Arizona Peer Support & Medicaid Guide

Arizona has a well-developed peer support system within its Medicaid behavioral health infrastructure. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, commonly known as AHCCCS, recognizes peer support as a covered behavioral health service and establishes statewide requirements for the people who deliver reimbursable peer services.

Arizona’s primary peer workforce role is the Peer and Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS). PRSS professionals use their own lived experience with behavioral health challenges, mental health recovery, substance use recovery, or related experiences to help other people pursue recovery.

Arizona separately recognizes Credentialed Family Support Partners (CFSPs) who use lived experience as family members or caregivers to support families navigating behavioral health systems.

To deliver covered peer support services as a PRSS, an individual must complete an AHCCCS-recognized Peer Support Employment Training Program and pass a competency examination.

Peer professionals may work in behavioral health organizations, substance use disorder programs, community service agencies, peer-run organizations, crisis programs, opioid treatment programs, hospitals, recovery organizations, integrated care programs, and other community settings.

Coverage of peer support does not mean that every PRSS may independently enroll and bill AHCCCS. Reimbursement depends on the service, provider organization, member eligibility, staff qualifications, supervision, service planning, documentation, coding, and health plan requirements.

Arizona Peer Support Quick Facts

Category	Arizona overview
State Medicaid program	Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
Medicaid coverage	Peer and family support are covered behavioral health support services
Primary peer role	Peer and Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS)
Family peer role	Credentialed Family Support Partner (CFSP)
Primary peer authority	AHCCCS
Peer training	AHCCCS-recognized Peer Support Employment Training Program
Competency requirement	PRSS candidates must complete recognized training and pass a competency exam
Primary peer policy	AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual 963
Family support policy	AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual 964
Common peer service code	H0038
Group peer support	H0038 with applicable group modifier
Medicaid delivery structure	AHCCCS Complete Care plans, ACC-RBHAs, Tribal Regional Behavioral Health Authorities, and other eligible provider structures
Peer-run providers	Recognized within Arizona’s behavioral health system
Common workplaces	Behavioral health agencies, SUD programs, OTPs, crisis programs, peer-run organizations, community programs
Major state agency	AHCCCS
Last reviewed	August 2026

What Is Peer Support?

AHCCCS describes peer support as a behavioral health service for members who may benefit from more individualized support than natural supports or community recovery groups alone can provide.

Peer support is delivered by people who bring their own experience of behavioral health recovery into a professional helping relationship.

Arizona calls these professionals Peer and Recovery Support Specialists.

PRSS professionals use lived experience intentionally to:

Promote recovery
Build hope
Reduce isolation
Help people identify needs
Help people identify recovery goals
Build practical recovery skills
Connect individuals with community resources
Support education and employment goals
Navigate behavioral health services
Overcome barriers to services
Provide coaching
Model recovery
Mentor participants
Facilitate support groups
Partner with other healthcare professionals

Peer support is distinct from traditional clinical treatment.

PRSS professionals may work alongside therapists, physicians, nurses, case managers, substance use counselors, social workers, and other professionals, but the peer role is grounded in lived experience and recovery rather than clinical authority.

Peer professionals generally do not diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, provide psychotherapy, or represent themselves as licensed clinicians unless they separately possess an applicable professional license and are acting within that role.

Peer and Recovery Support Specialists in Arizona

What Is a Peer and Recovery Support Specialist?

A Peer and Recovery Support Specialist, commonly abbreviated PRSS, is a person who uses their lived experience with behavioral health recovery to support other people.

AHCCCS states that peer support services can only be delivered by a PRSS under its covered behavioral health peer-support framework.

PRSS professionals may have lived experience involving:

Mental health challenges
Substance use disorders
Behavioral health treatment
Recovery
Criminal justice involvement
Opioid use disorder
Other behavioral health experiences

Arizona’s training system allows recognized programs to maintain specialized areas of emphasis while still meeting AHCCCS requirements.

What Does an Arizona PRSS Do?

