California has a formal statewide certification and Medicaid reimbursement framework for peer support. The Medi-Cal Peer Support Services benefit launched July 1, 2022, following Senate Bill 803 and federal approval establishing Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists as a distinct provider type within California’s behavioral health system.
California’s primary Medicaid peer credential is the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification, administered statewide by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) under standards established by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). As of August 2026, CalMHSA remains the only approved certification program for counties participating in the Medi-Cal Peer Support Services benefit.
Peer Support Services may be reimbursed through participating county behavioral health systems under Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) and Drug Medi-Cal (DMC) or Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS). County participation is voluntary. DHCS reported that, as of September 2025, 53 California counties had implemented Medi-Cal Peer Support Services in at least one of these delivery systems.
Peer professionals may work in county behavioral health programs, community mental health organizations, substance use disorder treatment programs, recovery organizations, hospitals, crisis programs, residential programs, outpatient services, justice and reentry programs, youth and family services, and other community settings.
Coverage does not mean every certified peer can independently bill Medi-Cal. Reimbursement depends on the participating county, behavioral health delivery system, provider organization, service definition, staff qualifications, supervision, documentation, member eligibility, and applicable claiming requirements.
California Peer Support Quick Facts
Category | California overview |
|---|---|
State Medicaid program | Medi-Cal |
Medicaid peer benefit | |
Benefit effective date | July 1, 2022 |
Primary peer credential | Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification |
State authority | |
Certification administrator | |
Certification abbreviation | CMPSS |
Minimum age | 18 |
Education requirement | High school diploma, GED, or equivalent |
Initial training | 80-hour approved training curriculum |
Examination | DHCS-approved certification examination required |
Continuing education | Required for renewal |
Specializations | Parent, Caregiver, and Family Member; Crisis Services; Unhoused; Justice-Involved |
Medicaid systems | SMHS and DMC/DMC-ODS |
County participation | Counties voluntarily opt into Peer Support Services |
Participating counties | 53 counties in one or both systems as of September 2025 |
Major state agency | DHCS |
Last reviewed | August 2026 |
What Is Peer Support?
Peer support is assistance provided by someone whose relevant lived experience informs how they support another person’s recovery.
California’s Medi-Cal framework formalizes this relationship through the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist provider type.
Peer support emphasizes:
- Recovery
- Hope
- Resiliency
- Self-determination
- Advocacy
- Empowerment
- Strengths
- Community connection
- Wellness
- Mutuality
- Lived experience
- Natural supports
Peer Specialists may draw on personal experience involving mental health challenges, substance use, behavioral health treatment, recovery, family caregiving, homelessness, justice involvement, or other relevant experiences.
Common Peer Support Activities
Depending on the program, Peer Specialists may:
- Build supportive relationships
- Share lived experience appropriately
- Promote recovery
- Support participant-defined goals
- Help people develop recovery plans
- Promote self-advocacy
- Support engagement in behavioral health services
- Help people navigate systems
- Connect people with community resources
- Support transitions
- Help build natural supports
- Facilitate groups
- Provide recovery education
- Promote wellness
- Support community participation
- Help address barriers to recovery
- Participate on behavioral health teams
- Document covered services
- Support family members and caregivers where appropriate
Peer Specialists generally do not diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, provide psychotherapy, or represent themselves as licensed clinicians unless they separately hold an applicable professional license and are acting within that role.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification
California established statewide certification standards under Senate Bill 803.
DHCS establishes the standards governing Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification, while CalMHSA currently operates the approved statewide certification program.
This distinction matters:
DHCS establishes the Medi-Cal requirements.
CalMHSA administers the certification program.
Counties and county behavioral health plans participate in the actual Medi-Cal Peer Support Services benefit.
Basic Certification Requirements
Current DHCS standards require an applicant to:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Possess a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent
- Meet applicable lived-experience requirements
- Complete the approved initial certification curriculum
- Pass the DHCS-approved certification examination
- Agree to and comply with the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Code of Ethics
- Complete the certification application process
DHCS expressly states that life or work experience cannot substitute for the high school diploma, GED, or equivalent requirement.
