SECTION 354.3051. Minimum Qualifications

(a) A peer specialist must:

(1) be at least 18 years of age;

(2) have lived experience;

(3) have a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED);

(4) be willing to appropriately share his own recovery story with recipients;

(5) be able to demonstrate current self-directed recovery; and

(6) pass criminal history and registry checks as described in §354.3201 of this subchapter (relating to Criminal History and Registry Checks).

(b) A person certified in Texas on the date this rule is initially effective may apply to a certification entity to be grandfathered into certification under this subchapter.

(1) A request under this subsection must meet the requirements of §354.3203(a) of this subchapter (relating to Procedures for Peer Specialist Certification), except as outlined in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.

(2) A person with a certification in good standing with the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals, on the date this rule is initially effective, may apply to a certification entity to be grandfathered into peer specialist certification under this subchapter, with the designation of Recovery Support Peer Specialist. A person requesting to be grandfathered under this paragraph is exempt from the initial certification and supervised work experience requirements in §354.3205 of this subchapter (relating to Initial Peer Specialist Certification).

(3) A person with a certification in good standing with Via Hope, on the date this rule is initially effective, may apply to a certification entity to be grandfathered into peer specialist certification under this subchapter, with the designation of Mental Health Peer Specialist. A person requesting to be grandfathered in under this paragraph must submit documentation of at least 250 hours of supervised work experience. If the person does not have, or cannot document, at least 250 hours of supervised work experience, the certification entity may offer that person an initial certification under §354.3205 of this subchapter.

(c) A certification entity must ensure that each applicant for certification meets the requirements in subsection (a) or (b) of this section.

(d) A peer specialist must complete required training and be certified under this subchapter before providing services under this subchapter. A peer specialist must remain certified in good standing under this subchapter to provide services under this subchapter. The required training does not apply to a person grandfathered into certification under subsection (b) of this section.

Source Note: The provisions of this §354.3051 adopted to be effective January 1, 2019, 43 TexReg 8573