Georgia has one of the country’s more established peer support systems and has used Certified Peer Specialists within publicly funded behavioral health services for many years.
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, or DBHDD, is the state’s behavioral health authority and oversees Georgia’s peer workforce infrastructure. Georgia Medicaid is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Health, which works with DBHDD on behavioral health services and reimbursement policy. (Georgia Medicaid)
Georgia recognizes several distinct peer pathways, including:
- Certified Peer Specialist for adult mental health
- Certified Peer Specialist-Addictive Disease
- Certified Peer Specialist-Youth
- Certified Peer Specialist-Parent
- Forensic Peer Mentors
- Other specialized peer and family support roles
Certified Peer Specialists use relevant lived experience to promote recovery, wellness, self-advocacy, natural supports, socialization, and independent community living. (Georgia DBHDD)
Peer professionals work in community behavioral health programs, addiction treatment programs, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, peer-run centers, recovery organizations, youth and family programs, courts, prisons, forensic hospitals, crisis services, and other community settings. (Georgia Medicaid)
Medicaid coverage does not mean that every Certified Peer Specialist can independently enroll and bill Georgia Medicaid. Reimbursement depends on the service, eligible provider organization, DBHDD requirements, Medicaid policy, staff qualifications, supervision, treatment planning, documentation, and applicable billing rules.
Georgia Peer Support Quick Facts
Category | Georgia overview |
|---|---|
State Medicaid program | Georgia Medicaid |
Medicaid agency | Georgia Department of Community Health |
State behavioral health authority | Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities |
Primary adult mental health peer credential | Certified Peer Specialist |
Substance use peer credential | Certified Peer Specialist-Addictive Disease |
Other substance use title | CARES, Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist |
Youth peer credential | Certified Peer Specialist-Youth |
Parent/family peer credential | Certified Peer Specialist-Parent |
Forensic peer role | Forensic Peer Mentor |
Medicaid peer coverage | Peer Support is reimbursable within eligible behavioral health programs |
Common peer service code | H0038 with applicable modifiers and program requirements |
Community provider requirements | Published through DBHDD Community Provider Manuals |
Provider manual update schedule | Quarterly during the state fiscal year |
Peer-led infrastructure | Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers and Addiction Recovery Support Centers |
Common workplaces | Community behavioral health, SUD treatment, CCBHCs, peer centers, courts, prisons, forensic programs, youth and family services |
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 pursuing behavioral health recovery.
Georgia describes lived experience as being at the heart of peer support.
Certified Peer Specialists provide interventions intended to promote:
- Socialization
- Recovery
- Wellness
- Self-advocacy
- Natural supports
- Community living
- Independence
Georgia’s peer-support model emphasizes self-directed recovery. Peer Specialists help people explore goals, meaning, purpose, and life beyond an identified behavioral health condition. (Georgia DBHDD)
Peer professionals may work alongside clinicians, case managers, nurses, physicians, social workers, addiction counselors, rehabilitation professionals, and other behavioral health staff.
The peer role remains distinct because its core expertise comes from lived experience rather than clinical authority.
Common Peer Support Activities
Depending on the setting and service, Georgia Peer Specialists may:
- Build supportive peer relationships
- Share lived experience intentionally
- Promote hope
- Help individuals identify recovery goals
- Support self-directed recovery
- Promote wellness
- Help people develop natural supports
- Support self-advocacy
- Connect people with community resources
- Facilitate groups
- Support treatment engagement
- Support transitions
- Help people build community connections
- Promote independent living
- Support employment and education goals
- Help navigate behavioral health systems
- Participate on multidisciplinary teams
- Document peer services
- Support recovery planning
Peer Specialists generally do not diagnose behavioral health disorders, prescribe medications, conduct psychotherapy, or represent themselves as licensed clinicians unless they separately hold an applicable professional license and are acting within that role.
How Peer Support Is Organized in Georgia
Georgia does not use one peer credential for every population.
Instead, the state has developed multiple peer pathways based on:
- Type of lived experience
- Age of the person receiving support
- Family or caregiver experience
- Mental health recovery
- Substance use recovery
- Justice involvement
- Service setting
Major peer roles include:
Certified Peer Specialist
The traditional Georgia CPS credential is associated primarily with adults using lived experience of mental health recovery.
