New York has one of the largest and most developed peer support infrastructures in the United States. Peer professionals work across mental health, substance use recovery, youth behavioral health, family support, crisis services, hospitals, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, outpatient programs, rehabilitation services, justice programs, housing, and community-based recovery organizations.
Unlike states that rely on one universal peer credential, New York has several distinct peer workforce pathways.
The major credentials include:
- New York Certified Peer Specialist, commonly abbreviated NYCPS, primarily associated with adult mental health peer support
- Certified Recovery Peer Advocate, or CRPA, primarily associated with substance use recovery
- Certified Recovery Peer Advocate-Provisional, or CRPA-P
- Credentialed Family Peer Advocate, or FPA-C
- Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate, or YPA-C
- Specialty CRPA credentials for applicable populations, including youth and family pathways
The New York State Office of Mental Health, or OMH, supports certification and professional development for mental health Peer Specialists, Family Peer Advocates, and Youth Peer Advocates. The Office of Addiction Services and Supports, or OASAS, oversees the peer recovery workforce used in substance use programs. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
New York Medicaid also reimburses peer services through a wide range of behavioral health programs. H0038 is commonly used for credentialed peer services, with modifiers and reimbursement requirements varying according to the underlying OMH, OASAS, children’s behavioral health, HCBS, clinic, or other Medicaid program. (New York State Department of Health)
New York Peer Support Quick Facts
Category | New York overview |
|---|---|
State Medicaid program | New York State Medicaid |
Mental health authority | New York State Office of Mental Health |
Substance use authority | New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports |
Adult mental health peer credential | New York Certified Peer Specialist |
Common abbreviation | NYCPS |
Mental health training platform | Academy of Peer Services |
Substance use peer credential | Certified Recovery Peer Advocate |
Abbreviation | CRPA |
Entry SUD peer credential | CRPA-Provisional |
Abbreviation | CRPA-P |
Family peer credential | Credentialed Family Peer Advocate |
Youth peer credential | Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate |
CRPA-P training | 50 hours under current OASAS guidance |
Full CRPA experience | 500 hours |
Full CRPA supervision | 25 hours |
CRPA examination | IC&RC exam |
Medicaid peer coverage | Yes |
Common peer code | H0038 |
OMH peer modifier | HE in applicable services |
OASAS peer modifier | HF in applicable services |
Children’s Family Peer Support | Yes |
Children’s Youth Peer Support | Yes |
CCBHC peer services | Yes |
Crisis peer services | Yes |
Justice-specialty peer training | Yes |
Last reviewed | August 2026 |
What Is Peer Support in New York?
New York defines peer support around relationships built through shared experience, respect, self-determination, and mutual responsibility.
OMH describes peer support as support provided by trained and certified people who have experienced challenges similar to the people they serve. The state’s peer initiatives are intended to strengthen hope, resilience, recovery, voice, and choice. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Peer professionals may help people:
- Build trust
- Identify recovery goals
- Develop self-advocacy
- Navigate behavioral health systems
- Build natural supports
- Connect with community resources
- Engage with treatment
- Develop wellness strategies
- Build recovery capital
- Navigate housing
- Navigate employment and education
- Develop coping strategies
- Transition from hospitals or incarceration
- Develop community connection
- Participate in person-centered planning
- Support harm reduction
- Facilitate peer groups
- Support families
- Support youth
- Remain engaged in recovery
Peer support is distinct from psychotherapy, diagnosis, medication management, and other services requiring professional clinical licensure.
New York Has Multiple Peer Credentials
New York’s peer infrastructure is best understood as several related but distinct workforce systems.
The primary pathways include:
- New York Certified Peer Specialist
- Certified Recovery Peer Advocate
- Certified Recovery Peer Advocate-Provisional
- Credentialed Family Peer Advocate
- Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate
- Specialty peer designations and training tracks
These credentials differ in:
- Required lived experience
- Training
- Certification organization
- Population served
- Program authority
- Medicaid service eligibility
- Supervision requirements
Organizations should not treat all New York peer credentials as interchangeable.
New York Certified Peer Specialist
The New York Certified Peer Specialist, or NYCPS, is the state’s major adult mental health peer credential.
The Office of Mental Health supports the credential through the Academy of Peer Services, or APS.
APS is a statewide online, on-demand training and testing platform for people pursuing certification as peer support specialists in mental health settings. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
OMH identifies the primary goal of Academy of Peer Services training as preparing learners for the New York Peer Specialist credential, providing continuing education needed to maintain certification, and supporting ongoing professional development. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Academy of Peer Services
The Academy of Peer Services provides:
- Core certification courses
- Elective courses
- Continuing education
- Developmental courses
- Specialty tracks
- Testing
- Professional development
Current OMH materials describe 13 Core Courses as part of the Academy’s certification curriculum. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
APS is designed for thousands of active peer learners across New York.