Applicants also cannot receive certification without passing the required certification examination. DHCS does not permit the exam to be waived merely because an applicant has substantial work or lived experience.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Training
California uses a standardized 80-hour initial certification curriculum.
Training prepares Peer Specialists to intentionally use lived experience within professional behavioral health settings while maintaining the values and boundaries of peer practice.
Training addresses areas such as:
- Peer support principles
- Recovery
- Lived experience
- Communication
- Advocacy
- Ethics
- Boundaries
- Cultural responsiveness
- Trauma
- Behavioral health systems
- Recovery planning
- Wellness
- Self-determination
- Documentation
- Professional responsibilities
Candidates should use current CalMHSA-approved training information because training organizations, schedules, fees, and delivery formats may change.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Examination
Candidates must pass the approved certification examination.
The examination requirement is established under California law and DHCS standards.
DHCS has specifically clarified that it cannot waive the certification examination or provide a probationary certification merely because an applicant otherwise appears qualified.
Is Certification Required for Every California Peer Worker?
No.
The Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification is specifically tied to California’s Medi-Cal behavioral health reimbursement framework.
DHCS states that a peer who does not work with Medi-Cal members does not necessarily need this certification. Certification becomes relevant when a Medi-Cal behavioral health delivery system seeks reimbursement for covered Peer Support Services provided to Medi-Cal members.
An organization could therefore employ peer workers in:
- Grant-funded programs
- Recovery community organizations
- Private programs
- Hospital programs
- University programs
- Community programs
- Philanthropically funded programs
without necessarily making those workers Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists.
Organizations should distinguish between:
- Being employed as a peer
- Holding Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification
- Providing a Medi-Cal-covered Peer Support Service
- Working for an eligible Medi-Cal provider
- Generating a reimbursable Medi-Cal claim
These are not automatically the same thing.
California Peer Specializations
California’s certification framework includes optional areas of specialization.
These include:
- Parent, Caregiver, and Family Member
- Crisis Services
- Unhoused
- Justice-Involved
Specialization recognizes that peer support may require additional competencies depending on the population and setting.
An organization should determine whether specialization is required or beneficial for its particular program, contract, county, or population.
Parent, Caregiver, and Family Peer Support
California recognizes that relevant lived experience may come from supporting a family member through behavioral health challenges and systems.
Parent, caregiver, and family peers may:
- Help families understand behavioral health systems
- Support caregiver advocacy
- Promote family voice
- Help families participate in planning
- Connect caregivers with resources
- Provide emotional support grounded in lived experience
- Support transitions
- Help families communicate with providers
- Support self-care
- Help caregivers navigate public systems
Family peer support remains distinct from psychotherapy, legal representation, clinical family therapy, and traditional case management.
Youth and Transitional-Age Youth
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists may work with youth and transitional-age youth.
DHCS specifically clarifies that although an individual must be at least 18 years old to become certified, this does not prevent a certified Peer Specialist from working with youth or transitional-age youth.
Programs serving younger populations should develop age-appropriate policies involving:
- Consent
- Confidentiality
- Family involvement
- Mandatory reporting
- Communication
- Social media
- Boundaries
- Crisis response
- Transition planning
Medi-Cal Peer Support Services
California launched Medi-Cal Peer Support Services in July 2022.
The benefit was created after federal approval established Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists as a provider type and Peer Support Services as a distinct reimbursable service.
Peer Support Services may operate within:
- Specialty Mental Health Services
- Drug Medi-Cal
- Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System
The benefit is administered through California’s county-based behavioral health structure rather than as a simple statewide independent-peer billing program.
County Opt-In Structure
One of the most important features of California’s system is that county participation is voluntary.
Counties may elect to implement Medi-Cal Peer Support Services in:
- Specialty Mental Health Services
- DMC or DMC-ODS
- Both systems
As of September 2025, DHCS reported that 53 counties offered Medi-Cal Peer Support Services in at least one of the two delivery systems.
An organization should therefore never assume that the same Peer Support Service is implemented identically everywhere in California.
Before launching services, determine:
- Which county is responsible?
- Has that county opted into Peer Support Services?
