CALMHSA Peer Support Certifications
PT13
What is advocacy? – answer Action in favor of a cause or others
What is empowerment? - answer Becoming stronger and more confident in controlling
one's life
What is stigma? - answer A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance,
quality, or person
What is the importance of documentation in PSS role? - answer Proof of encounters
and external resources for elevated service needs
What are the elements of documentation? - answer Date, duration, names of individuals
involved, brief explanation of peer support provided
What is collaborative documentation? - answer Procedure where clients and
professionals collaborate to record evaluations, treatment plans, and progress notes
What is collaborative documentation? - answerClient-centered therapy paradigm that
involves client participation in decision-making.
What is the purpose of collaborative documentation? - answerTo ensure that the client's
individual requirements and goals are met during treatment.
Is collaborative documentation an evidenced based practice? - answerNo, it is merely a
method for accomplishing service documentation.
How is the peer involved in the documentation process? - answerDocumentation is
completed with them in attendance and their comments are included in case and
progress notes.
What is the concern of certified peer specialists when it comes to client notes? -
answerWorrying about private material being recorded.
What is the responsibility of trained peer specialists when it comes to protecting their
peer's privacy? - answerEnsuring privacy and confidentiality.
What is the requirement for trained peer specialists to inform their peers about? -
answerEmployer policy, including specific information.
,What should a certified peer specialist do when a situation arises where private
information needs to be recorded? - answerLet the peer know and discuss how they
want the note to reflect their experience.
What should a certified peer specialist ensure when documenting their notes? -
answerPerson-centered, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented.
Why is documentation important? - answerIt reflects the client service and journey.
What are the areas that effective progress notes should cover? - answerAssessment,
treatment planning, interactions, and services progress.
Who are progress notes useful to? - answerPatient, clinician, and others involved in the
patient's care.
What is the advice for certified peer experts when it comes to program requirements? -
answerMeet with their manager right away to go over all program requirements.
What should effective progress notes be? - answerReadable, objective, and explain the
service necessity.
What should trained peer experts do when their notes contradict the standards
established by employers or funding agencies? - answerTalk with their managers about
how to strike a balance between the two demands.
What might be available to trained peer experts when their notes contradict the
standards established by employers or funding agencies? - answerAdditional training.
What should you remember about your progress notes? - answerClient may ask to see
them, subject to subpoena, may need to defend actions before payor source.
Why does documentation matter? - answerIt is legal and supports reimbursement,
should have a readable storyline.
What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - answerImproved outcomes,
shared decision making, increased satisfaction, compliance, productivity, and quality
assurance.
What is the final note about documentation? - answerIt is legal and must adhere to
professional standards, supports reimbursement for PSS services.
What is collaborative documentation? - answerClient-involved decision-making process
in treatment.
,What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - answerEnhances mutual
understanding, rapport, and commitment; reduces no-shows and increases medication
adherence; clinically efficient; increases clinical capacity.
What are the basic elements of collaborative documentation? - answerEstablishing
treatment objectives with the client; reviewing and revising documentation with the
client.
What does collaborative documentation allow for? - answerContinuous monitoring and
adjustments to interventions; reviewing documentation with the client at the end of every
session.
What is the Seven Percent Rule? - answerApproximately 7% of community mental
health clients are not appropriate for Collaborative Documentation due to factors like
severe paranoia or inability to establish rapport.
What should practitioners consider before implementing Collaborative Documentation? -
answerTheir comfort level; starting with shared treatment objectives.