OMH reported that during 2025 alone, the Academy platform hosted 9,299 users, with 7,834 active learners. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Mental Health Peer Specialty Training
New York has developed several specialty tracks for peer specialists.
Current OMH materials identify specialty designation tracks involving:
- Peer supervision
- Health and wellness promotion
- Older adults
- Crisis
- Justice-involved individuals
(New York State Office of Mental Health)
These specializations allow peer professionals to build expertise for particular populations without turning the peer role into a clinical credential.
What Does a New York Mental Health Peer Specialist Do?
Depending on the service, NYCPS professionals may:
- Build peer relationships
- Share lived experience
- Support recovery goals
- Promote hope
- Support self-determination
- Help people navigate mental health systems
- Build natural supports
- Support community integration
- Assist with benefits and resource navigation
- Support wellness
- Assist with recovery planning
- Facilitate groups
- Support transitions
- Participate in multidisciplinary teams
- Provide crisis-oriented peer support
- Support people involved in justice systems
- Document peer services
OMH’s peer integration materials emphasize that peer professionals may also support people with practical activities such as applying for benefits, attending appointments, navigating public transportation, connecting with community resources, and receiving nonclinical support after hospitalization or incarceration. (OASS)
Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams
New York’s Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams, or INSET, represent a particularly peer-centered service model.
OMH describes INSET as a peer-led engagement approach for adults who could benefit from ongoing access to mental health supports.
Peer workers are at the core of INSET teams. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
INSET emphasizes:
- Trust
- Hope
- Continuous engagement
- Voice
- Choice
- Self-determination
- Community connection
- Quality of life
Peer professionals may help participants:
- Identify life goals
- Navigate state and local systems
- Build chosen supports
- Connect with community
- Reduce hospitalization
- Reduce incarceration
(New York State Office of Mental Health)
Peer Supervision in Mental Health Programs
New York increasingly emphasizes peer-specific supervision.
OMH recommends access to in-discipline peer supervision whenever possible.
When peer specialists are supervised by non-peer professional staff, OMH recommends dedicated training for those supervisors, including Academy of Peer Services courses on:
- What peer support is
- Supervising peer specialists
- Peer credentialing
- Peer-specific supervision
(New York State Office of Mental Health)
Organizations should distinguish among:
- Peer-specific supervision
- Administrative supervision
- Clinical consultation
- Program management
A licensed clinician may supervise peers operationally without turning peer support into clinical practice.
Certified Recovery Peer Advocate
The Certified Recovery Peer Advocate, or CRPA, is New York’s major substance use peer credential.
CRPAs work across OASAS-certified and designated programs and other addiction recovery settings.
OASAS states that peer professionals working within OASAS Certified and CORE-designated programs must generally hold either:
- CRPA
- CRPA-P
(OASS)
The credential is issued through an OASAS-approved certification board.
Current OASAS guidance identifies the New York Certification Board, or NYCB, as the approved provider of CRPA and CRPA-P certification. (OASS)
CRPA-Provisional
The CRPA-P, or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate-Provisional, provides an entry pathway into New York’s substance use peer workforce.
Current OASAS guidance identifies the CRPA-P requirements as including:
- High school diploma or New York State Education Department-approved high school equivalency
- 50 hours of required training
The training covers:
- Advocacy
- Mentoring and education
- Recovery and wellness support
- Ethical responsibility
- Medication Supported Recovery
(OASS)
The provisional credential allows organizations to hire developing peer professionals while they work toward the experience, supervision, and examination requirements for full CRPA certification.
Full CRPA Requirements
Current OASAS guidance identifies several additional requirements for the full CRPA credential.
These include:
- Passing the IC&RC examination
- 500 hours of related volunteer or work experience
- 25 hours of supervision by qualified supervisory staff
(OASS)
This creates an important workforce-development pathway:
Training → CRPA-P → experience and supervision → examination → full CRPA.
Organizations employing CRPA-P workers should track this progression.
Medication Supported Recovery
Medication Supported Recovery is explicitly included in New York’s current CRPA training framework.
This is important because peer recovery support should not be restricted to abstinence-only pathways.
Peers may support people receiving medications for substance use disorders by:
- Supporting participant-defined recovery
- Reducing stigma
- Helping people engage with treatment
- Supporting adherence to participant-chosen recovery plans
- Connecting people with community supports
- Supporting multiple pathways to recovery
Peer workers should not provide medical advice or prescribe medication.
What Does a CRPA Do?