Depending on the program and participant, a PRSS may:

Build supportive peer relationships
Help identify recovery goals
Share lived experience appropriately
Reduce isolation
Support self-advocacy
Help participants understand behavioral health challenges
Support treatment engagement
Help overcome service barriers
Connect people with community resources
Explore education opportunities
Explore employment opportunities
Facilitate peer groups
Provide mentoring
Provide coaching
Model recovery
Support community participation
Assist with transitions
Participate in behavioral health teams
Support recovery planning
Document peer services when required

The precise role depends on the provider organization, service plan, payer, member needs, and applicable AHCCCS requirements.

Arizona PRSS Credentialing

Arizona’s PRSS system differs from states where a single outside certification board issues a universal peer credential.

AHCCCS establishes requirements for PRSS service delivery through the AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual, Policy 963: Peer and Recovery Support Service Provision Requirements.

To become employed as a PRSS in Arizona, an individual must complete an AHCCCS-recognized Peer Support Employment Training Program and pass a competency examination.

AHCCCS maintains a current directory of recognized training programs.

Programs may differ in:

Training schedule
Delivery format
Admission requirements
Cost
Specialized curriculum
Population focus
Recovery emphasis

However, recognized programs must satisfy AHCCCS requirements.

Source: AHCCCS Peer/Recovery Support Specialist Credentialing

Peer Support Employment Training Programs

Arizona uses a decentralized training model.

Instead of requiring everyone to attend one state-operated course, AHCCCS recognizes qualifying Peer Support Employment Training Programs offered by organizations throughout Arizona.

All recognized programs cover core behavioral health and substance use topics.

Some programs also specialize in areas such as:

Criminal justice involvement
Opioid use disorder
Specific communities
Recovery populations
Other behavioral health experiences

Applicants should use AHCCCS’s current list of recognized programs rather than relying on older lists from individual organizations.

AHCCCS currently states that it is not accepting new applications for recognition of additional Peer Support Employment Training Programs.

That restriction applies to organizations seeking recognition as training programs, not to individuals seeking PRSS training through programs that are already recognized.

Is PRSS a State License?

No.

PRSS status should not be described as a clinical professional license.

Arizona establishes credentialing and training requirements for individuals delivering peer support services, but a PRSS is not thereby licensed as a therapist, psychologist, social worker, physician, or other clinical practitioner.

Organizations should distinguish between:

AHCCCS PRSS qualification
Employer requirements
Medicaid service requirements
Professional clinical licensure
Provider enrollment

These are separate concepts.

Family Support in Arizona

Arizona separately recognizes Parent/Family Support Services.

AHCCCS describes Parent/Family Support as a covered Medicaid behavioral health service available to:

Primary caregivers of Medicaid-eligible children
Natural supports of Medicaid-eligible adults

Family support recognizes that caregivers and family members may themselves benefit from assistance from someone who has lived experience navigating behavioral health and public systems.

Credentialed Family Support Partners

Arizona establishes requirements for Credentialed Family Support Partners through AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual Policy 964.

The family support workforce is therefore related to, but distinct from, the PRSS workforce.

A person should not automatically assume that PRSS qualification satisfies CFSP requirements or vice versa.

Family Support Activities

AHCCCS describes family support activities as potentially including:

Connecting with others individually
Participating in groups
Understanding mental health conditions
Understanding substance use disorders
Navigating public systems
Developing coping skills
Developing self-care skills
Developing advocacy skills
Long-term planning
Supporting the individual receiving behavioral health services
Connecting families with resources
Helping families understand available services

Family support is distinct from psychotherapy, clinical family therapy, legal representation, and traditional case management.

PRSS and Family Support: What Is the Difference?

Area	PRSS	Credentialed Family Support Partner
Primary lived experience	Personal behavioral health or recovery experience	Family/caregiver experience
Person supported	Individual receiving behavioral health services	Family member, caregiver, or natural support
Primary AHCCCS policy	AMPM 963	AMPM 964
Core function	Recovery support	Family navigation and support
Clinical role	Nonclinical	Nonclinical
Medicaid coverage	Covered through eligible behavioral health services	Covered through eligible behavioral health services
Training	AHCCCS-recognized PRSS training	AHCCCS-recognized family support pathway
Exact requirements	Depend on current AHCCCS requirements	Depend on current AHCCCS requirements

Some individuals may have both personal recovery and family lived experience.