Certified Peer Specialist-Addictive Disease
Georgia has developed a specialized peer pathway for people using lived experience of substance use disorder recovery.
The role has also been associated with the Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist, or CARES, designation in Georgia’s recovery system. DBHDD has invested in training individuals in recovery to serve in these roles and support Addiction Recovery Support Centers across the state. (Georgia DBHDD)
Certified Peer Specialist-Youth
The CPS-Y pathway uses age-relevant lived experience to support youth and young adults navigating behavioral health recovery.
Certified Peer Specialist-Parent
The CPS-P pathway equips parents and caregivers with relevant lived experience to support other families navigating children’s behavioral health systems.
Forensic Peer Mentor
Georgia also operates a statewide Forensic Peer Mentor program for people involved in the justice and forensic behavioral health systems. (Georgia Medicaid)
These roles should not automatically be treated as interchangeable.
Certified Peer Specialists in Georgia
What Is a Certified Peer Specialist?
Georgia Certified Peer Specialists are professionals trained to use their lived experience with behavioral health recovery to support others.
DBHDD describes CPS interventions as promoting:
- Recovery
- Wellness
- Socialization
- Self-advocacy
- Natural supports
- Independent living skills
Peer support activities are intended to be participant-motivated, initiated, or managed rather than imposed through clinical authority. (Georgia DBHDD)
What Does a Georgia CPS Do?
Depending on the service, a CPS may:
- Engage individuals
- Share recovery experience
- Promote hope
- Help identify goals
- Support recovery planning
- Encourage self-advocacy
- Help develop community supports
- Promote wellness
- Facilitate peer groups
- Support independent living
- Assist with system navigation
- Support treatment participation
- Help people pursue meaningful life roles
- Document services
- Participate on treatment teams
Georgia CPS Training and Certification
Georgia’s peer certification system is administered through the state’s behavioral health peer infrastructure under DBHDD.
Candidates generally complete approved peer-specialist training and certification requirements before providing services in positions requiring Certified Peer Specialist status.
Requirements vary by credential pathway.
Organizations should therefore verify the current requirements for:
- Adult CPS
- CPS-AD
- CPS-Y
- CPS-P
- Forensic or specialized peer roles
rather than assuming one certification process applies to all peer workers.
The current DBHDD Certified Peer Specialist page should be treated as the primary state resource for adult peer certification information. (Georgia DBHDD)
Certified Peer Specialist-Addictive Disease
Georgia has a dedicated peer workforce serving people affected by substance use disorders.
The Certified Peer Specialist-Addictive Disease pathway uses personal recovery experience to support people pursuing recovery from substance use disorders.
Peer workers may help people:
- Engage in treatment
- Identify recovery goals
- Explore multiple pathways to recovery
- Connect with recovery communities
- Build recovery capital
- Access housing
- Access employment
- Navigate treatment systems
- Participate in mutual support
- Transition from treatment
- Reconnect with family and community
- Develop natural supports
- Maintain long-term recovery
Georgia has also used the CARES designation, Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist, within its substance use recovery peer system. (Georgia DBHDD)
Addiction Recovery Support Centers
Georgia has invested in a statewide network of peer-led Addiction Recovery Support Centers.
DBHDD has described more than 25 Addiction Recovery Support Centers as part of the state’s recovery infrastructure. These centers are led by people in recovery and provide community-based recovery support. (Georgia DBHDD)
Services may include:
- Peer recovery support
- Recovery coaching
- Community activities
- Mutual support
- Recovery education
- Resource navigation
- Employment support
- Family support
- Recovery planning
- Volunteer opportunities
- Advocacy
These centers illustrate the difference between community recovery support and traditional clinical treatment.
Certified Peer Specialist-Youth
Georgia recognizes a distinct Certified Peer Specialist-Youth, or CPS-Y.
The CPS-Y uses personal lived experience to support youth and young adults.