- Has it opted into SMHS?
- Has it opted into DMC/DMC-ODS?
- Does the provider have the necessary county contract?
- What county-specific requirements apply?
Specialty Mental Health Services
Peer Support Services may be delivered within California’s Specialty Mental Health Services system.
DHCS administers the statewide program but contracts with county behavioral health plans for delivery of covered Specialty Mental Health Services.
Peer Specialists may work alongside:
- Therapists
- Psychiatrists
- Case managers
- Social workers
- Nurses
- Rehabilitation specialists
- Crisis workers
- Other behavioral health professionals
The Peer Specialist’s role remains grounded in lived experience rather than clinical authority.
Drug Medi-Cal
California’s Drug Medi-Cal program funds covered substance use disorder treatment services for eligible Medi-Cal members.
Covered DMC treatment must be provided through appropriately certified programs, and participating SUD providers are subject to DHCS and county requirements.
Peer Support Services may be incorporated into participating county DMC systems where the county has opted into the benefit.
Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System
DMC-ODS provides a county-organized continuum of substance use disorder services modeled around the ASAM Criteria.
California originally implemented DMC-ODS as a Medicaid demonstration and subsequently incorporated the program into the CalAIM waiver structure.
Peer Specialists may support people throughout the SUD continuum by helping with:
- Treatment engagement
- Recovery goals
- Recovery planning
- Community resources
- Multiple pathways of recovery
- Transitions between levels of care
- Natural supports
- Recovery capital
- Housing
- Employment
- Community participation
- Continued recovery after treatment
Can a Peer Specialist Bill Medi-Cal Independently?
Organizations should not assume that certification allows a Peer Specialist to independently enroll and bill Medi-Cal.
Certification establishes that an individual meets California’s standards to function as a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist.
Reimbursement is a separate issue.
California’s Peer Support Services benefit operates through participating county behavioral health delivery systems and eligible provider organizations.
Organizations should determine:
- Which county is responsible?
- Has the county opted in?
- Which delivery system applies?
- Who is the contracted provider?
- Is the organization eligible to claim the service?
- Is the individual properly certified?
- What supervision applies?
- Is the service medically necessary or otherwise covered?
- Is the service included in the applicable plan of care?
- What code and modifiers apply?
- What documentation is required?
- What county claiming rules apply?
Medi-Cal Peer Support Billing
California’s Peer Support Services claiming requirements are established through DHCS guidance, including Behavioral Health Information Notices and applicable billing manuals.
BHIN 22-026 provides foundational guidance on DMC, DMC-ODS, and SMHS Peer Support Services and associated claiming requirements.
California programs should also review current DHCS billing guidance rather than relying solely on the original 2022 implementation materials.
This is particularly important because California’s behavioral health payment and administrative infrastructure continues to change under CalAIM.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Services and CalAIM
Peer Support Services are part of California’s broader behavioral health transformation under CalAIM.
DHCS’s Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Policy Division oversees initiatives involving:
- Peer Support Services
- Specialty Mental Health Services
- DMC
- DMC-ODS
- Documentation redesign
- Behavioral health administrative integration
- No Wrong Door
- Mobile Crisis
- BH-CONNECT
- Other behavioral health reforms
Organizations should therefore design peer workflows that can adapt as California continues changing behavioral health payment, documentation, and administrative requirements.
Peer Support Scope of Practice in California
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists provide nonclinical, recovery-oriented support based on lived experience.
Activities Commonly Associated With Peer Support
Depending on the service and setting, peers may:
- Build peer relationships
- Share lived experience
- Promote hope
- Support recovery goals
- Develop recovery plans
- Promote self-determination
- Support advocacy
- Provide recovery education
- Facilitate groups
- Support behavioral health engagement
- Navigate services
- Connect participants with resources
- Support community integration
- Help build natural supports
- Support transitions
- Promote wellness
- Help participants develop recovery skills
- Participate on multidisciplinary teams
- Document services
Activities Generally Outside the Peer Role
Unless separately licensed or qualified, Peer Specialists generally should not:
- Diagnose mental health conditions
- Diagnose substance use disorders
- Provide psychotherapy
- Prescribe medication
- Practice medicine
- Represent themselves as licensed clinicians
- Conduct clinical assessments requiring professional licensure
- Make legal determinations
- Make medical decisions
- Perform services outside their competence
- Promise confidentiality beyond applicable legal limits
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Code of Ethics
California maintains a formal Code of Ethics for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists.