Organizations should nevertheless classify staff according to the service they are providing and applicable AHCCCS requirements.

Is Peer Support Covered by AHCCCS?

Yes.

AHCCCS explicitly identifies Family & Peer Support as covered behavioral health support services.

Arizona’s Medicaid behavioral health benefit includes a broad continuum of:

Treatment services
Rehabilitation services
Crisis services
Support services
Residential behavioral health services
Behavioral health day programs

Peer and family support fall within the support-service component of this continuum.

Coverage does not mean every interaction with a peer is billable.

Payment may depend on:

AHCCCS eligibility
Covered service
Provider eligibility
PRSS qualification
Service plan
Member needs
Documentation
Procedure code
Units
Modifiers
Place of service
Health plan requirements
Billing limitations

Arizona Medicaid Peer Support Code

Arizona uses H0038 for covered peer support services under its behavioral health coding framework.

Peer services are generally structured around 15-minute service units under current AHCCCS guidance.

Group services may use H0038 with an applicable group modifier.

Providers should use the current AHCCCS Covered Behavioral Health Services Guide rather than relying on historical coding guidance.

This is particularly important because AHCCCS changed its peer-support coding structure effective October 1, 2024.

AHCCCS specifically announced the closure of the prior peer-support per diem code and increased the daily limit applicable to the 15-minute peer-support service code.

Programs building billing workflows should therefore not rely on older references to the historical per diem structure.

Can an Individual PRSS Bill AHCCCS Directly?

Organizations should not assume that a PRSS can independently enroll and bill AHCCCS simply because peer support is a covered Medicaid service.

The PRSS credential establishes that the individual meets requirements to deliver peer support within Arizona’s behavioral health system.

Billing authority is a separate issue.

Organizations should determine:

Who is the enrolled provider?
What provider type is authorized to bill?
Which AHCCCS health plan is responsible?
Does the organization meet applicable provider requirements?
Is the PRSS properly credentialed?
Is the service included in the member’s service plan?
What supervision is required?
What procedure code applies?
What modifiers apply?
What documentation is required?
What billing limitations apply?

Peer certification and Medicaid provider enrollment should not be treated as interchangeable.

AHCCCS Complete Care and Behavioral Health

Most AHCCCS members receive physical and behavioral health services through an AHCCCS Complete Care plan.

Arizona also maintains specialized behavioral health structures involving:

ACC-RBHAs
Tribal Regional Behavioral Health Authorities
Tribal health systems
Other specialized Medicaid arrangements

People with Serious Mental Illness and certain Tribal populations may interact with these structures differently from other AHCCCS members.

Organizations should therefore determine which payer or health plan is responsible for the participant rather than treating AHCCCS as a single fee-for-service payer.

Tribal Behavioral Health and Peer Support

Arizona’s behavioral health system includes Tribal Regional Behavioral Health Authorities and Tribal healthcare organizations.

Current AHCCCS materials identify Tribal behavioral health structures involving:

Navajo Nation
Gila River
White Mountain Apache Tribe
Pascua Yaqui Tribe

Tribal systems may have their own provider networks, community services, culturally grounded recovery approaches, and workforce structures.

Programs serving Tribal communities should not assume that workflows developed for non-Tribal AHCCCS providers automatically apply without modification.

Cultural responsiveness, Tribal governance, local community relationships, and applicable payer structures should be considered.

Peer Support in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

PRSS professionals may work throughout Arizona’s substance use treatment and recovery continuum.

Potential settings include:

Outpatient SUD treatment
Residential programs
Opioid treatment programs
Recovery organizations
Community programs
Harm reduction programs
Justice programs
Hospitals
Crisis programs

AHCCCS specifically identifies peer support as one of the additional services that may be available through Opioid Treatment Programs.

