PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST FINAL EXAM 2026/2027
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is self-care? - ✔✔Peer Support Specialists recognize the importance of self-
care. They can identify their own triggers,
actively manage their recovery and maintain their support system. They can discuss the
tools they use
for taking care of themselves and model healthy responses to stress and professional
demands.
✔✔What is burnout? - ✔✔A psychophysiological response due to frequent but generally
ineffective efforts to meet excessive demands, involving a psychological, emotional, and
sometimes physical withdrawal from activity in response to excessive stress or
dissatisfaction
✔✔What is compassion fatigue? - ✔✔state of burnout and secondary traumatic stress
✔✔What is recovery capital? - ✔✔Any resource that can be tapped to initiate and
sustain recovery from alcohol and other drug problems
Social capital: healthy, stable relationships
Material capital: finances and housing
Human capital: health, skills, employment
Cultural capital: values, beliefs, attitudes
✔✔What are co-occurring disorders? - ✔✔Diagnosis of two or more disorders at the
same time (dual-diagnosis) ex. Mental Health and Substance use disorders
✔✔What is harm reduction? - ✔✔a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at
reducing negative consequences associated with drug use
✔✔What is medication-assisted recovery? - ✔✔Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is
used to treat substance use disorders as well as sustain recovery
and prevent overdose. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications,
in combination
with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a "whole-patient" approach to the
treatment of
substance use disorders.
✔✔What is conflict resolution? - ✔✔the process of solving a disagreement in a manner
that satisfies everyone involved. Peer Support Specialists personally address conflict
and difficult interpersonal relationships in the
workplace. They use de-escalation techniques. They use the organizational/
departmental chain of command
to address or resolve issues.
, ✔✔What is CalAIM? - ✔✔The California Department of Health Care Services launched
California Advancing and Innovating
Medi-Cal (CalAIM). Its goals: "move to a more integrated and people-centered approach
to care for
people with the most complex health and social needs." Integrated approaches mean
people's health,
mental health and substance use needs will all be addressed.
✔✔What is in the Peer Support Specialists scope of service? - ✔✔The Peer Support
Specialists' scope of service is what you can and cannot do as a credentialed Peer
Support Specialist. Peer Support Specialists must establish, negotiate, and maintain
appropriate interpersonal limits and
boundaries that are necessary to promote effective peer support services.
✔✔What is the Medi-Cal Code of Ethics for Peer Support Specialists? - ✔✔To be
certified, Peer Support Specialists must know, sign and agree to abide by the Medi-Cal
Code of
Ethics for Peer Support Specialists.
✔✔What kind of job-seeking skills to Peer Support Specialists need? - ✔✔●
Transitioning from Social Security and/or other disability benefits to working
● Networking for employment (most people get jobs through people they know or a
previous job)
● Tap into community resources for job skills and employment opportunities, including
leads,
application and resume preparation, interviewing. Resources may include job centers,
community colleges and more
● Mentor others and model the skills needed to attain and maintain employment and
housing
✔✔What is safety and crisis planning? - ✔✔with people to create pre-crisis plans,
fostering their recovery and resilience, and support their goals.
A pre-crisis plan, for example, could be a Wellness Recovery Action Plan which
includes a wellness
toolbox and a list of known stressors.
Peer Support Specialists can de-escalate people who are upset and know and respond
to risk indicators
Planning for future behavioral health crises could include creating a WRAP, a Plan for
Success, a
Psychiatric Advanced Directive. It could also include identifying self-help support groups
that the person
can attend so that they have groups and a support system in place before the crisis
occurs.
Peer Support Specialists take action to address distress or a crisis using knowledge of
local resources,
treatment, services, and support preferences of peers.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is self-care? - ✔✔Peer Support Specialists recognize the importance of self-
care. They can identify their own triggers,
actively manage their recovery and maintain their support system. They can discuss the
tools they use
for taking care of themselves and model healthy responses to stress and professional
demands.
✔✔What is burnout? - ✔✔A psychophysiological response due to frequent but generally
ineffective efforts to meet excessive demands, involving a psychological, emotional, and
sometimes physical withdrawal from activity in response to excessive stress or
dissatisfaction
✔✔What is compassion fatigue? - ✔✔state of burnout and secondary traumatic stress
✔✔What is recovery capital? - ✔✔Any resource that can be tapped to initiate and
sustain recovery from alcohol and other drug problems
Social capital: healthy, stable relationships
Material capital: finances and housing
Human capital: health, skills, employment
Cultural capital: values, beliefs, attitudes
✔✔What are co-occurring disorders? - ✔✔Diagnosis of two or more disorders at the
same time (dual-diagnosis) ex. Mental Health and Substance use disorders
✔✔What is harm reduction? - ✔✔a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at
reducing negative consequences associated with drug use
✔✔What is medication-assisted recovery? - ✔✔Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is
used to treat substance use disorders as well as sustain recovery
and prevent overdose. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications,
in combination
with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a "whole-patient" approach to the
treatment of
substance use disorders.
✔✔What is conflict resolution? - ✔✔the process of solving a disagreement in a manner
that satisfies everyone involved. Peer Support Specialists personally address conflict
and difficult interpersonal relationships in the
workplace. They use de-escalation techniques. They use the organizational/
departmental chain of command
to address or resolve issues.
, ✔✔What is CalAIM? - ✔✔The California Department of Health Care Services launched
California Advancing and Innovating
Medi-Cal (CalAIM). Its goals: "move to a more integrated and people-centered approach
to care for
people with the most complex health and social needs." Integrated approaches mean
people's health,
mental health and substance use needs will all be addressed.
✔✔What is in the Peer Support Specialists scope of service? - ✔✔The Peer Support
Specialists' scope of service is what you can and cannot do as a credentialed Peer
Support Specialist. Peer Support Specialists must establish, negotiate, and maintain
appropriate interpersonal limits and
boundaries that are necessary to promote effective peer support services.
✔✔What is the Medi-Cal Code of Ethics for Peer Support Specialists? - ✔✔To be
certified, Peer Support Specialists must know, sign and agree to abide by the Medi-Cal
Code of
Ethics for Peer Support Specialists.
✔✔What kind of job-seeking skills to Peer Support Specialists need? - ✔✔●
Transitioning from Social Security and/or other disability benefits to working
● Networking for employment (most people get jobs through people they know or a
previous job)
● Tap into community resources for job skills and employment opportunities, including
leads,
application and resume preparation, interviewing. Resources may include job centers,
community colleges and more
● Mentor others and model the skills needed to attain and maintain employment and
housing
✔✔What is safety and crisis planning? - ✔✔with people to create pre-crisis plans,
fostering their recovery and resilience, and support their goals.
A pre-crisis plan, for example, could be a Wellness Recovery Action Plan which
includes a wellness
toolbox and a list of known stressors.
Peer Support Specialists can de-escalate people who are upset and know and respond
to risk indicators
Planning for future behavioral health crises could include creating a WRAP, a Plan for
Success, a
Psychiatric Advanced Directive. It could also include identifying self-help support groups
that the person
can attend so that they have groups and a support system in place before the crisis
occurs.
Peer Support Specialists take action to address distress or a crisis using knowledge of
local resources,
treatment, services, and support preferences of peers.