Depending on the program, a CRPA may:
- Provide recovery coaching
- Share relevant lived experience
- Help develop recovery goals
- Support treatment engagement
- Connect people with mutual support
- Support multiple pathways to recovery
- Connect participants with housing resources
- Connect participants with employment resources
- Navigate benefits
- Attend appointments with participants
- Support people after hospitalization
- Support people after incarceration
- Help participants navigate public transportation
- Link participants with community resources
- Support recovery planning
- Facilitate peer activities
OASAS’s peer integration guidance includes practical functions such as assisting with benefit applications, accompanying participants to medical or court appointments, supporting nonclinical crisis situations, educating people about recovery pathways, and connecting people with resources aligned with participant goals. (OASS)
Mental Health Peer vs. CRPA
Area | NYCPS | CRPA |
|---|---|---|
Primary system | Mental health | Substance use recovery |
State authority | OMH | OASAS |
Primary training | Academy of Peer Services | OASAS-approved CRPA training |
Lived experience | Mental health recovery | Substance use recovery |
Entry credential | Provisional mental health credential pathway may apply | CRPA-P |
Full work experience | Credential-specific | 500 hours |
Full supervision | Credential-specific | 25 hours |
Examination | Credential pathway specific | IC&RC examination |
Medicaid relevance | Yes | Yes |
Clinical credential | No | No |
A worker may potentially hold both credentials when they meet the requirements for both systems.
Family Peer Advocate
New York maintains a distinct Family Peer Advocate, or FPA, workforce.
A Family Peer Advocate uses lived experience as a parent or caregiver to support other families navigating behavioral health systems.
The full credential is commonly referred to as FPA-C, or Credentialed Family Peer Advocate.
Family Peer Advocates are used across New York’s children’s behavioral health system and Medicaid Children and Family Treatment and Support Services.
Family Peer Support Services
New York Medicaid defines Family Peer Support Services, or FPSS, as formal and informal activities and supports provided to families caring for or raising a child or youth experiencing:
- Social challenges
- Emotional challenges
- Medical challenges
- Developmental challenges
- Substance use challenges
- Behavioral challenges
FPSS creates a structured, strengths-based relationship between a Family Peer Advocate and the child’s parent, family member, or caregiver. (New York State Department of Health)
Family Peer Support may help caregivers:
- Navigate systems
- Advocate for a child
- Develop confidence
- Participate in treatment planning
- Connect with resources
- Understand services
- Build natural supports
- Learn from another caregiver’s lived experience
Medicaid Requirements for Family Peer Support
Under New York’s Children’s and Family Treatment and Support Services structure, the need for FPSS must:
- Be recommended by a Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts
- Be included in the child’s treatment plan
- Support goals or objectives identified in that treatment plan
(New York State Department of Health)
This means family peer support can remain strengths-based and relationship-focused while still being connected to Medicaid service planning requirements.
Youth Peer Advocate
New York also maintains a formal Youth Peer Advocate, or YPA, workforce.
The full credential is commonly called YPA-C, or Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate.
Youth Peer Advocates use their own experience with behavioral health systems to support young people.
Youth peer services may help participants:
- Develop self-advocacy
- Participate in treatment planning
- Build confidence
- Develop life goals
- Build resilience
- Navigate behavioral health services
- Strengthen youth voice
- Prepare for adulthood
- Connect with community
- Develop independence
Medicaid Youth Peer Support
New York Medicaid covers Youth Peer Support, or YPS, through applicable Children’s and Family Treatment and Support Services.
The service is designed for youth experiencing social, medical, emotional, developmental, substance use, or behavioral challenges.
Youth Peer Support helps ensure youth engagement and active participation in treatment planning while reinforcing skills and strategies needed to achieve individualized life goals. (New York State Department of Health)
Youth Peer Support Treatment Plan Requirement
The need for Youth Peer Support must be determined by a Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts and included within the youth’s treatment plan.
Youth Peer Support activities must relate to identified goals and objectives in that plan. (New York State Department of Health)
Any intervention or contact that is not documented or consistent with approved treatment or recovery plan goals is not reimbursable under the applicable Medicaid framework. (New York State Department of Health)
YPA Supervision
Current Medicaid guidance identifies supervisory pathways for Youth Peer Advocates.
Depending on the program, supervision may be provided by:
- A credentialed YPA
- A credentialed FPA with qualifying direct service experience
- A qualified mental health professional meeting applicable New York regulations
(New York State Department of Health)
Youth peers holding a provisional credential must complete remaining requirements for the full credential within the applicable timeframe.
Current Medicaid guidance identifies 18 months of employment as the period for a provisional YPA to complete full credential requirements. (New York State Department of Health)
CRPA-Youth
New York also allows certain Youth Peer Support services to be delivered by a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate with a Youth Specialty, or CRPA-Y.
Current Medicaid guidance identifies CRPA-Y eligibility as including:
- Age 18 through 30
- Relevant lived experience involving substance use disorders
- High school diploma, equivalency, or qualifying State Education credential
- 46 hours of required training across advocacy, mentoring and education, recovery and wellness support, and ethical responsibility
(New York State Department of Health)
This creates an additional SUD-focused youth peer pathway within New York’s children’s behavioral health system.
Family Peer Support in Crisis Services
New York’s children’s behavioral health crisis model can include peer professionals.