Peer Support in Opioid Treatment Programs

Arizona OTPs may offer:

Medication treatment
Counseling
Case management
Peer support
Other recovery services

PRSS professionals may help people:

Engage in treatment
Remain connected to treatment
Navigate services
Identify recovery goals
Access community supports
Build recovery capital
Address barriers
Connect with multiple pathways of recovery

Peer support remains distinct from prescribing, medication management, counseling, and other clinical OTP functions.

Peer Support and Serious Mental Illness

Peer support plays an important role within Arizona’s system for people designated as having a Serious Mental Illness.

PRSS professionals may help people with SMI:

Navigate services
Participate in treatment planning
Build community connections
Pursue education
Pursue employment
Develop self-advocacy skills
Build natural supports
Manage transitions
Develop recovery goals
Reduce isolation

The existence of an SMI designation does not transform peer support into a clinical service.

The PRSS continues to work from lived experience and recovery-oriented principles.

Peer-Run and Family-Run Organizations

Arizona’s behavioral health system explicitly recognizes organizations operated by peers and family members.

AHCCCS directs members seeking peer- and family-run behavioral health organizations to the Office of Individual and Family Affairs and health plan provider directories.

Peer-run organizations may provide:

Peer support
Recovery groups
Navigation
Advocacy
Education
Community activities
Employment support
Resource connection
Recovery coaching
Wellness activities
Mutual support

The existence of a peer-run organization does not automatically make every activity Medicaid-reimbursable.

Organizations must distinguish between:

Medicaid-covered peer services
Grant-funded services
Community activities
Volunteer activities
Mutual support
Non-billable recovery programming

Peer Support Scope of Practice in Arizona

Arizona peer professionals provide recovery-oriented, nonclinical behavioral health support grounded in lived experience.

Activities Commonly Associated With Peer Support

Depending on the program, PRSS professionals may:

Build relationships
Share lived experience
Promote recovery
Identify recovery goals
Reduce isolation
Provide mentoring
Provide coaching
Model recovery
Facilitate groups
Support self-advocacy
Help navigate services
Connect people with resources
Support education
Support employment
Address service barriers
Support community participation
Support treatment engagement
Help develop natural supports
Participate on care teams
Support transitions
Document peer services

Activities Generally Outside the Peer Role

Unless separately qualified through another professional role, peer workers generally should not:

Diagnose mental health conditions
Diagnose substance use disorders
Provide psychotherapy
Prescribe medication
Practice medicine
Represent themselves as licensed clinicians
Perform restricted clinical assessments
Make medical decisions
Make legal determinations
Perform clinical tasks solely because another professional delegates them
Make eligibility decisions reserved for authorized personnel

Supervision of Peer Professionals

Peer support should include meaningful supervision.

AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual Policy 963 establishes requirements for peer and recovery support service provision, while individual provider organizations and health plans may impose additional requirements.

Supervision should address both compliance and the distinct nature of peer practice.

Administrative Supervision

May address:

Scheduling
Attendance
Caseload
Productivity
Documentation completion
Organizational policies
Billing workflows
Service requirements

Peer Practice Supervision

May address:

Intentional use of lived experience
Mutuality
Boundaries
Ethics
Recovery orientation
Engagement
Self-determination
Role fidelity
Advocacy
Personal wellness

Clinical Consultation

Clinical professionals may provide consultation when issues involve:

Diagnosis
Medication
Clinical risk
Treatment decisions
Medical concerns
Other matters outside peer scope

Clinical consultation should support peer practice rather than transform peer services into clinical treatment.

Questions Organizations Should Answer

Who supervises PRSS staff?
Does the supervisor understand peer practice?
Does the supervisor understand AHCCCS requirements?
How frequently does supervision occur?
Is supervision documented?
How are ethical issues handled?
Who handles clinical escalation?
How does the organization prevent role drift?
How are peer workers supported after difficult encounters?
How is peer fidelity assessed?
How are supervisors trained?

Documentation for Arizona Peer Support Services

Arizona peer programs should document services sufficiently to demonstrate that the covered peer service occurred while preserving recovery-oriented practice.

