CALMHSA PEER SUPPORT
CERTIFICATIONS PT13 QUESTIONS
AND ANWERS
What is advocacy? - ✔✔Action in favor of a cause or others
What is empowerment? - ✔✔Becoming stronger and more confident in controlling one's
life
What is stigma? - ✔✔A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance,
quality, or person
What is the importance of documentation in PSS role? - ✔✔Proof of encounters and
external resources for elevated service needs
What are the elements of documentation? - ✔✔Date, duration, names of individuals
involved, brief explanation of peer support provided
What is collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Procedure where clients and professionals
collaborate to record evaluations, treatment plans, and progress notes
What is collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Client-centered therapy paradigm that
involves client participation in decision-making.
What is the purpose of collaborative documentation? - ✔✔To ensure that the client's
individual requirements and goals are met during treatment.
Is collaborative documentation an evidenced based practice? - ✔✔No, it is merely a
method for accomplishing service documentation.
How is the peer involved in the documentation process? - ✔✔Documentation 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? -
✔✔Worrying about private material being recorded.
What is the responsibility of trained peer specialists when it comes to protecting their
peer's privacy? - ✔✔Ensuring privacy and confidentiality.
What is the requirement for trained peer specialists to inform their peers about? -
✔✔Employer policy, including specific information.
,What should a certified peer specialist do when a situation arises where private
information needs to be recorded? - ✔✔Let 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? -
✔✔Person-centered, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented.
Why is documentation important? - ✔✔It reflects the client service and journey.
What are the areas that effective progress notes should cover? - ✔✔Assessment,
treatment planning, interactions, and services progress.
Who are progress notes useful to? - ✔✔Patient, clinician, and others involved in the
patient's care.
What is the advice for certified peer experts when it comes to program requirements? -
✔✔Meet with their manager right away to go over all program requirements.
What should effective progress notes be? - ✔✔Readable, objective, and explain the
service necessity.
What should trained peer experts do when their notes contradict the standards
established by employers or funding agencies? - ✔✔Talk 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? - ✔✔Additional training.
What should you remember about your progress notes? - ✔✔Client may ask to see
them, subject to subpoena, may need to defend actions before payor source.
Why does documentation matter? - ✔✔It is legal and supports reimbursement, should
have a readable storyline.
What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Improved outcomes, shared
decision making, increased satisfaction, compliance, productivity, and quality
assurance.
What is the final note about documentation? - ✔✔It is legal and must adhere to
professional standards, supports reimbursement for PSS services.
What is collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Client-involved decision-making process in
treatment.
,What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Enhances 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? - ✔✔Establishing
treatment objectives with the client; reviewing and revising documentation with the
client.
What does collaborative documentation allow for? - ✔✔Continuous monitoring and
adjustments to interventions; reviewing documentation with the client at the end of every
session.
What is the Seven Percent Rule? - ✔✔Approximately 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? -
✔✔Their comfort level; starting with shared treatment objectives.
What is Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Collaborating with clients to document
session objectives and progress
What are some benefits of Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Enhancing
understanding of session progress, improving client engagement and support in
decision-making
What are some obstacles clients may face with Collaborative Documentation? -
✔✔Feeling like it takes away from therapy time, not seeing its relevance to their care
How can practitioners address client concerns with Collaborative Documentation? -
✔✔Reviewing benefits, such as enhancing understanding of session progress
What principles can practitioners apply when clients disagree with their observations? -
✔✔Agree to disagree, be transparent, utilize partial documentation when appropriate
What did the Los Angeles County DMH's pilot program find about Collaborative
Documentation? - ✔✔It 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? - ✔✔Handwritten 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? - ✔✔Positive client responses, leading to a greater sense of trust and
empowerment
What was the reported response of Full Service Partnership Programs to Collaborative
Documentation? - ✔✔Positive response of field-based clients, but difficult due to
unpredictable environment
What was the reported challenge with office-based Collaborative Documentation? -
✔✔Children's impatience and inattention
What was a common challenge reported with adults and Collaborative Documentation?
- ✔✔Client's inability to see the computer screen while documenting collaboratively
What is Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Process of practitioners and clients working
together to document assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes.
What is the 7% rule? - ✔✔Only 7% of clients in community mental health may not be
suitable for Collaborative Documentation.
How can practitioners adapt Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔In their own way,
gradually using it with selected clients.
What are some challenges in using Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Client
hesitancy, addressing common client concerns, and overcoming the learning curve.
What settings have had success with Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Urgent 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? - ✔✔To
aid in own healing and best serve clients
What is the role of a Peer Support Specialist? - ✔✔To offer discreet and anonymous
services and crisis counseling
What is the exception to confidentiality? - ✔✔Immediate supervisor, crisis counselors,
public safety personnel in imminent danger
What should a PSS do before disclosing personal information? - ✔✔Obtain client's
consent
What are the State and Local Regulations on Mandatory Reporting? - ✔✔Observe local
and state reporting requirements when there is suicide or homicidal intent.