Current Medicaid guidance states that if a Peer Advocate is part of a crisis intervention team, the peer must hold an applicable credential such as:
- OMH-established Family Peer Advocate credential
- OASAS-established Certified Recovery Peer Advocate-Family credential
(New York State Department of Health)
The peer does not respond alone within that particular crisis-team structure.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
New York’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, or CCBHCs, are required to provide a broad behavioral health service array.
Current OMH guidance identifies nine required service categories, including:
Peer support, counselor services, and family support services. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
These services may be provided directly by the CCBHC or through an applicable Designated Collaborating Organization.
New York updated its CCBHC billing guidance in March 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Organizations delivering peer services through CCBHCs should therefore verify current rate and billing rules rather than relying on older guidance.
Medicaid Coverage of Peer Support
New York Medicaid covers peer support across multiple behavioral health programs.
H0038 is a common procedure code for:
Self-help/peer services per 15 minutes. (New York State Department of Health)
However, there is no single universal New York Medicaid peer billing rule.
Billing depends on:
- OMH or OASAS program
- Children’s behavioral health program
- HCBS structure
- Clinic structure
- CCBHC structure
- Participant eligibility
- Peer credential
- Service plan
- Provider enrollment
- Documentation
- Modifiers
- Units
OMH vs. OASAS Peer Modifiers
New York Medicaid materials historically distinguish peer services by system using modifiers.
Available Medicaid coding guidance identifies:
Service | Code | Modifier |
|---|---|---|
OMH credentialed peer service | H0038 | HE |
OASAS credentialed peer service | H0038 | HF |
(New York State Department of Health)
H0038 is billed per 15 minutes in the applicable service structure.
Organizations should confirm current program-specific billing manuals before using these modifiers because reimbursement configurations may differ across Medicaid programs.
Medicaid Billing Is Program-Specific
A peer professional holding an appropriate credential is not automatically able to bill Medicaid independently.
New York Medicaid peer reimbursement may depend on whether the peer works through:
- OMH-licensed provider
- OASAS-certified provider
- CCBHC
- CORE program
- HCBS provider
- Children’s behavioral health provider
- MHOTRS clinic
- Other qualifying Medicaid provider
Organizations should separately evaluate:
- Peer credential
- Organizational certification
- Medicaid enrollment
- Participant eligibility
- Covered service
- Service plan
- Documentation
- Claim requirements
OMH Provider Licensing
New York requires organizations operating regulated mental health programs to obtain the applicable OMH operating certificate.
Providers seeking OMH certification must use the Prior Approval Review, or PAR, process. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
OMH licensing establishes requirements related to:
- Quality
- Safety
- Fiscal viability
- Program type
- Service location
- Operating standards
(New York State Office of Mental Health)
A peer organization should determine whether its specific services require OMH licensure before assuming it can operate as a regulated mental health provider.
Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services
New York’s Article 31 outpatient mental health clinics now operate under the Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services, or MHOTRS, framework.
OMH maintains dedicated Peer Support Services resources within the Part 599 MHOTRS program. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Peer services may therefore be incorporated into licensed outpatient mental health programs rather than existing only through standalone peer organizations.
OASAS Peer Services
Within OASAS-certified and CORE-designated programs, peer professionals generally need CRPA or CRPA-P certification. (OASS)
OASAS also emphasizes avoiding duplication of peer services across programs.
Organizations operating multiple peer benefits should therefore establish workflows that identify:
- Which peer program is responsible
- Which recovery goal is being addressed
- Whether another peer service is already being delivered
- Whether the activity is duplicative
- Which payer or program funds the encounter
Peer Support and Justice-Involved Populations
New York has increasingly developed peer support for people affected by the justice system.
The Academy of Peer Services includes specialty training for peer support with justice-involved individuals. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Peer specialists may support:
- Reentry
- Probation
- Court involvement
- Community supervision
- Behavioral health engagement
- Housing
- Employment
- Recovery
- System navigation
OASAS peer integration guidance also specifically identifies accompanying participants to court appearances and providing nonclinical support after incarceration as potential peer functions. (OASS)
Peer Support in Crisis Services
New York peer professionals may work throughout behavioral health crisis systems.
APS maintains specialty training for peers working with people in crisis. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Depending on the service, peers may:
- Build rapport
- Support de-escalation
- Provide lived-experience perspective
- Help people identify options
- Support self-advocacy
- Connect people with resources
- Support transitions
- Conduct follow-up
Peers should not independently perform functions reserved for clinicians, such as clinical risk assessments or involuntary treatment determinations.
Peer Support in Hospitals
Peers may also support people:
- During hospitalization
- After psychiatric hospitalization
- After overdose
- During emergency department encounters
- During transitions to community care
OASAS peer guidance specifically recognizes nonclinical crisis support after hospitalization and assistance attending medical appointments as appropriate peer functions. (OASS)
Scope of Practice
New York peer professionals generally provide nonclinical support based on lived experience.