What is Collaborative Documentation? - answerCollaborating with clients to document
session objectives and progress
What are some benefits of Collaborative Documentation? - answerEnhancing
understanding of session progress, improving client engagement and support in
decision-making
What are some obstacles clients may face with Collaborative Documentation? -
answerFeeling like it takes away from therapy time, not seeing its relevance to their
care
How can practitioners address client concerns with Collaborative Documentation? -
answerReviewing benefits, such as enhancing understanding of session progress
What principles can practitioners apply when clients disagree with their observations? -
answerAgree to disagree, be transparent, utilize partial documentation when
appropriate
What did the Los Angeles County DMH's pilot program find about Collaborative
Documentation? - answerIt can improve client engagement and support in decision-
making in urgent care settings
How was Collaborative Documentation observed to be efficient in the Urgent Care
environment? - answerHandwritten on a pad of paper and later rewritten in the
electronic health record
, What was the reported response of Valor Program/Homeless Veterans to Collaborative
Documentation? - answerPositive client responses, leading to a greater sense of trust
and empowerment
What was the reported response of Full Service Partnership Programs to Collaborative
Documentation? - answerPositive response of field-based clients, but difficult due to
unpredictable environment
What was the reported challenge with office-based Collaborative Documentation? -
answerChildren's impatience and inattention
What was a common challenge reported with adults and Collaborative Documentation?
- answerClient's inability to see the computer screen while documenting collaboratively
What is Collaborative Documentation? - answerProcess of practitioners and clients
working together to document assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes.
What is the 7% rule? - answerOnly 7% of clients in community mental health may not
be suitable for Collaborative Documentation.
How can practitioners adapt Collaborative Documentation? - answerIn their own way,
gradually using it with selected clients.
What are some challenges in using Collaborative Documentation? - answerClient
hesitancy, addressing common client concerns, and overcoming the learning curve.
What settings have had success with Collaborative Documentation? - answerUrgent
care, Valor program/homeless veterans, full-service partnership programs (field-based),
and office-based settings with adults, families, and children.
What is the importance of maintaining professional standards and boundaries? -
answerTo aid in own healing and best serve clients
What is the role of a Peer Support Specialist? - answerTo offer discreet and anonymous
services and crisis counseling
What is the exception to confidentiality? - answerImmediate supervisor, crisis
counselors, public safety personnel in imminent danger
What should a PSS do before disclosing personal information? - answerObtain client's
consent
What are the State and Local Regulations on Mandatory Reporting? - answerObserve
local and state reporting requirements when there is suicide or homicidal intent.
PT13
What is advocacy? – answer Action in favor of a cause or others
What is empowerment? - answer Becoming stronger and more confident in controlling
one's life
What is stigma? - answer A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance,
quality, or person
What is the importance of documentation in PSS role? - answer Proof of encounters
and external resources for elevated service needs
What are the elements of documentation? - answer Date, duration, names of individuals
involved, brief explanation of peer support provided
What is collaborative documentation? - answer Procedure where clients and
professionals collaborate to record evaluations, treatment plans, and progress notes
What is collaborative documentation? - answerClient-centered therapy paradigm that
involves client participation in decision-making.
What is the purpose of collaborative documentation? - answerTo ensure that the client's
individual requirements and goals are met during treatment.
Is collaborative documentation an evidenced based practice? - answerNo, it is merely a
method for accomplishing service documentation.
How is the peer involved in the documentation process? - answerDocumentation is
completed with them in attendance and their comments are included in case and
progress notes.
What is the concern of certified peer specialists when it comes to client notes? -
answerWorrying about private material being recorded.
What is the responsibility of trained peer specialists when it comes to protecting their
peer's privacy? - answerEnsuring privacy and confidentiality.
What is the requirement for trained peer specialists to inform their peers about? -
answerEmployer policy, including specific information.
,What should a certified peer specialist do when a situation arises where private
information needs to be recorded? - answerLet the peer know and discuss how they
want the note to reflect their experience.
What should a certified peer specialist ensure when documenting their notes? -
answerPerson-centered, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented.
Why is documentation important? - answerIt reflects the client service and journey.
What are the areas that effective progress notes should cover? - answerAssessment,
treatment planning, interactions, and services progress.
Who are progress notes useful to? - answerPatient, clinician, and others involved in the
patient's care.
What is the advice for certified peer experts when it comes to program requirements? -
answerMeet with their manager right away to go over all program requirements.
What should effective progress notes be? - answerReadable, objective, and explain the
service necessity.