CERTIFICATIONS PT13 QUESTIONS
AND ANWERS
What is advocacy? - ✔✔Action in favor of a cause or others
What is empowerment? - ✔✔Becoming stronger and more confident in controlling one's
life
What is stigma? - ✔✔A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance,
quality, or person
What is the importance of documentation in PSS role? - ✔✔Proof of encounters and
external resources for elevated service needs
What are the elements of documentation? - ✔✔Date, duration, names of individuals
involved, brief explanation of peer support provided
What is collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Procedure where clients and professionals
collaborate to record evaluations, treatment plans, and progress notes
What is collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Client-centered therapy paradigm that
involves client participation in decision-making.
What is the purpose of collaborative documentation? - ✔✔To ensure that the client's
individual requirements and goals are met during treatment.
Is collaborative documentation an evidenced based practice? - ✔✔No, it is merely a
method for accomplishing service documentation.
How is the peer involved in the documentation process? - ✔✔Documentation 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? -
✔✔Worrying about private material being recorded.
What is the responsibility of trained peer specialists when it comes to protecting their
peer's privacy? - ✔✔Ensuring privacy and confidentiality.
What is the requirement for trained peer specialists to inform their peers about? -
✔✔Employer policy, including specific information.
,What should a certified peer specialist do when a situation arises where private
information needs to be recorded? - ✔✔Let 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? -
✔✔Person-centered, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented.
Why is documentation important? - ✔✔It reflects the client service and journey.
What are the areas that effective progress notes should cover? - ✔✔Assessment,
treatment planning, interactions, and services progress.
Who are progress notes useful to? - ✔✔Patient, clinician, and others involved in the
patient's care.
What is the advice for certified peer experts when it comes to program requirements? -
✔✔Meet with their manager right away to go over all program requirements.
What should effective progress notes be? - ✔✔Readable, objective, and explain the
service necessity.
What should trained peer experts do when their notes contradict the standards
established by employers or funding agencies? - ✔✔Talk 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? - ✔✔Additional training.
What should you remember about your progress notes? - ✔✔Client may ask to see
them, subject to subpoena, may need to defend actions before payor source.
Why does documentation matter? - ✔✔It is legal and supports reimbursement, should
have a readable storyline.
What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Improved outcomes, shared
decision making, increased satisfaction, compliance, productivity, and quality
assurance.
What is the final note about documentation? - ✔✔It is legal and must adhere to
professional standards, supports reimbursement for PSS services.
What is collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Client-involved decision-making process in
treatment.
,What are the benefits of collaborative documentation? - ✔✔Enhances 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? - ✔✔Establishing
treatment objectives with the client; reviewing and revising documentation with the
client.
What does collaborative documentation allow for? - ✔✔Continuous monitoring and
adjustments to interventions; reviewing documentation with the client at the end of every
session.
What is the Seven Percent Rule? - ✔✔Approximately 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? -
✔✔Their comfort level; starting with shared treatment objectives.
What is Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Collaborating with clients to document
session objectives and progress
What are some benefits of Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Enhancing
understanding of session progress, improving client engagement and support in
decision-making
What are some obstacles clients may face with Collaborative Documentation? -
✔✔Feeling like it takes away from therapy time, not seeing its relevance to their care
How can practitioners address client concerns with Collaborative Documentation? -
✔✔Reviewing benefits, such as enhancing understanding of session progress
What principles can practitioners apply when clients disagree with their observations? -
✔✔Agree to disagree, be transparent, utilize partial documentation when appropriate
What did the Los Angeles County DMH's pilot program find about Collaborative
Documentation? - ✔✔It 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? - ✔✔Handwritten 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? - ✔✔Positive client responses, leading to a greater sense of trust and
empowerment
What was the reported response of Full Service Partnership Programs to Collaborative
Documentation? - ✔✔Positive response of field-based clients, but difficult due to
unpredictable environment
What was the reported challenge with office-based Collaborative Documentation? -
✔✔Children's impatience and inattention
What was a common challenge reported with adults and Collaborative Documentation?
- ✔✔Client's inability to see the computer screen while documenting collaboratively
What is Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Process of practitioners and clients working
together to document assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes.
What is the 7% rule? - ✔✔Only 7% of clients in community mental health may not be
suitable for Collaborative Documentation.
How can practitioners adapt Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔In their own way,
gradually using it with selected clients.
What are some challenges in using Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Client
hesitancy, addressing common client concerns, and overcoming the learning curve.
What settings have had success with Collaborative Documentation? - ✔✔Urgent 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? - ✔✔To
aid in own healing and best serve clients
What is the role of a Peer Support Specialist? - ✔✔To offer discreet and anonymous
services and crisis counseling
What is the exception to confidentiality? - ✔✔Immediate supervisor, crisis counselors,
public safety personnel in imminent danger
What should a PSS do before disclosing personal information? - ✔✔Obtain client's
consent
What are the State and Local Regulations on Mandatory Reporting? - ✔✔Observe local
and state reporting requirements when there is suicide or homicidal intent.
