you interested in learning more about Brain Injury?

The North Dakota Brain Injury Network offers online training designed to meet your training needs. These five separate courses can help peer support specialists learn more about brain injury. To qualify for peer support brain injury endorsement, a peer support must complete, at minimum, courses 1-3 and send proof of completion to peersupport@nd.gov. 

  1. Introduction to Brain Injury
  2. Cognitive and Behavioral Consequences of TBI in Adults
  3. Substance Use and TBI
  4. Primary Care and TBI
  5. Pediatric TBI

These courses are approved for CEUs for Certified Peer Support Specialists.

Each course is $25. Sign up for five courses and receive one for free!

North Dakota residents will receive a promo code discounting their courses 100%. Email Carly Endres (carly.endres@und.edu) for the promo code. 

Register now

Military service is a unique experience that has lasting impacts on many Veterans,
military family members, and caregivers, including feelings of social connection in their
communities. Peer Support Specialists have a unique opportunity to offer an
intentional space for Veterans to connect and offer support as they navigate their post-service
journey.

Developed by PsychArmor, this training aims to educate peer support specialists and
provide a deeper understanding of the military culture. This peer support training is
available to North Dakota Peer Support Specialists and offers 1 CEU.

To qualify for military peer support endorsement, a peer support must complete both classes identified below and send proof of completion to peersupport@nd.gov.

  • 15 Things Veterans Want You To Know (17 mins) - This is the cornerstone course for
    PsychArmor and was created to educate anyone who works with, lives with, or cares for
    our military Veterans. PsychArmor asked hundreds of Veterans what they wanted civilians,
    employers, educators, healthcare providers, and therapists to know about them. These
    comments were used to create the topics of this course, including 5 Questions You Should
    Always Ask Veterans, 1 Question You Should Never Ask Veterans, and 15 Facts that
    promote greater understanding of our Veterans.
     
  • Military Culture Series (40 mins) - Want to learn more about the US military and Veteran
    population? Here’s where you start. Our new Military Culture course series takes a deeper
    dive into four defining aspects of daily life in the military: Service, Values, People, and
    Transition. Expanding on ideas presented in our foundational course, 15 Things Veterans
    Want You To Know, this series introduces six characters who made the choice to serve
    their country.

Enroll Now

Please reach out to peersupport@nd.gov for more information.

Peer Support Refresher

Peer Support skills training is continually advancing and evolving, and strengthening our specialized peer skills is important. This training will provide the opportunity to review our core peer skills and introduce updated enhanced skills. No CEUs available for recorded trainings.

Workshop Objectives:

  • Examining Our Unique Skills
  • Five Stages in the Recovery Process
  • Effective Listening
  • Peer Specialist Skill Evaluation
  • Self-Care

Who should watch?

  • Individuals recently hired by organizations to offer Peer Support Services who have not yet attended Peer Support training
  • Individuals interested in attending Peer Support training
  • Individuals who have previously attended Peer Support training
  • Certified Peer Support specialists
  • Supervisors of Peer Support Specialists
  • Individuals interested in the role of a Peer Support Specialist in the workplace

Watch Peer Support Refresher

Peer Support Ethics and Values in the Workplace

In this pre-recorded training, we discussed practical applications of ethics and boundaries to everyday peer-to-peer interactions. It will assist in enhancing critical thinking skills in ethical situations, clarify our own values as persons providing services, and foster learning opportunities while working within community agencies. No CEUs available for recorded trainings.

Workshop Objectives:

  • Understand how ethics and boundaries lead to the delivery of quality services.
  • Strengthen knowledge of ethics and how they apply to the individuals served by your agency.
  • Learn how core recovery values are used as guiding principles and practices.

Who should watch?

  • Individuals interested in attending Peer Support training
  • Individuals who have previously attended Peer Support training
  • Certified Peer Support specialists
  • Supervisors of Peer Support Specialists
  • Anybody interested in the role of a Peer Support Specialist in the workplace.

Watch Peer Support Ethics and Values in the Workplace