Reentry Continuing Education
Like all professions, Reentry Peer Specialists benefit from learning new information after their initial certification training to best support themselves and the people they work with. Via Hope is committed to providing opportunities for quality continuing education.
What is a CEU? How many CEUs do I need? How long do I have to receive them?
A Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a unit of credit equal to one hour of participation time in an approved training event that provides knowledge or skills to support a peer specialist in their daily work.
A Reentry Peer Specialist Certification is valid for a period of twenty-four months (two years) from the date the certification is issued. During that period, a peer specialist is required to acquire a minimum of twenty (20) Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
How can I receive CEUs specifically for Reentry Peer Specialists?
Reentry Peer Specialists can receive CEUs by attending a number of different approved events for peer specialists. These approved events may take the form of conferences, webinars, classroom style training, or Via Hope continuing education trainings.
What is a Via Hope Endorsement training?
Via Hope offers a number of different continuing education trainings for Peer Specialists throughout the year. Here are some of our basic offerings:
Community Reentry. This training provides a grounding in the knowledge, skills and tools needed by a Certified Peer Specialist to effectively support a peer’s transition from a community of confinement and incarceration to a community of choice. 16 CEUs
For more information on Community Reentry training.
Co-Occurring Challenges. This training is designed for both Mental Health Peer Specialists and Peer Recovery Support Specialists to give an overview of how to provide peer support to people experiencing substance use and mental health challenges. 14 CEUs
For more information on Co-Occurring Challenges training.
Peer Specialist Whole Health & Resiliency. This training offers a foundation in Whole Health concepts and planning tools for Certified Peer Specialists to use as part of their daily work. 8.5 CEUs
For more information on Peer Specialist Whole Health & Resiliency training.
Trauma-Informed Peer Support. This training is designed to educate peer specialists on the impact of trauma across the lifespan and to support those they are working with to address trauma in an intentional and informed manner. 20.75 CEUs
For more information on Trauma-Informed Peer Support training.
Group Facilitation. A Peer-Based Approach for anyone who currently facilitates peer-led groups or those who would like to facilitate peer-led groups (i.e. groups where the facilitator has shared lived experience with the group members). 13.5 CEUs
For more information on Group Facilitation
Healing-Centered Peer Support. This training provides participants with a foundation for understanding what trauma is, how trauma impacts people and communities, what healing looks like, and how peers can use these concepts and their own lived experience to best support people who are navigating trauma and/or exploring healing. 19 CEUs.
YAYAPS. Youth and Young Adult Peer Support is a 3‐day interactive training designed for Peer Specialists who already have experience in the field. The purpose of this training is to gain new skills and experiences to better support youth and young adults as peer specialists. 19.5 CEUs (14.5 and 5 Ethics)
Via Hope also provides self-paced/online Continuing Education Unit opportunities: Click Here