Depending on the credential and service, appropriate activities may include:
- Sharing lived experience
- Recovery coaching
- Recovery planning
- Wellness planning
- Goal setting
- Self-advocacy
- Treatment navigation
- Resource navigation
- Natural support development
- Community connection
- Benefits assistance
- Housing navigation
- Employment support
- Education support
- Public transportation training
- Appointment support
- Court support
- Nonclinical crisis support
- Family support
- Youth support
- Recovery education
- Harm reduction
- Group facilitation
- Transition support
Activities Generally Outside Peer Scope
Unless separately licensed and authorized, peers generally should not:
- Diagnose mental health disorders
- Diagnose substance use disorders
- Conduct psychotherapy
- Provide professional counseling
- Prescribe medication
- Provide medical advice
- Conduct clinical assessments requiring licensure
- Make involuntary treatment decisions
- Independently change clinical treatment
- Represent themselves as licensed clinicians
- Determine Medicaid eligibility
- Provide legal advice
Documentation for New York Peer Support
Peer documentation should accurately describe the peer service while preserving the distinct recovery-oriented nature of the relationship.
A peer note may include:
- Participant identifier
- Date
- Start and end time
- Duration
- Location
- Modality
- Peer worker
- Credential
- Recovery or treatment goal
- Peer activity
- Relevant use of lived experience
- Advocacy
- Resource navigation
- Skills addressed
- Natural supports
- Participant response
- Progress
- Follow-up
- Connection to treatment, service, or recovery plan
- Signature or attestation
Documentation Should Be
- Accurate
- Timely
- Recovery-oriented
- Strengths-based
- Person-centered
- Specific
- Respectful
- Relevant
- Consistent with peer scope
- Connected to participant goals
- Consistent with payer requirements when billed
Documentation Should Avoid
- Unsupported diagnoses
- Clinical interpretation outside peer scope
- Stigmatizing language
- Copy-and-paste notes
- Generic statements such as “provided peer support”
- Unnecessary sensitive details
- Documentation of services that did not occur
- Personal opinions presented as clinical facts
- Documentation written solely to fit a billing code
Treatment and Recovery Plan Requirements
Many New York Medicaid peer services must connect directly to an approved treatment, recovery, or service plan.
For Youth Peer Support, interventions must relate to goals or objectives identified in the youth’s individualized treatment plan. (New York State Department of Health)
Family Peer Support must similarly be recommended and connected to treatment plan goals within the applicable children’s Medicaid service. (New York State Department of Health)
Organizations should therefore connect peer documentation directly to relevant participant goals without turning peer notes into psychotherapy notes.
Documentation and Billing Are Not the Same Thing
A completed peer support note does not automatically establish Medicaid reimbursement.
Payment may also depend on:
- Medicaid eligibility
- Covered service
- OMH or OASAS program
- Provider enrollment
- Organizational license or certification
- Peer credential
- Provisional credential status
- Treatment or recovery plan
- Medical necessity where applicable
- Correct H0038 modifier
- Correct units
- Authorization
- Service limits
- Documentation
- Timely filing
- Managed care requirements
- Non-duplication rules
Organizations should validate each requirement separately.
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
New York peer programs may handle highly sensitive mental health and substance use information.
Applicable requirements may include:
- HIPAA
- 42 CFR Part 2
- New York confidentiality law
- Medicaid requirements
- OMH requirements
- OASAS requirements
- Organizational policies
- Consent and authorization requirements
- Special protections involving minors
Peer workers should receive role-specific training addressing:
- Information access
- Documentation
- Participant consent
- Care-team communication
- Substance use records
- Mental health records
- Youth information
- Family information
- Text messaging
- Telehealth
- Social media
- Crisis communication
- Legal requests
Starting a Peer Support Program in New York
New York’s regulatory environment makes it especially important to define the service model before building the program.