The current statewide standards are incorporated into DHCS’s updated Medi-Cal Peer Support Program requirements under BHIN 25-010, issued in April 2025.
The ethical framework addresses areas such as:
- Recovery
- Respect
- Self-determination
- Confidentiality
- Boundaries
- Competence
- Professional conduct
- Use of lived experience
- Cultural responsiveness
- Conflicts of interest
- Participant choice
Organizations should incorporate the state Code of Ethics into:
- Onboarding
- Supervision
- Performance management
- Training
- Incident review
- Documentation policies
- Workforce compliance
Supervision of California Peer Specialists
Peer supervision should support both compliance and fidelity to peer practice.
Administrative Supervision
May address:
- Scheduling
- Caseloads
- Attendance
- Documentation
- Productivity
- Organizational policies
- Claiming requirements
- Service plans
Peer Practice Supervision
May address:
- Intentional use of lived experience
- Mutuality
- Boundaries
- Ethics
- Self-determination
- Recovery orientation
- Advocacy
- Role fidelity
- Difficult relationships
- Personal wellness
Clinical Consultation
Clinical professionals may provide consultation when issues involve:
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Medication
- Clinical risk
- Medical concerns
- Other issues outside peer scope
Clinical consultation should support rather than replace peer-specific supervision.
Documentation for California Peer Support Services
Peer Support documentation should demonstrate the service provided while remaining consistent with peer values and applicable Medi-Cal requirements.
Documentation requirements may vary according to:
- SMHS
- DMC
- DMC-ODS
- County
- Provider organization
- Contract
- Member
- Service type
Common Documentation Elements
A Peer Support note may include:
- Member identifier
- Date
- Duration
- Location or modality
- Peer service provided
- Recovery goal
- Peer intervention
- Relevant use of lived experience
- Resources discussed
- Member response
- Progress
- Follow-up
- Peer Specialist
- Certification
- Required signature or attestation
Documentation Should Be
- Accurate
- Timely
- Person-centered
- Recovery-oriented
- Strengths-based
- Respectful
- Relevant
- Consistent with peer scope
- Connected to the covered service
- Limited to necessary information
Documentation Should Avoid
- Unsupported diagnoses
- Stigmatizing language
- Clinical interpretations outside peer scope
- Unnecessary trauma details
- Copy-and-paste notes
- Services that did not occur
- Personal opinions stated as facts
- Irrelevant sensitive information
Documentation and Billing Are Not the Same Thing
A complete Peer Support note does not automatically create a payable Medi-Cal claim.
Payment may also depend on:
- Medi-Cal eligibility
- County participation
- Delivery system
- Provider eligibility
- Provider contract
- Peer certification
- Covered service
- Service authorization where applicable
- Correct procedure code
- Modifiers
- Units
- Place of service
- Documentation
- Claiming rules
- Timely submission
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
California peer programs may handle highly sensitive behavioral health and substance use information.
Applicable requirements may include:
- HIPAA
- 42 CFR Part 2
- California privacy laws
- Medi-Cal requirements
- County behavioral health requirements
- Minor consent laws
- Organizational policies
- Contractual confidentiality requirements
Peer workers should receive role-specific training addressing:
- Information access
- Documentation
- Participant consent
- Care-team communication
- Substance use records
- Text messaging
- Mobile devices
- Telehealth
- Social media
- Emergencies
- Legal requests
- Boundaries
Where Peer Support Is Delivered in California
Peer professionals may work across a broad range of settings.
County Behavioral Health Programs
Counties are central to California’s Medi-Cal behavioral health structure and may directly employ peers or contract with community providers.
Community Mental Health Organizations
Peer Specialists may work within outpatient and community-based mental health programs.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Peers may work in DMC and DMC-ODS programs supporting treatment engagement, transitions, recovery goals, and community connection.
