PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is 42 CFR Part 2? - ✔✔A Federal rule called 42 CFR Part 2 protects the
confidentiality of substance abuse patient records from
disclosure without express patient consent. The regulations apply to records created by
federally assisted
programs for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). With limited exceptions,
42 CFR Part 2
requires written (not verbal) patient consent for disclosures of protected health
information even for the
purposes of treatment, payment, or health care operations.
✔✔What is digital literacy? - ✔✔Use online and virtual tools to provide access to a
range of activation and self-care tools and resources
that the individual may find useful in achieving their whole health goals.
✔✔8 Dimensions of Wellness according to SAMHSA - ✔✔Emotional, Financial, Social,
Spiritual, Occupational, Physical, Intellectual, and Environmental.
✔✔ Person-Centered - ✔✔A person-centered approach is where the person is placed
at the center of the service and treated as a
person first.
✔✔What are the OARS tools in Motivational Interviewing? - ✔✔O Open-ended
questions invite others to "tell their story" in their own words without
leading them in a specific direction (as opposed to questions that can be answered yes
or no). Be cautious about asking too many questions as it can damage the peer
relationship.
A Affirmations are statements and gestures that recognize a person's strengths and
acknowledge behaviors that lead in the direction of positive change, no matter how
large or small.
R Reflections/ Reflective listening ensures that the person's words are interpreted
correctly and their inner wisdom is respected.
S Summaries are a type of reflective listening which helps to ensure that there is clear
communication between the speaker and listener. Summaries can provide a stepping
stone towards change.
Reflections/
✔✔What is the tool "Elicit- Provide-Elicit" in Motivational Interviewing? - ✔✔Elicit—Ask
permission to give information or ask which information the person is asking for.
● "Would it be all right if I tell you about a few self-help support groups that have worked
for other people?'
● "Would you like to know about....?"
● "What would you like to know about....?"
, ✔✔What are whole health goals? - ✔✔Whole person health involves looking at the
whole person instead of looking at health as fragments of
diseases, symptoms and problems. It is shifting from only thinking about 'What is the
matter with you?'
to thinking about what matters to you.
✔✔What are the basic five stages in the recovery process? - ✔✔Pre-Contemplation Not
ready
Contemplation Getting ready
Preparation Ready
Action Making change
Maintenance Keeping up change
✔✔What is "recovery" according to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services
Administration
(SAMHSA)? - ✔✔SAMHSA definition: "A process of change through which individuals
improve their health and wellness,
live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential." This definition does not
describe recovery as an end state, but rather as a process. Complete symptom
remission is neither a prerequisite of
recovery nor a necessary outcome of the process. Recovery can have many pathways
that may include
professional clinical treatment; use of medications; support from families and in schools;
faith-based
approaches; peer support; and other approaches.
✔✔What are the four dimensions that support recovery, according to SAMHSA? -
✔✔Health, home, purpose, and community
✔✔What are the guiding principles of recovery as defined by SAMHSA? - ✔✔Ten
guiding principles of recovery as defined by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA).
1. Recovery emerges from hope
2. Recovery is person‐driven
3. Recovery occurs via many pathways
4. Recovery is holistic
5. Recovery is supported by peers and allies
6. Recovery is supported through relationships and social networks
7. Recovery is culturally based and influenced
8. Recovery is supported by addressing trauma
9. Recovery involves individual, family, and community strengths and responsibilities
10. Recovery is based on respect
2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is 42 CFR Part 2? - ✔✔A Federal rule called 42 CFR Part 2 protects the
confidentiality of substance abuse patient records from
disclosure without express patient consent. The regulations apply to records created by
federally assisted
programs for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). With limited exceptions,
42 CFR Part 2
requires written (not verbal) patient consent for disclosures of protected health
information even for the
purposes of treatment, payment, or health care operations.
✔✔What is digital literacy? - ✔✔Use online and virtual tools to provide access to a
range of activation and self-care tools and resources
that the individual may find useful in achieving their whole health goals.
✔✔8 Dimensions of Wellness according to SAMHSA - ✔✔Emotional, Financial, Social,
Spiritual, Occupational, Physical, Intellectual, and Environmental.
✔✔ Person-Centered - ✔✔A person-centered approach is where the person is placed
at the center of the service and treated as a
person first.
✔✔What are the OARS tools in Motivational Interviewing? - ✔✔O Open-ended
questions invite others to "tell their story" in their own words without
leading them in a specific direction (as opposed to questions that can be answered yes
or no). Be cautious about asking too many questions as it can damage the peer
relationship.
A Affirmations are statements and gestures that recognize a person's strengths and
acknowledge behaviors that lead in the direction of positive change, no matter how
large or small.
R Reflections/ Reflective listening ensures that the person's words are interpreted
correctly and their inner wisdom is respected.
S Summaries are a type of reflective listening which helps to ensure that there is clear
communication between the speaker and listener. Summaries can provide a stepping
stone towards change.
Reflections/
✔✔What is the tool "Elicit- Provide-Elicit" in Motivational Interviewing? - ✔✔Elicit—Ask
permission to give information or ask which information the person is asking for.
● "Would it be all right if I tell you about a few self-help support groups that have worked
for other people?'
● "Would you like to know about....?"
● "What would you like to know about....?"
, ✔✔What are whole health goals? - ✔✔Whole person health involves looking at the
whole person instead of looking at health as fragments of
diseases, symptoms and problems. It is shifting from only thinking about 'What is the
matter with you?'
to thinking about what matters to you.
✔✔What are the basic five stages in the recovery process? - ✔✔Pre-Contemplation Not
ready
Contemplation Getting ready
Preparation Ready
Action Making change
Maintenance Keeping up change
✔✔What is "recovery" according to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services
Administration
(SAMHSA)? - ✔✔SAMHSA definition: "A process of change through which individuals
improve their health and wellness,
live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential." This definition does not
describe recovery as an end state, but rather as a process. Complete symptom
remission is neither a prerequisite of
recovery nor a necessary outcome of the process. Recovery can have many pathways
that may include
professional clinical treatment; use of medications; support from families and in schools;
faith-based
approaches; peer support; and other approaches.
✔✔What are the four dimensions that support recovery, according to SAMHSA? -
✔✔Health, home, purpose, and community
✔✔What are the guiding principles of recovery as defined by SAMHSA? - ✔✔Ten
guiding principles of recovery as defined by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA).
1. Recovery emerges from hope
2. Recovery is person‐driven
3. Recovery occurs via many pathways
4. Recovery is holistic
5. Recovery is supported by peers and allies
6. Recovery is supported through relationships and social networks
7. Recovery is culturally based and influenced
8. Recovery is supported by addressing trauma
9. Recovery involves individual, family, and community strengths and responsibilities
10. Recovery is based on respect