Georgia describes CPS-Y activities as including:
- Emotional support
- Sharing relevant knowledge
- Helping youth identify wellness tools
- Supporting resiliency
- Supporting recovery
- Helping young people use recovery skills in everyday life (Georgia DBHDD)
Youth Peer Activities
A CPS-Y may:
- Build engagement with young people
- Promote youth voice
- Support self-advocacy
- Share relevant lived experience
- Help identify goals
- Support wellness
- Promote resiliency
- Help navigate behavioral health systems
- Support transitions
- Participate in youth and family teams
- Connect youth with resources
- Support education and employment goals
- Help build natural supports
Georgia’s child and young adult behavioral health system also uses resiliency-focused clubhouses that provide peer support, educational support, employment services, family engagement, and social activities. (Georgia DBHDD)
Certified Peer Specialist-Parent
Georgia also recognizes a Certified Peer Specialist-Parent, or CPS-P.
The CPS-P uses lived experience as a parent or caregiver navigating child-serving and behavioral health systems to support other families.
Georgia describes Parent CPS activities as providing:
- Emotional support
- Knowledge
- Skills
- Family empowerment
- Information about behavioral health services and systems (Georgia DBHDD)
Parent Peer Activities
A CPS-P may:
- Help caregivers navigate behavioral health systems
- Support family voice and choice
- Help families understand services
- Support caregiver advocacy
- Connect families with resources
- Help families prepare for meetings
- Participate in child and family teams
- Provide emotional support grounded in lived experience
- Support family-driven planning
- Help families navigate schools and public systems
Parent peer support should remain distinct from psychotherapy, legal representation, clinical family therapy, and traditional case management.
Youth and Family Peer Support
Georgia’s behavioral health system includes formal Parent and Youth Peer Support within its continuum of children’s behavioral health services.
The goal is to help improve family functioning, support stability, strengthen families, and reduce unnecessary use of institutional or residential treatment. (Georgia DBHDD)
Programs serving children and families should verify whether:
- CPS-Y is required
- CPS-P is required
- Specific provider enrollment applies
- The service is Medicaid reimbursable
- Supervision requirements apply
- Documentation must connect to a treatment plan
Forensic Peer Mentors
Georgia has one of the more developed forensic peer programs in the country.
The Forensic Peer Mentor Program uses people with relevant behavioral health and justice-system lived experience to support individuals involved in Georgia’s forensic and criminal justice systems.
Georgia Medicaid reports that the program currently supports peers working across:
- Five Georgia prisons
- Five Day Reporting Centers
- Three Mental Health Treatment Courts
- Two state hospital forensic units (Georgia Medicaid)
Forensic Peer Mentors may help individuals obtain:
- Stable housing
- Employment
- Disability benefits
- Transportation
- Behavioral health services
- Recovery supports
- Community living skills (Georgia Medicaid)
Is Peer Support Covered by Georgia Medicaid?
Yes.
Georgia Medicaid reimburses behavioral health services in partnership with DBHDD, and Peer Support is included within Georgia’s behavioral health service continuum. (Georgia Medicaid)
However, coverage depends on the specific:
- Service
- Provider type
- DBHDD program
- Medicaid eligibility
- Staff credential
- Supervision
- Treatment plan
- Documentation
- Billing code
- Modifier
- Service limits
- Place of service
A certified peer credential does not automatically allow independent billing.
Georgia Medicaid Peer Support Code
Georgia has historically used H0038 for Peer Support and self-help services within applicable behavioral health programs.
Current provider organizations should verify:
- Current DBHDD Behavioral Health Provider Manual
- Current Georgia Medicaid provider manual
- Current fee schedule
- Applicable modifiers
- Individual versus group service requirements
- Place-of-service requirements
- Staff credential requirements
- Service limits
DBHDD updates its Community Provider Manuals quarterly throughout each fiscal year, making current verification particularly important. (Georgia DBHDD)
Community Provider Manuals
DBHDD publishes operational requirements for Georgia behavioral health providers through its Community Provider Manuals.
These manuals establish expectations involving areas such as:
- Service definitions
- Practitioner requirements
- Staff credentials
- Documentation
- Treatment planning
- Service limits
- Quality requirements
- Provider operations
- Medicaid and state-funded services
DBHDD states that the manuals are updated quarterly during each fiscal year and generally posted one month before their effective date. (Georgia DBHDD)
Organizations should therefore avoid relying on an old Georgia behavioral health manual when designing billing or documentation workflows.
Can an Individual Certified Peer Specialist Bill Medicaid Directly?
Organizations should not assume that an individual CPS may independently enroll and bill Georgia Medicaidsimply because Peer Support is covered.
Peer services typically operate through eligible community behavioral health provider structures.