Recovery Community Organizations
RCOs and other recovery-oriented community organizations may employ peers for recovery coaching, navigation, groups, outreach, and community activities.
Hospitals and Emergency Departments
Peers may engage individuals following:
- Overdose
- Psychiatric crisis
- Behavioral health hospitalization
- Substance-related emergencies
Crisis Services
California’s Crisis specialization recognizes the distinct role peers may play in crisis response and recovery.
Homelessness Services
The Unhoused specialization recognizes the importance of lived experience within programs serving people experiencing homelessness.
Justice and Reentry Programs
The Justice-Involved specialization supports peer work involving:
- Jails
- Prisons
- Reentry
- Probation
- Courts
- Diversion
- Community reintegration
Youth and Family Services
Certified peers may work with youth, transitional-age youth, parents, caregivers, and families.
Collegiate Recovery Programs
California colleges and universities may employ:
- Peer mentors
- Recovery coaches
- Student recovery leaders
- Other peer workers
These positions do not automatically constitute Medi-Cal Peer Support Services.
Starting a Peer Support Program in California
Step 1: Define the Population
Identify whether the program serves:
- Adults with mental health conditions
- People with substance use disorders
- Youth
- Transitional-age youth
- Parents and caregivers
- People experiencing homelessness
- Justice-involved individuals
- People leaving hospitals
- College students
- A specific cultural or geographic community
Step 2: Determine Whether the Program Is Medi-Cal Funded
Clarify whether services will be funded through:
- SMHS
- DMC
- DMC-ODS
- County contracts
- Behavioral Health Services Act funding
- Federal grants
- State grants
- Opioid settlement funding
- Hospital funding
- Philanthropy
- University contracts
- Private payment
Not every peer program needs to operate as a Medi-Cal service.
Step 3: Determine County Participation
For Medi-Cal Peer Support Services, determine whether the county participates in:
- SMHS Peer Support
- DMC/DMC-ODS Peer Support
- Both
This should happen before building reimbursement assumptions.
Step 4: Confirm Qualifications
Determine:
- Certification requirements
- Training
- Examination
- Specialization
- Continuing education
- Code of Ethics
- Supervision
- Employer requirements
Step 5: Confirm Provider Eligibility
Determine:
- Who is the billing provider?
- Is the organization contracted with the county?
- Which delivery system applies?
- Is the individual certified?
- What service is being delivered?
- What supervision is required?
- What claiming rules apply?
Step 6: Design the Workflow
Map:
- Referral
- Eligibility
- Intake
- Consent
- Assignment
- Matching
- Scheduling
- Service delivery
- Documentation
- Supervision
- Escalation
- Follow-up
- Transition
- Outcomes
- Claims
Step 7: Establish Role Boundaries
Develop written policies addressing:
- Scope
- Confidentiality
- Crisis response
- Transportation
- Gifts
- Social media
- Dual relationships
- Communication outside work
- Home and community visits
- Personal wellness
- Role drift
Step 8: Build Quality Measurement
Programs may track:
- Referral-to-contact time
- Engagement
- Retention
- Participant-defined goals
- Recovery capital
- Community connection
- Treatment engagement
- Successful transitions
- Housing
- Employment
- Education
- Satisfaction
- Peer workforce retention
- Supervision
- Documentation timeliness
Common Challenges for California Peer Programs
County-by-County Variation
California’s county opt-in structure means implementation may differ substantially by location.
Multiple Behavioral Health Systems
Organizations may need to understand:
- SMHS
- DMC
- DMC-ODS
- County contracts
- Medi-Cal managed care interfaces
Certification Tracking
Organizations need to track:
- Certification
- Renewal
- Continuing education
- Ethics reaffirmation
- Specializations
- Training
Documentation Burden
Peer workers may spend excessive time navigating documentation and administrative requirements if workflows are poorly designed.
Role Drift
Peers may gradually be assigned:
- Case management
- Transportation
- Administrative work
- Surveillance
- Clinical responsibilities
Programs should actively protect peer role fidelity.