Step 1: Define the Population
Determine whether the program serves:
- Adults with mental health conditions
- People with substance use disorders
- People with co-occurring conditions
- Families
- Youth
- Justice-involved people
- People leaving hospitals
- People experiencing crisis
- Other populations
Step 2: Determine the Peer Credential
Identify whether workers need:
- NYCPS
- CRPA
- CRPA-P
- FPA-C
- YPA-C
- CRPA-Y
- Another specialty peer credential
Step 3: Determine the Regulatory System
Identify whether the service falls under:
- OMH
- OASAS
- Children’s Medicaid
- CCBHC
- MHOTRS
- CORE
- HCBS
- Another Medicaid or state program
Step 4: Determine Organizational Licensing
Determine whether the organization requires:
- OMH operating certificate
- OASAS certification
- Medicaid provider enrollment
- CCBHC certification
- Another program approval
Step 5: Build Credential Tracking
For mental health peers, track:
- APS core courses
- Certification status
- Continuing education
- Specialty tracks
- Renewal
For substance use peers, track:
- CRPA-P eligibility
- 50 training hours
- 500 experience hours
- 25 supervision hours
- IC&RC examination
- CRPA status
For family and youth peers, track:
- Provisional credential
- Full credential
- Specialty requirements
- Applicable completion deadlines
Step 6: Establish Supervision
Determine:
- Peer-specific supervisor
- Administrative supervisor
- Clinical consultant
- Medicaid-required supervisor
- Frequency
- Documentation
- Specialty supervision requirements
- Provisional credential support
Step 7: Build Service Workflows
Map:
- Referral
- Eligibility
- Intake
- Consent
- Peer assignment
- Treatment or recovery goals
- Scheduling
- Service delivery
- Documentation
- Supervision
- Follow-up
- Outcomes
- Billing
Step 8: Establish Role Boundaries
Develop policies addressing:
- Use of lived experience
- Peer vs. clinical roles
- Confidentiality
- Dual relationships
- Benefits assistance
- Transportation
- Court accompaniment
- Gifts
- Social media
- Communication outside work
- Crisis response
- Staff wellness
- Role drift
Step 9: Configure Billing
If Medicaid applies, systems should distinguish among:
- OMH peer services
- OASAS peer services
- Children’s Youth Peer Support
- Family Peer Support
- CCBHC services
- Other covered peer benefits
Track:
- H0038
- Applicable modifiers
- Units
- Credential
- Program
- Participant eligibility
- Service plan
- Authorization
- Documentation
- Claim
Step 10: Measure Outcomes
Potential outcomes include:
- Engagement
- Recovery goal progress
- Treatment initiation
- Treatment retention
- Recovery capital
- Self-advocacy
- Community connection
- Natural supports
- Housing stability
- Employment
- Education
- Crisis utilization
- Hospitalization
- Justice involvement
- Youth self-advocacy
- Family empowerment
- Participant satisfaction
- Peer workforce retention
- Documentation timeliness
- Credential progress
Common Challenges for New York Peer Programs
Multiple Credentialing Systems
New York’s peer workforce does not operate under one universal credential.
Organizations need systems capable of distinguishing:
- Mental health peers
- Substance use peers
- Family peers
- Youth peers
- Provisional credentials
- Specialty credentials
Provisional-to-Full Credential Progress
CRPA-P workers need additional:
- Experience
- Supervision
- Examination
before becoming full CRPAs.
Youth and other peer credentials may have their own provisional completion timelines.
Organizations should track progress continuously rather than waiting until credential expiration.
OMH vs. OASAS Rules
Peer workers may perform similar relationship-based activities in both systems, but workforce and billing requirements can differ.
A single generic “peer support” workflow may therefore be insufficient.
Medicaid Complexity
New York peer reimbursement is spread across many Medicaid services and provider structures.
Organizations may need to manage:
- H0038
- HE
- HF
- Children’s peer services
- CCBHC payments
- MHOTRS
- CORE
- Other program-specific requirements
Provider Licensing
A qualified peer workforce does not automatically make an organization eligible to operate a regulated behavioral health service.
OMH and OASAS licensing requirements must be considered separately.
Treatment Plan Integration
Certain Medicaid peer services must be directly tied to participant treatment or recovery plans.
Technology should make this easy without pushing peers toward overly clinical documentation.
Peer Supervision
New York strongly supports peer-specific supervision.
Organizations relying exclusively on traditional clinical supervision may miss important issues involving:
- Mutuality
- Use of lived experience
- Boundaries
- Role fidelity
- Recovery orientation
Documentation Burden
New York’s Medicaid and regulatory environment can create significant documentation requirements.
Poorly designed systems can reduce the amount of time peers spend building relationships.
Role Drift
Peers may gradually be assigned:
- Case management
- Administrative tasks
- Compliance monitoring
- Clinical work
- Transportation-only work
- Generic outreach
Organizations should protect the distinct function of peer support.
Fragmented Technology
Large New York behavioral health providers may operate separate systems for:
- OMH services
- OASAS services
- Children’s services
- CCBHC
- Referrals
- Documentation
- Credential tracking
- Supervision
- Participant communication
- Outcomes
- Medicaid claims
This fragmentation can be particularly burdensome for peer staff who work across programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New York’s adult mental health peer credential?
The New York Certified Peer Specialist, commonly called NYCPS.
What is the Academy of Peer Services?
APS is OMH’s statewide online training and testing platform for people seeking mental health Peer Specialist certification and continuing education. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
How many core APS courses are there?
Current OMH contracting materials identify 13 Core Courses. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Does New York have specialty mental health peer training?
Yes.
APS maintains specialty tracks involving supervision, wellness, older adults, crisis, and justice-involved populations. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
What is New York’s substance use peer credential?
The Certified Recovery Peer Advocate, or CRPA.
What is CRPA-P?
CRPA-P is the provisional Certified Recovery Peer Advocate credential used as an entry pathway into New York’s OASAS peer workforce.
How much CRPA-P training is required?
Current OASAS guidance identifies 50 hours of required training. (OASS)
What topics are included in CRPA-P training?