Documentation requirements may depend on:

AHCCCS
Health plan
Provider organization
Service
Contract
Grant
Member service plan

Common Documentation Elements

A peer support note may include:

Member name or identifier
Date of service
Start and end time
Units
Location
Modality
Peer service delivered
Recovery goal
Peer intervention
Relevant use of lived experience
Resources discussed
Member response
Progress
Follow-up plan
PRSS name
Credential
Signature or attestation

Peer Documentation Should Be

Accurate
Timely
Recovery-oriented
Strengths-based
Respectful
Relevant
Consistent with the peer role
Consistent with the member’s service plan
Limited to necessary information
Compliant with payer requirements

Peer Documentation Should Avoid

Unsupported diagnoses
Stigmatizing language
Clinical interpretations outside peer scope
Unnecessary trauma details
Copying identical notes
Documenting services that did not occur
Personal opinions presented as facts
Irrelevant sensitive information
Writing solely to satisfy a billing code

Documentation and Billing Are Not the Same Thing

A complete note does not automatically create a payable claim.

Payment may also depend on:

AHCCCS eligibility
Health plan
Provider enrollment
PRSS qualification
Covered service
Service planning
Authorization where applicable
Correct code
Correct modifier
Correct units
Place of service
Billing limitations
Timely filing
Contract requirements

Peer and Family Support in Clinical Records

Arizona’s behavioral health quality infrastructure goes beyond merely recognizing peer services.

Current AHCCCS Behavioral Health Clinical Chart Audit guidance looks for evidence that members and families have been informed of and offered peer or family support services, as appropriate.

When a member requests peer or family support, chart-audit guidance also looks for evidence that an appropriate referral was completed and that provider choice was offered.

This makes peer and family support relevant not only as a service-delivery issue but also as part of broader behavioral health quality and documentation workflows.

Arizona peer programs may handle sensitive behavioral health and substance use information.

Depending on the service and provider, requirements may include:

HIPAA
42 CFR Part 2
Arizona law
AHCCCS requirements
Health plan requirements
Organizational policy
Requirements involving minors
Consent requirements
Tribal requirements

Peer workers should receive role-specific training addressing:

Information access
Documentation
Care-team communication
Participant consent
Text messaging
Mobile devices
Telehealth
Emergency disclosures
Legal requests
Substance use records
Social media
Boundaries

Organizations should obtain qualified legal and compliance advice for their specific operations.

Where Peer Support Is Delivered in Arizona

Behavioral Health Provider Organizations

PRSS professionals may work within outpatient and community behavioral health agencies.

Peer-Run Organizations

Arizona has organizations operated by people with lived behavioral health experience that provide recovery-oriented services and community support.

Family-Run Organizations

Family-run organizations may provide navigation, advocacy, education, and Credentialed Family Support Partner services.

Substance Use Disorder Programs

PRSS professionals may support people participating in SUD treatment and recovery services.

Opioid Treatment Programs

AHCCCS specifically identifies peer support as a service that may be available through OTPs.

Crisis Services

Peer professionals may participate in crisis response, crisis stabilization, follow-up, navigation, and recovery-oriented crisis services.

Hospitals and Emergency Departments

Peer workers may support individuals following:

Overdose
Psychiatric crisis
Behavioral health hospitalization
Substance-related emergencies
Other acute events

Serious Mental Illness Services

Peer professionals may support people designated as having SMI throughout Arizona’s behavioral health system.

Tribal Behavioral Health Programs

Peer workers may serve within Tribal and Native-serving behavioral health programs.

Justice and Reentry Programs

Arizona PRSS training programs may include specialized content involving criminal justice, and peer professionals may support people navigating incarceration, reentry, probation, treatment, and community reintegration.

Collegiate Recovery Programs

Universities may use peer mentors, student recovery leaders, or other peer models.

These roles do not automatically qualify as AHCCCS PRSS services simply because they are called peer support.

Starting a Peer Support Program in Arizona

Organizations should begin with the population and service model rather than the billing code.