Fragmented Technology
Programs may use separate systems for:
- Referrals
- Scheduling
- Documentation
- Participant communication
- Groups
- Supervision
- Credentialing
- Billing
- County reporting
- Grant reporting
- Outcomes
Demonstrating Outcomes
Peer support may create value not fully reflected in traditional clinical outcomes.
Programs may measure:
- Hope
- Recovery capital
- Connection
- Engagement
- Self-efficacy
- Natural supports
- Community participation
- Participant-defined progress
Frequently Asked Questions
Is peer support covered by Medi-Cal? Yes. California established Medi-Cal Peer Support Services as a distinct benefit effective July 1, 2022. Counties voluntarily opt into the benefit through SMHS, DMC/DMC-ODS, or both.
What is California’s primary Medicaid peer credential? The Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification.
Who administers certification? CalMHSA currently operates California’s approved Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program.
Who regulates the Medi-Cal peer benefit? DHCS establishes statewide Medi-Cal standards and requirements.
How old must I be? At least 18.
Do I need a high school diploma? Applicants need a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. DHCS states that work or life experience cannot substitute for this requirement.
How much training is required? The initial certification curriculum is 80 hours under the current statewide framework.
Is there an exam? Yes. Applicants must pass the DHCS-approved certification examination. DHCS cannot simply waive it based on experience.
Does every peer worker in California need certification? No. DHCS specifically states that the certification requirement applies when the Medi-Cal behavioral health system seeks reimbursement for covered Peer Support Services.
Can a certified peer independently bill Medi-Cal? Do not assume so. California’s benefit operates through participating county behavioral health systems and eligible provider organizations.
Does every county cover Medi-Cal Peer Support Services? No. Counties opt in. DHCS reported 53 participating counties in one or both behavioral health delivery systems as of September 2025.
Can peers work in substance use treatment? Yes. Peer Support Services may be provided through participating DMC and DMC-ODS systems.
Can peers work with youth? Yes. The Peer Specialist must be at least 18, but DHCS expressly states this does not prevent certified peers from serving youth or transitional-age youth.
Are Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists clinicians? No. Peer certification itself does not create a clinical professional license.
Does California have peer specializations? Yes. The statewide framework includes Parent, Caregiver and Family Member, Crisis Services, Unhoused, and Justice-Involved specializations.
Official and State-Recognized California Peer Support Resources
Certification and Training
Medi-Cal Peer Support Services Official DHCS hub for California’s Medicaid peer benefit, including participating counties, certification authorities, implementation guidance, and relevant Behavioral Health Information Notices. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: DHCS Medi-Cal Peer Support Services
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Requirements and FAQ Official DHCS guidance covering certification eligibility, education, age, examination, renewal, certification status, and other statewide requirements. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: DHCS Peer Support Certification FAQ
California Mental Health Services Authority Peer Certification State-approved certification program administering Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification, approved training, examination, renewal, specializations, and certification resources. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: CalMHSA Peer Certification
BHIN 25-010 Medi-Cal Peer Support Program Standards Current DHCS Behavioral Health Information Notice establishing updated requirements for Medi-Cal Peer Support Services, Peer Support Specialists, certification programs, and the statewide ethics framework. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: DHCS Behavioral Health Information Notices
DHCS Behavioral Health Information Notice Index Official searchable index of current and historical Behavioral Health Information Notices, including notices governing Peer Support Services and certification. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: Behavioral Health Information Notice Index
Medicaid and Reimbursement
Medi-Cal Peer Support Services Primary DHCS resource for the Medi-Cal peer benefit and participating county behavioral health delivery systems. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: Medi-Cal Peer Support Services
BHIN 22-026 Peer Support Services Foundational DHCS guidance governing implementation and claiming requirements for Peer Support Services in DMC, DMC-ODS, and Specialty Mental Health Services. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: BHIN 22-026 Peer Support Services
Specialty Mental Health Services Contracts and Medicaid State Plan Official DHCS resource containing current county Mental Health Plan contracts and Medicaid State Plan materials governing California’s Specialty Mental Health Services system. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: SMHS Contracts and Medicaid State Plan
Drug Medi-Cal Official DHCS resource explaining California’s Medicaid-funded substance use disorder treatment program, certification, coverage, and provider requirements. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: Drug Medi-Cal Overview
Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Official DHCS resource explaining California’s county-organized Medicaid SUD delivery system and its continuum of substance use disorder services. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services DHCS provider resource containing DMC certification, billing, monitoring, forms, laws, regulations, and other SUD treatment provider guidance. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: DHCS Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services
2026 Behavioral Health Information Notices Official DHCS source for current-year behavioral health policy updates affecting county behavioral health plans and providers. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: 2026 Behavioral Health Information Notices
State Agencies
California Department of Health Care Services California’s Medicaid agency and principal state authority for Medi-Cal behavioral health, Peer Support Services, DMC, DMC-ODS, and Specialty Mental Health Services. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: California Department of Health Care Services
DHCS Behavioral Health Services State behavioral health hub covering Medi-Cal behavioral health policy, county systems, Peer Support Services, crisis programs, CalAIM, BH-CONNECT, and related initiatives. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: DHCS Behavioral Health Services
California Health & Human Services Agency Cabinet-level state agency overseeing DHCS and other California health and human services departments. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: California Health and Human Services Agency
California Mental Health Services Authority Joint powers authority supporting California counties and currently administering the statewide Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification program. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: California Mental Health Services Authority
Community and Peer Recovery Resources
CalMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Statewide resource for finding certification, training, specialization, renewal, examination, and workforce information for California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: California Peer Certification Program
DHCS Participating Counties for Medi-Cal Peer Support Services Official statewide list showing which counties have opted into Medi-Cal Peer Support Services and whether participation applies to SMHS, DMC/DMC-ODS, or both. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: Participating County List
County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California Statewide association representing California county behavioral health directors and an important resource for understanding California’s county-administered mental health and substance use systems. Last checked: August 11, 2026 Link: County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California
Technology for California Peer Support Programs
Technology for California peer programs should account for the state’s county-administered Medicaid behavioral health structure.
Programs may need technology supporting:
- Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification
- Certification renewal
- Continuing education
- Specializations
- Peer-specific documentation
- Participant-defined goals
- Recovery-oriented language
- Individual services
- Group services
- Supervision
- Referrals
- Caseload management
- Scheduling
- Participant communication
- Recovery plans
- Outcomes
- SMHS workflows
- DMC workflows
- DMC-ODS workflows
- County-specific requirements
- Medi-Cal documentation
- Grant reporting
- Role-based permissions
- Sensitive substance use information
- 42 CFR Part 2
- Mobile and community-based services
- Youth and family workflows
- Justice-involved populations
- Homelessness programs
A particularly important California requirement is county configurability. A system designed for a provider operating in multiple California counties should not assume that payer rules, contracts, workflows, documentation, or Peer Support implementation are identical across counties.
A generic clinical record may capture encounters while failing to capture recovery goals, relationships, natural supports, community connections, lived-experience interventions, and participant-defined progress that distinguish peer support.
Technology should strengthen peer practice rather than force peer services into a purely clinical model.
About Peerakeet
Peerakeet builds infrastructure for organizations delivering peer support and recovery services.
The platform supports peer-specific documentation, program workflows, supervision, participant engagement, scheduling, reporting, credential management, and day-to-day operations.
Peerakeet does not determine whether a service is billable and does not replace guidance from DHCS, CalMHSA, county behavioral health plans, DMC or DMC-ODS authorities, attorneys, compliance professionals, or other applicable authorities.
Editorial Disclaimer
This guide is provided for general educational purposes. It is not legal, billing, credentialing, clinical, or regulatory advice.
California’s peer support requirements may vary by county, delivery system, service, provider type, contract, certification status, and program. DHCS policies, county requirements, certification standards, codes, rates, documentation standards, and reimbursement rules may change after publication.
Organizations and Peer Specialists should verify current requirements with DHCS, CalMHSA, the applicable county behavioral health plan, current Behavioral Health Information Notices, applicable contracts and billing manuals, and qualified professional advisors.
Last reviewed: August 2026.