The certified behavioral health peer support specialist workforce has faced many challenges since its inception 8 years ago. We fought to establish ourselves in the behavioral health system, we have had to educate and inform the public, and we have had to grow the workforce. MPN has been training peer supporters since 2015 long before certification went into effect in 2018. The basis for the training then and now is the National Practice Standards from SAMHSA. We have trained more than one thousand peer supporters during the last ten years which has provided us with a unique perspective on the workforce. We are not new to the game as are some of the other trainers. Nor are we from out of state here to get wealthy, then disappear after we get a check. We want to see a strong behavioral health peer support workforce now and into the future. In order to do that there needs to be a platform for identifying and addressing the issues. Montana lacks that platform. One that is free from outside influence. At MPN, we have tried many times over the years to participate in such an effort only for it to get corrupted, forcing us to step away. In this article I have broken down the most notable challenges in the behavioral health peer support workforce and some possible solutions.

At the time of this article there are 210 certified behavioral health peer support specialists in Montana. Since the first peer supporter was certified by the board of behavioral health in September of 2018, there have been a total of 400 peer supporters certified. Roughly half or 50% are still working today. The other way to look at it is 50% or half are not. Losing half of its workforce in just over 5 years is not a sign of a healthy workforce. Historically MPN trains around 100 peer supporters a year, half of those who complete Peer Support 101 will not go onto get certified. Which is a topic for another article. Half of those who do complete training and are certified will not be for long. The CBHPSS workforce in Montana needs additional support.

Whether you are a Certified Behavioral Health Peer Support Specialist, Family Peer Supporter, Recovery Coach or other peer support professional, continuing education is vital. Participating in professional development opportunities and skills trainings ensure that services remain effective, relevant, and capable of providing the highest quality support.

Mentoring is a practice that has been an integral part of human development for centuries, dating back to the earliest civilizations. It involves an experienced individual providing guidance, support, and knowledge to a less experienced person, helping them navigate their personal and professional journeys. The advantages of mentoring are numerous and far-reaching, benefiting both the mentor and the mentee, as well as organizations and society as a whole. In this essay, we will delve into the many advantages of mentoring, exploring how this valuable practice promotes personal and professional growth, knowledge transfer, and the development of strong, lasting relationships.