Step 1: Define the Population

Identify who the program will serve:

Adults with mental health conditions
People with substance use disorders
People with Serious Mental Illness
Youth
Families and caregivers
People with opioid use disorder
People leaving hospitals
People returning from incarceration
Tribal communities
College students
People experiencing homelessness
A specific cultural or geographic population

Step 2: Identify the Appropriate Workforce Role

Determine whether the service requires:

PRSS
Credentialed Family Support Partner
Another behavioral health professional
Community volunteer
Recovery mentor outside Medicaid
Multiple roles

Do not treat PRSS and family support credentials as automatically interchangeable.

Step 3: Define the Peer Relationship

Clarify:

What lived experience is relevant?
How will lived experience be used?
Is support individual or group-based?
Is participation voluntary?
How will participants be matched?
What does mutuality mean?
How will power differences be addressed?
How will boundaries be handled?

Step 4: Identify the Funding Model

Potential funding may include:

AHCCCS
Health plan contracts
State behavioral health funding
Federal block grants
Opioid settlement funding
Federal grants
Hospital funding
Tribal funding
Philanthropy
University contracts
Private payment

Each source may establish different requirements.

Step 5: Confirm Staff Qualifications

Determine:

Required lived experience
AHCCCS-recognized training
Competency examination
Credential status
Continuing education where applicable
Background requirements
Employer requirements
Supervision requirements
Specialized population training

Step 6: Confirm Provider Eligibility

For Medicaid services, determine:

Who is the billing provider?
Is the organization AHCCCS-enrolled?
Which health plan is responsible?
Is the organization eligible to provide the service?
Is the PRSS properly qualified?
Is the service covered?
What supervision applies?
What codes and modifiers apply?

Step 7: Design the Workflow

Map:

Referral
Intake
Eligibility
Consent
Service planning
Assignment
Matching
Scheduling
Service delivery
Documentation
Supervision
Crisis escalation
Follow-up
Transition
Discharge
Outcomes reporting

Step 8: Establish Role Boundaries

Create written policies addressing:

Peer scope
Clinical boundaries
Confidentiality
Crisis response
Transportation
Gifts
Social media
Dual relationships
Communication outside work
Home visits
Staff wellness
Role drift

Step 9: Build Quality Measurement

Useful measures may include:

Referral-to-contact time
Engagement
Retention
Recovery goals
Recovery capital
Community connections
Treatment engagement
Education
Employment
Housing
Successful transitions
Satisfaction
Peer workforce retention
Supervision completion
Documentation timeliness
Referral outcomes

Step 10: Verify Current Requirements

Before delivering reimbursable peer services, confirm current requirements with:

AHCCCS
Applicable AHCCCS health plan
Applicable ACC-RBHA or Tribal authority
AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual
Current Covered Behavioral Health Services Guide
Provider contracts
Organizational compliance staff
Qualified legal counsel

Common Challenges for Arizona Peer Programs

Credential Management

Organizations need to track:

PRSS training
Competency completion
Credential documentation
Specialized training
Family support credentials
Staff role
Supervision
Employment status

Multiple Payer Structures

Arizona’s behavioral health system involves AHCCCS health plans, ACC-RBHAs, Tribal structures, and specialized populations.

Programs need to know which payer and requirements apply to each member.

Documentation Burden

Peer workers are hired for their ability to engage and support people, not simply to complete administrative tasks.

Excessive documentation can reduce time available for peer relationships.

Role Drift

Peer workers may gradually be assigned:

Case management
Transportation
Surveillance
Administrative tasks
Clinical responsibilities

Organizations should protect the distinct purpose of peer practice.

Inconsistent Supervision

A supervisor may understand clinical behavioral health care without understanding peer support.

Programs should develop peer-informed supervision.

Fragmented Technology

Organizations may use separate tools for:

Referrals
Scheduling
Documentation
Participant communication
Groups
Credential tracking
Supervision
Billing
Outcomes
Reporting

Demonstrating Outcomes

Peer support may create value that traditional clinical measures do not fully capture.

Programs may need to measure:

Hope
Engagement
Recovery capital
Connection
Self-efficacy
Community participation
Participant-defined progress
Service navigation
Employment
Education

Sustainable Financing

Peer organizations may combine Medicaid, contracts, grants, philanthropy, and other funding.

