©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
Medi-CalPeer Support Specialist -
PRACTICE EXAM Questions With Verified
Answers
What best describes a Peer Support Specialist? - answer✔A person who has personally
experienced and is in recovery from mental health or substance use issues, or who is the family
member or parent of someone with mental health or substance use issues, and has formal training
to support others in recovery.
You REDUCE relationship rapport with someone you are supporting by: - answer✔Being
unaware of your power
A benefit of sharing your recovery story is to: - answer✔Support change, and show recovery is
possible
Someone tells a Peer Support Specialist that they have a lot of situational stress that is not a
result of their diagnosis. What action would the Peer Support Specialist take in supporting the
consumer? - answer✔Assist the consumer in developing a wellness plan to address their
concerns.
A consumer would like to support a neighborhood rally but has anxiety about attending. They
believe their anxiety would not be an issue if they are accompanied by their Peer Support
Specialist. What action would the Peer Support Specialist take? - answer✔Participate in the
activity as requested by the consumer, if it is part of Peer's job.
In optimal recovery planning... - answer✔People discover and write down their goals and
dreams.
A consumer tells a Peer Support Specialist they want to make friends but does not know how.
What action would the Peer Support Specialist take to support the consumer? - answer✔Refer
them to the self-help support groups which best fit their needs.
How would a Family Peer Support Specialist begin to assist a family in identifying informal
supports to plan for wellness? - answer✔Ask the family who they talk to when they need help
, ©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
What is a strategy for validating the experiences of parents? - answer✔Actively listen as the
parents share their experience
How should the Family Peer Support Specialist connect parents to other parents with similar
concerns? - answer✔Invite the parent to an educational event or support group so they can meet
other parents
An example of a recovery-oriented approach is... - answer✔Focusing on wellness, ability and
choice
What are the basic five stages in the recovery process? - answer✔Pre-contemplation,
Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance
What is helpful at the Pre-contemplation stage? - answer✔Express caring, concern and desire for
the person to have their best life
What is helpful at the Action stage? - answer✔Help them carry out their plan, provide praise and
reinforcement, and continue to be a source of moral support.
What is recovery, according to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA)? - answer✔A process of change through which individuals improve their health and
wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
What are the four dimensions that support recovery, according to SAMHSA? - answer✔Health,
home, purpose, and community
What are some guiding principles of recovery as defined by SAMHSA? - answer✔Recovery
emerges from hope, is person-driven, and occurs via many pathways
Which of the following is NOT a core value of peer support services? - answer✔Disorder-
focused
A consumer is frustrated because several different service providers are not communicating well
when it comes to their care. How can the Peer Support Specialist support this consumer? -
answer✔Encourage the consumer to request a team meeting so all staff can connect.
A Peer Support Specialist is working with a consumer with severe mental health issues who has
been in inpatient treatment for several months. Prior to a treatment team meeting, the consumer
says to the Peer Support Specialist, "I don't know why I'm even going. They are just going to
keep me here anyway." Which action would the Peer Support Specialist take to encourage self-
advocacy? - answer✔Model an effective action by sharing a time when the Peer Support
Specialist assertively communicated their own needs and desires.
A Peer Support Specialist is meeting with a consumer's care team to discuss the consumer's
failure to follow-through on their treatment goals. What action would the Peer Support Specialist
Medi-CalPeer Support Specialist -
PRACTICE EXAM Questions With Verified
Answers
What best describes a Peer Support Specialist? - answer✔A person who has personally
experienced and is in recovery from mental health or substance use issues, or who is the family
member or parent of someone with mental health or substance use issues, and has formal training
to support others in recovery.
You REDUCE relationship rapport with someone you are supporting by: - answer✔Being
unaware of your power
A benefit of sharing your recovery story is to: - answer✔Support change, and show recovery is
possible
Someone tells a Peer Support Specialist that they have a lot of situational stress that is not a
result of their diagnosis. What action would the Peer Support Specialist take in supporting the
consumer? - answer✔Assist the consumer in developing a wellness plan to address their
concerns.
A consumer would like to support a neighborhood rally but has anxiety about attending. They
believe their anxiety would not be an issue if they are accompanied by their Peer Support
Specialist. What action would the Peer Support Specialist take? - answer✔Participate in the
activity as requested by the consumer, if it is part of Peer's job.
In optimal recovery planning... - answer✔People discover and write down their goals and
dreams.
A consumer tells a Peer Support Specialist they want to make friends but does not know how.
What action would the Peer Support Specialist take to support the consumer? - answer✔Refer
them to the self-help support groups which best fit their needs.
How would a Family Peer Support Specialist begin to assist a family in identifying informal
supports to plan for wellness? - answer✔Ask the family who they talk to when they need help
, ©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
What is a strategy for validating the experiences of parents? - answer✔Actively listen as the
parents share their experience
How should the Family Peer Support Specialist connect parents to other parents with similar
concerns? - answer✔Invite the parent to an educational event or support group so they can meet
other parents
An example of a recovery-oriented approach is... - answer✔Focusing on wellness, ability and
choice
What are the basic five stages in the recovery process? - answer✔Pre-contemplation,
Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance
What is helpful at the Pre-contemplation stage? - answer✔Express caring, concern and desire for
the person to have their best life
What is helpful at the Action stage? - answer✔Help them carry out their plan, provide praise and
reinforcement, and continue to be a source of moral support.
What is recovery, according to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA)? - answer✔A process of change through which individuals improve their health and
wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
What are the four dimensions that support recovery, according to SAMHSA? - answer✔Health,
home, purpose, and community
What are some guiding principles of recovery as defined by SAMHSA? - answer✔Recovery
emerges from hope, is person-driven, and occurs via many pathways
Which of the following is NOT a core value of peer support services? - answer✔Disorder-
focused
A consumer is frustrated because several different service providers are not communicating well
when it comes to their care. How can the Peer Support Specialist support this consumer? -
answer✔Encourage the consumer to request a team meeting so all staff can connect.
A Peer Support Specialist is working with a consumer with severe mental health issues who has
been in inpatient treatment for several months. Prior to a treatment team meeting, the consumer
says to the Peer Support Specialist, "I don't know why I'm even going. They are just going to
keep me here anyway." Which action would the Peer Support Specialist take to encourage self-
advocacy? - answer✔Model an effective action by sharing a time when the Peer Support
Specialist assertively communicated their own needs and desires.
A Peer Support Specialist is meeting with a consumer's care team to discuss the consumer's
failure to follow-through on their treatment goals. What action would the Peer Support Specialist