Organizations should determine:
- Who is the enrolled billing provider?
- Is the organization DBHDD-approved?
- Is the organization eligible for the service?
- Does the peer have the required certification?
- What practitioner type applies?
- Who supervises the peer?
- Is the service included in the participant’s treatment or recovery plan?
- What code applies?
- What modifiers apply?
- What documentation is required?
Peer certification and organizational Medicaid enrollment are separate issues.
Georgia Medicaid and Behavioral Health
Georgia Medicaid is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Health.
DCH manages Medicaid reimbursement and associated policy for behavioral health services in partnership with DBHDD, Georgia’s Behavioral Health Authority. (Georgia Medicaid)
Behavioral health services may involve:
- Fee-for-service Medicaid
- Medicaid managed care
- Georgia Families
- Georgia Families 360°
- Specialized behavioral health programs
- DBHDD-contracted providers
Organizations should identify the applicable Medicaid delivery arrangement for each population served.
Georgia Families
Georgia Families delivers Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids services through private care management organizations.
Members select among participating health plans, and plan-specific requirements may affect behavioral health care coordination and provider networks. (Georgia Medicaid)
Providers serving Georgia Families members should verify applicable:
- Network participation
- Authorization
- Referral
- Claims
- Credentialing
- Care coordination
requirements.
Georgia Families 360°
Georgia Families 360° provides coordinated care for certain children and youth in Georgia’s child welfare system.
The program emphasizes improved access to physical and behavioral health services and continuity of care, particularly during transitions into and out of foster care. (Georgia Medicaid)
Youth and family peer programs serving this population should determine how their service interacts with Georgia Families 360° requirements.
CCBHC Peer and Family Support
Georgia’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model explicitly recognizes Peer, Family Support & Counselor Services as a required component of comprehensive behavioral health care.
DBHDD describes peer and family involvement as essential for recovery and states that these services should be integrated into care. (Georgia DBHDD)
CCBHCs also provide:
- Screening
- Assessment
- Diagnosis
- Outpatient mental health services
- Substance use services
- Crisis care
- Case management
- Care coordination
- Veteran services
- Peer and family support
Peer professionals may therefore work as part of comprehensive multidisciplinary CCBHC teams.
Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers
Georgia has an established network of Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers.
DBHDD identifies these centers as projects of the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, funded through a DBHDD contract. (Georgia DBHDD)
These peer-run centers provide alternatives and complements to traditional behavioral health treatment.
Activities may include:
- Peer support
- Wellness activities
- Recovery education
- Community connection
- Self-help
- Groups
- Advocacy
- Respite
- Recovery planning
- Social activities
Peer Support Scope of Practice in Georgia
Georgia peer professionals provide nonclinical, recovery-oriented support grounded in lived experience.
Activities Commonly Associated With Peer Support
Depending on the role and program, peers may:
- Engage participants
- Build trusting relationships
- Share lived experience
- Promote recovery
- Promote wellness
- Support self-directed goals
- Promote self-advocacy
- Develop natural supports
- Facilitate groups
- Connect people with resources
- Support treatment engagement
- Support community living
- Help navigate systems
- Support employment and education
- Support transitions
- Participate on multidisciplinary teams
- Document peer services
Activities Generally Outside the Peer Role
Unless separately qualified and authorized, peers generally should not:
- Diagnose mental health disorders
- Diagnose substance use disorders
- Provide psychotherapy
- Prescribe medication
- Practice medicine
- Represent themselves as licensed clinicians
- Conduct clinical assessments requiring licensure
- Independently make clinical treatment decisions
- Perform tasks beyond their training or competence
Supervision of Georgia Peer Specialists
Supervision is important for both quality and compliance.
The exact supervisory requirements depend on:
- Credential
- Medicaid service
- Provider type
- DBHDD program
- Contract
- Workforce role
Administrative Supervision
May address:
- Scheduling
- Attendance
- Caseloads
- Documentation completion
- Productivity
- Organizational policy
- Program requirements
Peer Practice Supervision
Should address:
- Intentional use of lived experience
- Mutuality
- Recovery values
- Ethics
- Boundaries
- Self-determination
- Advocacy
- Role fidelity
- Staff wellness
- Difficult peer relationships
Clinical Consultation
Clinical professionals may provide consultation when participant needs involve:
- Diagnosis
- Medication
- Clinical treatment
- Acute risk
- Medical concerns
- Other matters outside peer scope
Clinical consultation should support peer practice rather than transform it into clinical treatment.