What should trained peer experts do when their notes contradict the standards
established by employers or funding agencies? - answerTalk with their managers about
how to strike a balance between the two demands.
What might be available to trained peer experts when their notes contradict the
standards established by employers or funding agencies? - answerAdditional training.
What should you remember about your progress notes? - answerClient may ask to see
them, subject to subpoena, may need to defend actions before payor source.
Why does documentation matter? - answerIt is legal and supports reimbursement,
should have a readable storyline.
What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - answerImproved outcomes,
shared decision making, increased satisfaction, compliance, productivity, and quality
assurance.
What is the final note about documentation? - answerIt is legal and must adhere to
professional standards, supports reimbursement for PSS services.
What is collaborative documentation? - answerClient-involved decision-making process
in treatment.
,What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - answerEnhances mutual
understanding, rapport, and commitment; reduces no-shows and increases medication
adherence; clinically efficient; increases clinical capacity.
What are the basic elements of collaborative documentation? - answerEstablishing
treatment objectives with the client; reviewing and revising documentation with the
client.
What does collaborative documentation allow for? - answerContinuous monitoring and
adjustments to interventions; reviewing documentation with the client at the end of every
session.
What is the Seven Percent Rule? - answerApproximately 7% of community mental
health clients are not appropriate for Collaborative Documentation due to factors like
severe paranoia or inability to establish rapport.
What should practitioners consider before implementing Collaborative Documentation? -
answerTheir comfort level; starting with shared treatment objectives.
What is Collaborative Documentation? - answerCollaborating with clients to document
session objectives and progress
What are some benefits of Collaborative Documentation? - answerEnhancing
understanding of session progress, improving client engagement and support in
decision-making
What are some obstacles clients may face with Collaborative Documentation? -
answerFeeling like it takes away from therapy time, not seeing its relevance to their
care
How can practitioners address client concerns with Collaborative Documentation? -
answerReviewing benefits, such as enhancing understanding of session progress
What principles can practitioners apply when clients disagree with their observations? -
answerAgree to disagree, be transparent, utilize partial documentation when
appropriate
What did the Los Angeles County DMH's pilot program find about Collaborative
Documentation? - answerIt can improve client engagement and support in decision-
making in urgent care settings
How was Collaborative Documentation observed to be efficient in the Urgent Care
environment? - answerHandwritten on a pad of paper and later rewritten in the
electronic health record
, What was the reported response of Valor Program/Homeless Veterans to Collaborative
Documentation? - answerPositive client responses, leading to a greater sense of trust
and empowerment
What was the reported response of Full Service Partnership Programs to Collaborative
Documentation? - answerPositive response of field-based clients, but difficult due to
unpredictable environment
What was the reported challenge with office-based Collaborative Documentation? -
answerChildren's impatience and inattention
What was a common challenge reported with adults and Collaborative Documentation?
- answerClient's inability to see the computer screen while documenting collaboratively
What is Collaborative Documentation? - answerProcess of practitioners and clients
working together to document assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes.
What is the 7% rule? - answerOnly 7% of clients in community mental health may not
be suitable for Collaborative Documentation.
How can practitioners adapt Collaborative Documentation? - answerIn their own way,
gradually using it with selected clients.
What are some challenges in using Collaborative Documentation? - answerClient
hesitancy, addressing common client concerns, and overcoming the learning curve.
What settings have had success with Collaborative Documentation? - answerUrgent
care, Valor program/homeless veterans, full-service partnership programs (field-based),
and office-based settings with adults, families, and children.
What is the importance of maintaining professional standards and boundaries? -
answerTo aid in own healing and best serve clients
What is the role of a Peer Support Specialist? - answerTo offer discreet and anonymous
services and crisis counseling
What is the exception to confidentiality? - answerImmediate supervisor, crisis
counselors, public safety personnel in imminent danger
What should a PSS do before disclosing personal information? - answerObtain client's
consent
What are the State and Local Regulations on Mandatory Reporting? - answerObserve
local and state reporting requirements when there is suicide or homicidal intent.
