Certified Peer Support Specialists Training and Engagement |
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Association for Peer Support |
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The Association for Peer Support is a membership-driven program that provides national leadership to strengthen peer support practice and advance the peer support workforce. With the dissolution of a former national organization, the peer support community reached out — and we responded by stepping forward to help organize, support, and grow this vital field. Peer support is now the fastest-growing direct service workforce in behavioral health care, and it has always been at the heart of the Copeland Center’s mission and values. |
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| Peer Specialist Webinar Series When Someone Needs You: Tools for Staying Well While Supporting Others |
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| This 1-hour webinar introduces the evidence-based Taking Action for First Responders program, which provides practical tools. Participants will explore strategies for managing stress, building resilience, maintaining healthy boundaries, and creating a personalized approach to wellbeing that can be used both during challenging moments and in everyday life. Grounded in peer support values and a strengths-based approach, this session recognizes that wellbeing looks different for every individual. Participants will leave with practical ideas, actionable wellness tools, and renewed confidence in their ability to care for themselves while continuing to show up for others.
Date/Time: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, 2:00pm Join Link: Click here to register |
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Certified Peer Specialist Training |
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Join experienced Copeland Center trainers for PA Certified Peer Specialist Training. This training prepares participants to sit for the PA Certification Board Exam and to enter the workforce as a certified peer support specialist. This course utilizes experiential learning methods that incorporates hands on practice, sharing, and reflecting. This approach effectively brings the philosophy and research of peer support into practical application that can be used for a successful career. We learn about practices and applications for future roles and relationships as we practice those skills in an environment that honors the relationship, values, and ethics of Peer Support.
*You must attend all in-person sessions, online (Zoom) sessions, and complete 10 hours of independent study work (Canvas platform) to receive a certificate Technology Requirements: • Computer • Video Camera for Zoom sessions • Computer microphone or phone (to call into the Zoom session).
*This course cannot be completed using a phone. Cameras must be on during all Zoom sessions. This course fulfills the prerequisite to enroll in Taking Action Facilitator Training. The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery is an approved CPS training vendor by the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and the Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB). Email afernandez@copelandcenter.com if you have questions. |
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| Time and Dates for Lebanon:
- September 30-October 2: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
- October 5-9: Online 9:00am - 1:00pm ET
- October 19-21: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
Join Link: Click here to register |
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| Time and Dates for Chambersburg:
- September 30-October 2: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
- October 5-9: Online 9:00am - 1:00pm ET
- October 19-21: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
Join Link: Click here to register |
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| Time and Dates for Pottsville:
- October 21-23: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
- October 26-30: Online 9:00am - 1:00pm ET
- November 2-4: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
Join Link: Click here to register |
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| Time and Dates for Allentown:
- November 4-6 In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
- November 9-13: Online 9:00am - 1:00pm ET
- November 16-18: In-Person 9:00am - 5:00pm
Join Link: Click here to register |
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Taking Action for Whole Health and Well-Being |
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Step into a dynamic online learning experience that supports your own wellness while equipping you with tools you can put into practice right away. Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing is an evidence-based, peer support program that combines practical strategies for mental, physical, and emotional health with the core values of hope, self-determination, and mutual learning.
Beginning in September 2026, this five-session interactive co-facilitated course invites you to strengthen daily wellness practices, build resilience, and develop personalized action plans that support lasting change. You’ll engage in meaningful conversations, reflect on what matters most to you, and learn approaches you can use in your work and community.
Dates: Sept. 17 | Sept. 24 | Sept. 24 | Oct. 1 | Oct. 8 Time: 1:00-3:30pm Join Link: Click here to register |
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| Peer Specialist Webinar Sacred Threads: Learning to Lead, to Love, to Serve |
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Sacred Threads is a highly interactive learning community designed for people who are ready to move beyond inspiration and into transformation. Participants will have the unique opportunity to learn alongside—and be guided by—three extraordinary co-facilitators: Nyla Christian, Jonathan P. Edwards, and Julius E. Rhodes, nationally respected thought leaders whose diverse perspectives, lived experience, and deep expertise create a rich, engaging, and transformative learning environment. Together, they will facilitate meaningful dialogue, reflection, and practical application that empowers participants to grow as leaders, strengthen authentic relationships, and create lasting personal and community impact. Dates/Times: October 8, 15, & 22, 2026, 2:00-4:00pm Join Link: Click here to register |
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Evidence-Based Self-Help and Peer Support Approach to Wellness and Recovery |
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| Presenting the updated Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) materials on Taking Action: An Evidence-Based Self-Help and Peer Support Approach to Wellness and Recovery (4-part series). These updated workbooks provide additional tools, structured exercises, and practical applications that you can immediately integrate into your work with individuals and groups. Designed to strengthen self-awareness, daily wellness practices, and action planning, the materials build on the core values of hope, self-determination, personal responsibility, and mutual learning. Best of all, the new workbooks are in the public domain and available for download at no cost, making them accessible to communities everywhere.
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| SAMHSA Offers Free Webinars for Peer Supports and Peer Supervisors
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a wide variety of trainings free of charge on their website. These can be for Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) and providers to broaden their skills while working in the community. SAMSHA also provides a Spanish translated free handout on the value of Peer Supports.
Available Trainings:
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| If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. The Peer Warmline is available 24/7. It is free and confidential. Call 1-855-PEERS NC (1-855-733-7762). |
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Call, text, or chat the 988 Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline is a 24/7 free, confidential mental health hotline that connects individuals in need of support. |
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The CHESS Connections App is staffed by Certified Peer Support Specialists with lived experience. It offers free, 24/7 support. |
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