Documentation for Georgia Peer Support Services
Peer documentation should establish what peer service occurred while remaining consistent with the recovery-oriented role.
Documentation requirements depend on:
- Medicaid service
- DBHDD provider manual
- Contract
- Program
- Payer
- Funding source
Common Documentation Elements
A peer note may include:
- Participant identifier
- Date
- Start and end time
- Duration or units
- Place of service
- Peer service provided
- Recovery or treatment-plan goal
- Peer activity
- Relevant use of lived experience
- Resources discussed
- Participant response
- Progress
- Barriers
- Follow-up plan
- Peer name
- Certification
- Signature or attestation
Peer Documentation Should Be
- Accurate
- Timely
- Recovery-oriented
- Person-centered
- Strengths-based
- Respectful
- Relevant
- Consistent with peer scope
- Connected to applicable goals
- Limited to necessary information
- Compliant with payer requirements
Peer Documentation Should Avoid
- Unsupported diagnoses
- Stigmatizing language
- Clinical interpretation outside peer scope
- Identical copy-and-paste notes
- Claims for services that did not occur
- Unnecessary trauma details
- Personal opinions represented as facts
- Documentation created solely to satisfy billing language
Documentation and Billing Are Not the Same Thing
A complete peer note does not automatically make a claim payable.
Payment may also depend on:
- Medicaid eligibility
- Provider enrollment
- Covered service
- Peer certification
- Staff qualifications
- Supervision
- Treatment-plan requirements
- Authorization
- Procedure code
- Modifier
- Units
- Place of service
- Service limits
- Timely filing
- Managed care requirements
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
Georgia peer programs may handle highly sensitive mental health and substance use information.
Applicable requirements may include:
- HIPAA
- 42 CFR Part 2
- Georgia confidentiality law
- Medicaid requirements
- DBHDD provider requirements
- Youth confidentiality rules
- Organizational policy
- Consent and authorization requirements
Peer professionals should receive role-specific training addressing:
- Information access
- Documentation
- Participant consent
- Care-team communication
- Substance use information
- Text messaging
- Mobile devices
- Telehealth
- Social media
- Emergency disclosures
- Legal requests
- Boundaries
Where Peer Support Is Delivered in Georgia
Community Behavioral Health Providers
Peer Specialists may work within DBHDD-contracted community behavioral health organizations.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
Georgia CCBHCs explicitly integrate peer and family support into comprehensive behavioral health services. (Georgia DBHDD)
Substance Use Treatment Programs
CPS-AD and CARES professionals may support individuals across substance use treatment and recovery services.
Addiction Recovery Support Centers
Peer-led recovery centers provide community-based substance use recovery support. (Georgia DBHDD)
Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers
Georgia’s peer-run mental health centers provide peer support, wellness services, community connection, and respite. (Georgia DBHDD)
Youth and Family Programs
CPS-Y and CPS-P professionals support young people and caregivers within Georgia’s children’s behavioral health system. (Georgia DBHDD)
Mental Health Resiliency Support Clubhouses
Youth-focused clubhouses provide educational support, employment services, peer support, family engagement, and social activities. (Georgia DBHDD)
Justice and Forensic Programs
Forensic Peer Mentors work in:
- Prisons
- Day Reporting Centers
- Mental Health Treatment Courts
- State hospital forensic units (Georgia Medicaid)
Hospitals and Emergency Departments
Peers may support individuals following:
- Psychiatric crises
- Overdose
- Behavioral health hospitalization
- Substance-related emergencies
Crisis Services
Peer professionals may participate in crisis response, transition services, and recovery-oriented crisis programs when consistent with the applicable service model.
Collegiate Recovery Programs
Georgia colleges and universities may employ:
- Student peer mentors
- Recovery coaches
- Peer recovery specialists
- Collegiate recovery staff
These roles do not automatically constitute Medicaid Peer Support Services simply because they involve peer support.