Each funding source can impose different documentation and reporting expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is peer support covered by AHCCCS?

Yes.

AHCCCS explicitly includes Family & Peer Support among covered behavioral health support services.

Coverage depends on member eligibility, service requirements, provider eligibility, staff qualifications, service planning, documentation, and billing rules.

What is a PRSS?

A Peer and Recovery Support Specialist is a person with lived behavioral health recovery experience who has completed specialized training to use that experience to support others.

How do I become a PRSS in Arizona?

To work as a PRSS under Arizona’s AHCCCS peer-support framework, an individual must complete an AHCCCS-recognized Peer Support Employment Training Program and pass a competency examination.

Current recognized programs are listed by AHCCCS.

Who certifies peer specialists in Arizona?

AHCCCS establishes statewide requirements and recognizes qualifying Peer Support Employment Training Programs.

Arizona therefore differs from states where one independent certification board administers every peer credential.

Is PRSS a professional license?

No.

PRSS qualification is not equivalent to licensure as a therapist, social worker, psychologist, counselor, physician, or other clinical professional.

Is lived experience required?

Yes.

Lived behavioral health recovery experience is foundational to Arizona’s PRSS role.

Does Arizona recognize family peer support?

Yes.

AHCCCS separately recognizes Parent/Family Support Services and establishes Credentialed Family Support Partner requirements under AMPM Policy 964.

Is family support covered by Medicaid?

Yes.

AHCCCS identifies Parent/Family Support as a covered Medicaid behavioral health service for qualifying caregivers and natural supports.

Can a PRSS independently bill AHCCCS?

Do not assume so.

PRSS qualification determines whether someone may deliver covered peer support services. Medicaid provider enrollment and billing authority are separate issues.

What code is used for peer support?

H0038 is the principal code used for peer support under Arizona’s current behavioral health framework, with applicable modifiers and billing rules.

Providers should always check the current Covered Behavioral Health Services Guide.

Did Arizona change its peer support billing rules recently?

Yes.

AHCCCS updated its peer-support coding structure effective October 1, 2024, including closure of the prior per diem peer-support code and increased daily limits for the 15-minute service code.

Programs should avoid relying on older billing materials.

Can PRSS professionals work in opioid treatment programs?

Yes.

AHCCCS identifies peer support among the additional services that may be offered through Arizona OTPs.

Can peers work with people with Serious Mental Illness?

Yes.

Peer support is an established component of Arizona’s behavioral health system serving people with SMI.

Can peers work in Tribal behavioral health programs?

Yes.

Arizona’s Medicaid behavioral health system includes Tribal authorities and Tribal provider networks. Organizations should verify requirements applicable to the specific Tribal and Medicaid arrangement.

Are peer professionals clinicians?

No.

PRSS professionals provide nonclinical support grounded in lived experience unless they separately hold another clinical credential and are working in that capacity.

Can peer workers write progress notes?

Yes.

PRSS professionals may document covered peer services as required by AHCCCS, the health plan, provider organization, or other payer.

Documentation should remain within peer scope.

Can peer support be delivered virtually?

Certain behavioral health services may be delivered through telehealth subject to current AHCCCS requirements.

Organizations should confirm current telehealth eligibility, coding, place-of-service, documentation, and payer requirements for H0038 rather than assuming every peer encounter qualifies.

Can peers facilitate groups?

Yes.

Peer support may include support groups and group-based recovery services when consistent with the program and payer requirements.

No.

PRSS is a professional behavioral health peer role. Sponsorship is associated with particular mutual-help fellowships and is governed by those communities.

What outcomes should Arizona peer programs track?

Programs may track:

Engagement
Retention
Recovery goals
Recovery capital
Community connection
Treatment engagement
Service navigation
Employment
Education
Housing
Satisfaction
Successful transitions
Peer workforce retention
Supervision
Documentation timeliness

Official Arizona Peer Support Resources

Certification and Training

AHCCCS Peer/Recovery Support Specialist Credentialing

Official AHCCCS resource explaining PRSS credentialing requirements and providing the current directory of AHCCCS-recognized Peer Support Employment Training Programs.