Current OASAS guidance identifies:
- Advocacy
- Mentoring and education
- Recovery and wellness support
- Ethical responsibility
- Medication Supported Recovery
(OASS)
How much experience is required for full CRPA?
500 hours of related volunteer or work experience. (OASS)
How much supervision is required for full CRPA?
25 hours. (OASS)
Does full CRPA require an examination?
Yes.
Current OASAS guidance requires a passing score on the IC&RC examination. (OASS)
Does New York have family peer support?
Yes.
New York uses Credentialed Family Peer Advocates and covers Family Peer Support Services in applicable children’s Medicaid programs. (New York State Department of Health)
Does New York have youth peer support?
Yes.
Credentialed Youth Peer Advocates provide Youth Peer Support in applicable behavioral health programs. (New York State Department of Health)
Does Youth Peer Support need to be in a treatment plan?
Yes, within the applicable Medicaid CFTSS benefit.
The service must be determined by a licensed practitioner and incorporated into the youth’s individualized treatment plan. (New York State Department of Health)
Can a CRPA provide youth peer support?
A CRPA holding the applicable Youth Specialty, or CRPA-Y, may provide qualifying Youth Peer Support under current Medicaid guidance. (New York State Department of Health)
What ages qualify for CRPA-Y workers?
Current Medicaid workforce guidance identifies the CRPA-Y worker as 18 through 30 years old. (New York State Department of Health)
Does New York Medicaid cover peer support?
Yes.
Peer services are reimbursable across multiple New York Medicaid behavioral health structures.
What is H0038?
H0038 is the HCPCS code for self-help/peer services per 15 minutes in applicable New York Medicaid programs. (New York State Department of Health)
What modifier is associated with OMH peer services?
Available Medicaid coding materials identify HE for applicable OMH credentialed peer services. (New York State Department of Health)
What modifier is associated with OASAS peer services?
Available Medicaid coding materials identify HF for applicable OASAS credentialed peer services. (New York State Department of Health)
Can an individual peer independently bill Medicaid?
Do not assume so.
New York peer services are generally billed through qualifying Medicaid provider organizations and service structures.
Do New York CCBHCs provide peer support?
Yes.
Peer support, counselor services, and family support are among the nine required CCBHC service categories. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Can peer specialists work in crisis services?
Yes.
New York has dedicated peer training for crisis settings, and peers are incorporated into multiple crisis and engagement programs. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Can peers support justice-involved people?
Yes.
APS maintains a justice-involved peer specialty track, and OASAS guidance recognizes peer support after incarceration and during court involvement. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
Can peers help participants apply for benefits?
Yes, within peer scope and applicable program requirements. OASAS peer integration guidance specifically identifies benefits assistance as a potential peer activity. (OASS)
Can peers accompany participants to court?
Yes, within applicable programs. OASAS guidance specifically identifies court accompaniment as a potential peer support function. (OASS)
Are peer specialists clinicians?
No.
Peer credentials themselves do not constitute professional clinical licensure.
Official New York Peer Support Resources
New York Office of Mental Health Peer Support Services
Official OMH resource covering statewide advocacy, Peer Support Services, Certified Peer Specialists, Family Peer Advocates, Youth Peer Advocates, and peer workforce development.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/advocacy-peer-support.html
Academy of Peer Services
Official New York mental health peer training resource offering core certification training, testing, continuing education, elective courses, and specialty designations.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/planning/training-for-providers/
New York OASAS Peer Support Services
Official OASAS guidance describing CRPA and CRPA-P credential requirements, peer workforce standards, training, experience, supervision, and certification.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (OASS)
https://oasas.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2023/05/peer-support-services.pdf
OASAS Peer Integration Toolkit
Official New York OASAS resource describing peer functions, workforce integration, job roles, recovery planning, supervision, and peer practice.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (OASS)
https://oasas.ny.gov/peer-integration-tool-kit
Children’s Peer Support Resources
New York Children and Family Treatment and Support Services
Official New York Medicaid manual covering Family Peer Support Services, Youth Peer Support, workforce qualifications, service planning, supervision, documentation, and reimbursement.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Department of Health)
Medicaid and Provider Resources
New York Medicaid H0038
Official New York Medicaid reimbursement methodology identifying H0038 as self-help/peer services per 15 minutes.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Department of Health)
https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/rates/methodology/no_capital_add-on_procedures.htm
New York Medicaid Behavioral Health Peer Coding
Official Medicaid coding resource identifying H0038 and applicable HE and HF modifiers for credentialed OMH and OASAS peer services in applicable programs.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Department of Health)
Mental Health Provider Resources
New York OMH Licensing
Official Office of Mental Health resource covering operating certificates, provider licensing, certification, inspections, and program requirements.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/licensing/
OMH Prior Approval Review
Official process for organizations seeking to establish, expand, modify, or close an OMH-regulated mental health service.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/par/
New York MHOTRS
Official OMH resource for Article 31 Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services, including peer support resources.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/clinic_restructuring/
CCBHC Resources
New York Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
Official OMH resource for New York CCBHCs, including peer, counselor, and family support services and current Medicaid guidance.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/bho/ccbhc.html
Peer-Led Engagement Resources
New York INSET
Official OMH resource describing Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams, a peer-led approach emphasizing sustained engagement, trust, voice, choice, recovery, and community connection.