Starting a Peer Support Program in Georgia
Step 1: Define the Population
Determine whether the program serves:
- Adults with mental health conditions
- People with substance use disorders
- Youth
- Young adults
- Parents and caregivers
- Justice-involved individuals
- People leaving hospitals
- People following behavioral health crises
- College students
- People experiencing homelessness
- A specific cultural or geographic community
Step 2: Select the Appropriate Peer Role
Determine whether the program requires:
- CPS
- CPS-AD
- CARES
- CPS-Y
- CPS-P
- Forensic Peer Mentor
- Another community peer role
Do not treat these titles as 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?
- How will participants be matched?
- What does self-directed recovery mean?
- How will boundaries be addressed?
Step 4: Identify the Funding Model
Potential funding sources include:
- Georgia Medicaid
- Georgia Families
- Georgia Families 360°
- DBHDD contracts
- Federal block grants
- State Opioid Response funding
- Opioid settlement funding
- CCBHC funding
- Hospital funding
- Justice-system funding
- Federal grants
- Philanthropy
- University contracts
Step 5: Confirm Peer Qualifications
Determine:
- Correct peer credential
- Required lived experience
- Training
- Examination
- Continuing education
- Background requirements
- Supervision
- Employer requirements
- Service-specific qualifications
Step 6: Confirm Provider Eligibility
For Medicaid reimbursement, determine:
- Who is the enrolled provider?
- Is the organization DBHDD approved?
- Is the specific service authorized?
- Is the peer properly certified?
- What supervision applies?
- What code applies?
- What modifiers apply?
- What managed-care requirements apply?
Step 7: Design the Workflow
Map:
- Referral
- Eligibility
- Intake
- Consent
- Treatment or recovery planning
- Assignment
- Matching
- Scheduling
- Service delivery
- Documentation
- Supervision
- Clinical escalation
- Follow-up
- Transition
- Discharge
- Outcomes
- Claims
Step 8: Establish Role Boundaries
Develop policies addressing:
- Scope
- Confidentiality
- Crisis response
- Transportation
- Gifts
- Social media
- Dual relationships
- Communication outside business hours
- Home visits
- Community relationships
- Staff wellness
- Role drift
Step 9: Build Quality Measurement
Programs may track:
- Referral-to-contact time
- Engagement
- Retention
- Participant-defined goals
- Recovery capital
- Natural supports
- Community connection
- Treatment engagement
- Successful transitions
- Housing
- Employment
- Education
- Self-advocacy
- Satisfaction
- Peer workforce retention
- Supervision
- Credential compliance
- Documentation timeliness
Common Challenges for Georgia Peer Programs
Multiple Peer Credentials
Georgia has several distinct peer pathways.
Organizations may need to track:
- CPS
- CPS-AD
- CARES
- CPS-Y
- CPS-P
- Forensic Peer Mentor qualifications
Quarterly Provider Manual Updates
DBHDD updates its Community Provider Manuals quarterly, meaning service definitions and operational requirements need regular review. (Georgia DBHDD)
Medicaid and DBHDD Coordination
Georgia Medicaid policy is administered by DCH while DBHDD operates the behavioral health service infrastructure.
Organizations often need to comply with requirements from both agencies. (Georgia Medicaid)
Documentation Burden
Excessive administrative documentation can reduce the time peers spend building recovery relationships.
Role Drift
Peers may gradually be assigned:
- Case management
- Transportation
- Administrative work
- Surveillance
- Clinical tasks
Programs should protect peer role fidelity.
Fragmented Technology
Programs may use separate systems for:
- Referral
- Scheduling
- Documentation
- Participant communication
- Peer credentialing
- Supervision
- Medicaid billing
- DBHDD reporting
- Managed care
- Grant reporting
- Outcomes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is peer support covered by Georgia Medicaid?
Yes. Peer support is included within Georgia’s behavioral health service continuum when provided through eligible programs and in accordance with Medicaid and DBHDD requirements. (Georgia Medicaid)
What is Georgia’s primary peer credential?
The primary adult mental health credential is Certified Peer Specialist.
Georgia also maintains specialized peer pathways for substance use, youth, parents, and forensic populations.
Who oversees peer support in Georgia?
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities oversees the state’s behavioral health peer workforce infrastructure. (Georgia DBHDD)
Who administers Georgia Medicaid?
The Georgia Department of Community Health administers Georgia Medicaid. (Georgia Medicaid)
Does Georgia have a substance use peer credential?
