MEDI-CALPEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST
EVALUATION EXAMS ALL QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔lived experience - ✔✔an individual's first-hand experience with a mental health
and/or substance use challenges, including the process of recovery and engagement of
resiliency within that experience.
✔✔Medi-Cal - ✔✔California's Medicaid health care program that includes a variety of
medical services for children and adults with a qualifying income or medical condition.
✔✔Medi-Cal peer support specialist - ✔✔an individual who is 18 years of age or older,
who has self-identified as having lived experience with the process of recovery from
mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of these services
or as a parent or family member of the consumer, and who has been granted
certification under a county Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program.
✔✔Medi-Cal peer support specialist services - ✔✔culturally appropriate services that
promote engagement, socialization, recovery, self-sufficiency, self-advocacy,
development of natural supports, and identification of strengths. Medi-Cal Peer Support
Specialist services include, but are not limited to, prevention services, support,
, coaching, facilitation, or education that is individualized and is conducted by a certified
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist.
✔✔natural supports - ✔✔the personal connections to an individual's community that
enhances the quality of their life.
✔✔out-of-state reciprocity - ✔✔the recognition that an individual has received
certification for peer support from another state and they meet the qualifications
specified under the policies in this document.
✔✔peer - ✔✔persons who share similar understanding of experiences with mental
health and/or substance use challenges.
✔✔peer support specialist - ✔✔an individual who is 18 years of age or older, who has
self-identified as having lived experience with the process of recovery from mental
illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of these services or as a
parent or family member of the consumer, and who has been granted certification under
a county peer support specialist certification program (Senate Bill 803, Beall).
✔✔prevalent languages - ✔✔a non-English language identified by the California
Department of Health Care Services as a threshold language under the state's Medi-Cal
programs.
✔✔recertification - ✔✔meeting the requirements set forth in this policy for renewal of
one's Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification. The recertification occurs in two-
year intervals.
✔✔recovery - ✔✔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 process
of change recognizes cultural diversity and inclusion and honors the different routes to
resilience and recovery based on the individual and their cultural community.
✔✔resiliency - ✔✔an individual's capacity to successfully meet life's challenges,
nurtured to have a sense of self-determination, mastery and hope.
✔✔training entity - ✔✔an organization that has received approval from the Certifying
Entity to provide training for the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program.
✔✔trauma focused - ✔✔maintaining awareness of the impact traumatic experiences
may have on an individual and the influence this trauma may have on the choices they
make in their life.
✔✔valid certificate - ✔✔a certificate that is active, in good standing, and is not expired,
suspended, revoked or inactive.
EVALUATION EXAMS ALL QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔lived experience - ✔✔an individual's first-hand experience with a mental health
and/or substance use challenges, including the process of recovery and engagement of
resiliency within that experience.
✔✔Medi-Cal - ✔✔California's Medicaid health care program that includes a variety of
medical services for children and adults with a qualifying income or medical condition.
✔✔Medi-Cal peer support specialist - ✔✔an individual who is 18 years of age or older,
who has self-identified as having lived experience with the process of recovery from
mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of these services
or as a parent or family member of the consumer, and who has been granted
certification under a county Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program.
✔✔Medi-Cal peer support specialist services - ✔✔culturally appropriate services that
promote engagement, socialization, recovery, self-sufficiency, self-advocacy,
development of natural supports, and identification of strengths. Medi-Cal Peer Support
Specialist services include, but are not limited to, prevention services, support,
, coaching, facilitation, or education that is individualized and is conducted by a certified
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist.
✔✔natural supports - ✔✔the personal connections to an individual's community that
enhances the quality of their life.
✔✔out-of-state reciprocity - ✔✔the recognition that an individual has received
certification for peer support from another state and they meet the qualifications
specified under the policies in this document.
✔✔peer - ✔✔persons who share similar understanding of experiences with mental
health and/or substance use challenges.
✔✔peer support specialist - ✔✔an individual who is 18 years of age or older, who has
self-identified as having lived experience with the process of recovery from mental
illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of these services or as a
parent or family member of the consumer, and who has been granted certification under
a county peer support specialist certification program (Senate Bill 803, Beall).
✔✔prevalent languages - ✔✔a non-English language identified by the California
Department of Health Care Services as a threshold language under the state's Medi-Cal
programs.
✔✔recertification - ✔✔meeting the requirements set forth in this policy for renewal of
one's Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification. The recertification occurs in two-
year intervals.
✔✔recovery - ✔✔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 process
of change recognizes cultural diversity and inclusion and honors the different routes to
resilience and recovery based on the individual and their cultural community.
✔✔resiliency - ✔✔an individual's capacity to successfully meet life's challenges,
nurtured to have a sense of self-determination, mastery and hope.
✔✔training entity - ✔✔an organization that has received approval from the Certifying
Entity to provide training for the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program.
✔✔trauma focused - ✔✔maintaining awareness of the impact traumatic experiences
may have on an individual and the influence this trauma may have on the choices they
make in their life.
✔✔valid certificate - ✔✔a certificate that is active, in good standing, and is not expired,
suspended, revoked or inactive.