Last checked: August 20, 2026. (New York State Office of Mental Health)
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/advocacy-peer-support/inset/
Technology for New York Peer Support Programs
New York’s peer workforce creates one of the more complex operational environments in the country because organizations may simultaneously manage multiple peer credentials, state agencies, Medicaid programs, service plans, and billing structures.
Technology supporting New York peer programs should account for:
- NYCPS
- Academy of Peer Services coursework
- APS Core Courses
- APS continuing education
- Mental health peer specialty tracks
- CRPA
- CRPA-P
- 50-hour CRPA-P training
- 500 CRPA experience hours
- 25 CRPA supervision hours
- IC&RC examination
- Medication Supported Recovery training
- Family Peer Advocates
- Youth Peer Advocates
- CRPA-Y
- Provisional credentials
- Credential completion deadlines
- Peer-specific supervision
- OMH programs
- OASAS programs
- CFTSS
- CCBHC
- CORE
- MHOTRS
- Peer-led INSET programs
- Justice peer services
- Crisis peer services
- Treatment plans
- Recovery plans
- Participant-defined goals
- Peer-specific documentation
- H0038
- HE modifier
- HF modifier
- 15-minute units
- Medicaid eligibility
- Provider licensing
- Referrals
- Caseloads
- Scheduling
- Participant communication
- Recovery capital
- Outcomes
- Claims
- HIPAA
- 42 CFR Part 2
- Role-based permissions
- Grant and contract reporting
New York’s multiple credential systems create an especially important workforce-management challenge.
A single behavioral health organization might employ:
- NYCPS professionals
- CRPAs
- CRPA-P workers
- Family Peer Advocates
- Youth Peer Advocates
- Workers holding more than one credential
A system should know which credential is appropriate for the participant and service being delivered.
The CRPA-P pathway creates another important workflow.
Organizations should be able to track progress toward:
- Required training
- 500 experience hours
- 25 supervision hours
- IC&RC examination
- Full CRPA certification
rather than simply labeling a worker “provisional.”
Youth Peer Advocates may similarly face deadlines for completing full credential requirements.
Medicaid introduces additional complexity.
The system should distinguish whether an encounter is:
- OMH peer support
- OASAS peer support
- Youth Peer Support
- Family Peer Support
- CCBHC service
- Another Medicaid peer benefit
and apply the appropriate credential, program, service-plan, documentation, and billing requirements.
New York’s distinction between HE and HF modifiers also illustrates why peer workforce data and claims data should be connected.
A peer worker may provide similar relationship-based support, but whether the encounter falls under an OMH or OASAS service can change how the claim is configured. (New York State Department of Health)
Peer supervision should also be treated as a first-class workflow.
New York increasingly recognizes that peers benefit from supervision specifically designed around:
- Lived experience
- Mutuality
- Ethics
- Boundaries
- Recovery
- Role fidelity
rather than relying solely on traditional clinical supervision.
Finally, New York’s regulatory complexity makes configuration important.
A platform should allow organizations to define different workflows for OMH, OASAS, children, CCBHC, and other peer programs without requiring separate disconnected software systems for each one.
About Peerakeet
Peerakeet builds infrastructure for organizations delivering peer support and recovery services.
The platform supports peer-specific documentation, recovery planning, treatment-plan integration, supervision, credential management, participant engagement, scheduling, referrals, reporting, Medicaid billing workflows, and day-to-day program operations.
Peerakeet does not determine whether a New York service is billable and does not replace guidance from the New York State Office of Mental Health, Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York State Medicaid, managed care organizations, credentialing organizations, attorneys, compliance professionals, or applicable state and federal agencies.
Editorial Disclaimer
This guide is provided for general educational purposes. It is not legal, billing, credentialing, clinical, or regulatory advice.
New York peer support requirements vary significantly according to:
- Credential
- Population
- OMH or OASAS program
- Children’s behavioral health service
- Medicaid benefit
- Provider type
- CCBHC status
- Contract
- Managed care organization
- Funding source
- Setting
New York also updates its behavioral health programs frequently. Organizations should not rely on older billing manuals, workforce requirements, modifiers, or service definitions without confirming that they remain current.
Organizations should be particularly careful to distinguish among NYCPS, CRPA, CRPA-P, Family Peer Advocate, Youth Peer Advocate, and specialty peer pathways because qualification for one does not automatically establish qualification for another.
Organizations and peer professionals should verify current requirements with the New York State Office of Mental Health, Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York State Medicaid, applicable credentialing organizations and managed care plans, current provider manuals, and qualified professional advisors.
Last reviewed: August 2026.