Yes.
Georgia has a Certified Peer Specialist-Addictive Disease pathway and has also used the CARES designation, Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist. (Georgia DBHDD)
Does Georgia have youth peer specialists?
Yes.
Georgia recognizes Certified Peer Specialist-Youth professionals. (Georgia DBHDD)
Does Georgia have parent peer specialists?
Yes.
Georgia recognizes Certified Peer Specialist-Parent professionals. (Georgia DBHDD)
Does Georgia have forensic peers?
Yes.
Georgia’s Forensic Peer Mentor program operates in prisons, Day Reporting Centers, Mental Health Treatment Courts, and state hospital forensic units. (Georgia Medicaid)
Can a CPS independently bill Georgia Medicaid?
Do not assume so.
Peer certification establishes workforce qualification, while Medicaid billing depends on an eligible provider organization, service, supervision, and other Medicaid and DBHDD requirements.
What Medicaid code is commonly associated with Peer Support?
H0038 is commonly associated with Georgia Peer Support services, but providers should verify current DBHDD and Medicaid manuals before billing.
How often are Georgia behavioral health provider manuals updated?
DBHDD states that its Community Provider Manuals are updated quarterly throughout each fiscal year. (Georgia DBHDD)
Can peers work in CCBHCs?
Yes.
Georgia’s CCBHC model explicitly includes Peer, Family Support & Counselor Services. (Georgia DBHDD)
Can peers work in youth programs?
Yes.
Georgia uses CPS-Y, CPS-P, and other peer and family models within its child and family behavioral health continuum. (Georgia DBHDD)
Are Georgia Peer Specialists clinicians?
No.
Peer certification itself does not create a clinical professional license.
Can peers write progress notes?
Yes, when required by Medicaid, DBHDD, the employer, payer, grant, or service.
Documentation should remain consistent with peer scope.
Official and State-Recognized Georgia Peer Support Resources
Certification and Training
Georgia DBHDD Certified Peer Specialists
Official state hub for Georgia Certified Peer Specialists, peer-support principles, certification information, and statewide peer workforce resources. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/recovery-transformation/cps
Georgia DBHDD Recovery Transformation
State behavioral health resources supporting recovery-oriented practice, Certified Peer Specialists, peer services, and statewide recovery-system transformation.
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/recovery-transformation
Georgia CPS-Youth Resources
Official DBHDD resources describing Georgia’s Certified Peer Specialist-Youth role and its use of lived experience to provide emotional support, resiliency, wellness, and recovery support. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/document/document/youthcps-yfaq2020pdf/download
Georgia CPS-Parent Resources
Official DBHDD resource explaining the Certified Peer Specialist-Parent role and its focus on family empowerment, emotional support, system knowledge, and parent-to-parent support. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/document/document/parentcpsfaqs2020pdf/download
Georgia Office of Children, Young Adults, and Families
State behavioral health hub for children’s and young adult mental health services, youth and parent peer support, crisis services, residential services, and family programs. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/cyf-services
Medicaid and Reimbursement
Georgia Medicaid Behavioral Health Services
Official Georgia Medicaid resource explaining behavioral health coverage, DBHDD partnership, community providers, and links to current service and policy requirements. (Georgia Medicaid)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/types-services/behavioral-health-services
DBHDD Community Provider Manuals
Primary Georgia behavioral health provider resource containing current service definitions, practitioner requirements, documentation standards, program requirements, and provider policy. DBHDD updates the manuals quarterly. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/be-connected/community-provider-manuals
Georgia Medicaid Provider Manuals
Official Georgia Medicaid provider portal for current policy manuals, billing guidance, fee schedules, claims information, and provider requirements.
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://www.mmis.georgia.gov/
Georgia Medicaid
Official state Medicaid program administered by the Georgia Department of Community Health.
