support to understand addiction while connecting with community Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) Program Class Notes

resources.
Introduction

Four Key Domains of the CRPA

Advocacy- What is means to be an advocate for an individual.

What is Recovery?

Ethical Responsibility- The ethical considerations that come into play

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration’s
and how one follows a strong ethical framework of the profession.
(SAMHSA) working definition of recovery is:

Education & Mentoring- Being a positive and professional role model

“A process of change through which individuals improve their health
to support the skill development of an individual.
and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full

Recovery & Wellness- Setting achievable goals to create a wellness potential.”

plan with the individual while using your own experience to support
Four Dimensions of Recovery
progress along their wellness plan.
Health: Learning to overcome, manage or more successfully live with

the symptoms and making healthy choices that support one’s physical

and emotional wellbeing;

Home: A stable and safe place to live;

Purpose: Meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteer

work, or creative endeavors; and increased ability to live a self-directed

life; and meaningful engagement in society, and;

Community: Relationships and social networks that provide support,

friendship, love, and hope.

Defining the CRPA Role

“A person who helps remove personal and environmental obstacles to

recovery, links the newly recovering person to the recovering

community, and serves as a personal guide and mentor in the Pathways to Recovery

management of personal and family recovery.”(William White)

There are many different pathways to recovery. CRPA’s support

Use of Lived Experience individuals in any path they choose. There is no wrong choice. Some

of the pathways available are:

CRPA’s identify as persons having a personal or family history of

substance use disorder. This unique combination of experiential Medication-Assisted Treatment: Patients are prescribed and delivered

knowledge (lived experience) and experiential expertise (specialized medication-assisted treatment (Methadone/Suboxone) to manage

training) enables CRPA’s to assist individuals with their recovery withdrawal symptoms from opioid use disorder. These services are

process without taking on a clinical role. The expectation of the CRPA combined with individual and group counseling as well as referrals to

is to be able to combine the experiential knowledge with the appropriate supports.

experiential expertise to pass the IC&RC exam certifying you to use

12 Step Programs: A fellowship of persons working to achieve and
this knowledge and skills to assist someone in their recovery.
sustain sobriety from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-

CRPA Role & Function step program rooted in peer support, including regular attendance at

group meetings.
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s Recovery

Community Support identified four types of recovery support Harm Reduction Services: Non-abstinent services available to meet the

services: individual “where they are” in active drug addiction. Education and/or

syringe exchange services to minimize risk and harm associated with

1. Emotional Support: Demonstrations of empathy, love, caring,
substance use disorder.
and concern in such activities as peer mentoring and recovery

coaching, as well as recovery support groups. Faith-Based: Services often offered through spiritual/religious

organizations helping the individual to achieve goals of recovery

2. Informational Support: Provision of health and wellness
through connection to spiritual beliefs.
information, educational assistance, and help in acquiring new skills,

ranging from life skills to employment readiness and citizenship Community Members Engaging with Recovery Centers: A setting

restoration. designed to offer persons with substance use disorder, their families,

and members of the community meaningful activities of education and

Clinical CASAC Counselor: Works with the person in recovery to 3. Instrumental Support: Concrete assistance in task accomplishment,

identify treatment goals and progress toward meeting each goal. especially with stressful or unpleasant tasks such as filling out

applications and obtaining entitlements, or providing child care,

Clinical Supervisor: Oversees the Clinical CASAC Counselor to ensure
transportation to support-group meetings, and clothing closets.
compliance with program requirements for the best care of the

individual. 4. Companionship: Helping people in early recovery feel connected

and enjoy being with others, especially in recreational activities in

Program Director: Ensures all members of clinical staff comply with
alcohol and drug-free environments. This assistance is especially
program requirements in the best interest of the individual.
needed in early recovery, when little about abstaining from alcohol or
Nurse-Medical Practitioner: Works with medical staff to ensure the
drugs is reinforced.
individual is medically cleared for treatment, addresses medical
Qualities & Attributes of a CRPA
concerns, and administers medications when appropriate.

• Enthusiasm: Showing strong excitement and active interest.

Medical Director: Oversees all medical staff while ensuring treatment
• Non-Judgmental: Refraining from forming opinions of
facilities remain in compliance with state and federal treatment
someone, especially negative/critical opinions.
guidelines.
• Empathetic: Being sensitive and/or understanding of one’s

experiences.

• Good Listener: Paying attention while showing an active

Additional Recovery Supports interest.

• Culturally Competent: Demonstrating knowledge and

• Family/Friends
sensitivity toward different cultural norms, traditions, and
• Pastor/Spiritual Leader
behaviors.
• Self-Help Sponsor
• Independent: The ability to work individually with the person in
• Mental Health Services
recovery while remaining a valued part of the treatment team.
• Vocational Services
• Understand your Unique Role: Knowledge and competence in
• Housing Services
your abilities as a trained professional with lived experiences to
assist the individual while collaborating with the treatment • Shared Experience

team. • Self-Determination

• Genuine: Providing sincere and honest support of the • Choice

individual. • Dignity of Risk & Right to Fail

• Disclosure and Authenticity: Learning to honestly and • Mutuality

appropriately share your story when necessary while • Non-Hierarchical

maintaining the confidentiality of the individual in recovery. • Authenticity

• Open Minded: Willingness to consider new ideas and reported • Self-Direction

experiences non-judgmentally. • Voluntary

History of The Peer Movement

• Began with the establishment of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Working with The Integrated Treatment Team
in 1935. AA and other 12 step groups continue to support many
In your role as a CRPA, you will work directly with the individual in
individuals in and out of formal treatment.
recovery; however, you will not work alone. Your role requires
• Harm reduction and syringe exchange began in the 1980s.
collaboration with clinical and medical staff to ensure holistic care of
• Peers also work with veterans, in criminal justice, and other
the individual.
settings including faith-based settings.
Integrated Treatment: Bringing together a team of professionals (which
• Faith-based recovery groups serve as a major source of unpaid
includes you: the CRPA) to combine their individual skills in support
peer support.
of the person in recovery.
• The current expansion of peer services allows CRPA’s working

in each of these areas to share knowledge and experience Holistic Care: Supporting the whole person.

meeting the individual where they are. The Integrated Treatment Team

CRPA: Offers support based on treatment goals identified by the

Value of CRPA to Person in Recovery person in recovery and the Clinical CASAC Counselor.