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/
Georgia Medicaid Approved State Plan Amendments
Official repository for approved Georgia Medicaid State Plan Amendments, including behavioral health policy changes and federal approvals. (Georgia Medicaid)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/organization/about-georgia-medicaid/medicaid-state-plan/approved-state-plan-amendments
Georgia Families
Official Medicaid managed care program through which eligible Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids members receive services from participating care management organizations. (Georgia Medicaid)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/programs/all-programs/georgia-families
Georgia Families 360°
Specialized Medicaid managed care program supporting children and youth in foster care and related populations with enhanced physical and behavioral health coordination. (Georgia Medicaid)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/programs/all-programs/georgia-families-360deg
State Agencies
Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Georgia’s state behavioral health authority responsible for mental health, substance use disorder, developmental disability services, community providers, peer services, and recovery-system infrastructure. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/
Georgia Department of Community Health
State agency responsible for Georgia Medicaid, healthcare policy, provider reimbursement, and associated health programs.
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dch.georgia.gov/
Georgia Medicaid
Georgia’s Medicaid program and primary source for eligibility, coverage, provider policy, reimbursement, and behavioral health Medicaid requirements. (Georgia Medicaid)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/
DBHDD Office of Children, Young Adults, and Families
State office overseeing Georgia’s behavioral health continuum for children, youth, young adults, and families, including youth and family peer-support models. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/cyf-services
Community and Peer Recovery Resources
Georgia Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers
Peer-run mental health centers operated through the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network in partnership with DBHDD, providing peer support, wellness, recovery activities, community connection, and respite. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/be-dbhdd/be-supported/mental-health-adults/adult-mental-health-community-services
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
Statewide peer-run organization supporting mental health recovery, advocacy, peer leadership, wellness, and Georgia’s Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers.
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://www.gmhcn.org/
Georgia Council for Recovery
Statewide recovery community organization supporting recovery advocacy, education, recovery community development, peer leadership, and recovery-oriented systems across Georgia.
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://gasubstanceabuse.org/
Georgia Addiction Recovery Support Centers
State-supported peer-led recovery centers providing community-based recovery support, peer services, recovery connection, and other nonclinical supports. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/be-supported/help-substance-abuse
Georgia Forensic Peer Mentor Program
State peer initiative using people with behavioral health and justice-system lived experience to support individuals in prisons, Day Reporting Centers, Mental Health Treatment Courts, forensic hospitals, and community transitions. (Georgia Medicaid)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/types-services/behavioral-health-services/forensic-peer-mentor-program
Georgia Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
State CCBHC resource describing Georgia’s implementation of comprehensive behavioral health clinics, including integrated Peer, Family Support & Counselor Services. (Georgia DBHDD)
Last checked: August 12, 2026 Link: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/be-dbhdd/ccbhc
Technology for Georgia Peer Support Programs
Technology designed for Georgia peer programs should account for the state’s multiple peer credentials, DBHDD requirements, and Medicaid behavioral health infrastructure.
Programs may need technology supporting:
- CPS credential tracking
- CPS-AD and CARES workflows
- CPS-Y credential tracking
- CPS-P credential tracking
- Forensic Peer Mentor workflows
- Peer-specific documentation
- Participant-defined goals
- Recovery-oriented language
- Individual peer services
- Group peer services
- Supervision
- Referrals
- Caseload management
- Scheduling
- Participant communication
- Recovery planning
- Natural supports
- Medicaid documentation
- DBHDD service requirements
- Quarterly provider-manual changes
- Georgia Families workflows
- Georgia Families 360° workflows
- CCBHC services
- Addiction Recovery Support Centers
- Peer Support, Wellness, and Respite Centers
- Youth and family peer services
- Justice and reentry workflows
- Grant reporting
- Outcomes
- Role-based permissions
- Sensitive substance use information
- Mobile and community-based workflows
Georgia’s multiple peer pathways create a particularly important credential-management challenge. A provider may simultaneously employ adult mental health peers, substance use recovery peers, youth peers, parent peers, and forensic peers, each with different qualifications and service responsibilities.
A generic clinical record may capture encounters while failing to capture recovery goals, relationships, natural supports, peer-specific interventions, family empowerment, resiliency, and community connection.
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 Georgia Medicaid, the Georgia Department of Community Health, DBHDD, care management organizations, 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.
Georgia peer-support requirements may vary by Medicaid service, provider type, credential, contract, care management organization, population, and program. DBHDD updates provider requirements regularly, including quarterly Community Provider Manual revisions.
Organizations and Peer Specialists should verify current requirements with DBHDD, Georgia Medicaid, the Georgia Department of Community Health, applicable care management organizations, current Community Provider Manuals, contracts, and qualified professional advisors.
Last reviewed: August 2026.