Oklahoma Peer Support & Medicaid Guide

Oklahoma has a mature statewide peer support system serving people with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, children and families, veterans, justice-involved populations, and people receiving community behavioral health services.

The state’s primary peer credentials are administered by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, commonly abbreviated ODMHSAS.

Oklahoma currently recognizes:

Peer Recovery Support Specialist, or PRSS
Family Peer Recovery Support Specialist, or F-PRSS
Dual PRSS/F-PRSS certification for individuals meeting both lived-experience pathways

A PRSS is an individual in recovery from a mental health diagnosis, substance use disorder, or both who is trained and certified to use lived experience to support others in recovery. An F-PRSS uses lived experience as the caregiver of a child, youth, or young adult with behavioral or mental health challenges to support other families. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Oklahoma Medicaid, known as SoonerCare, recognizes certified PRSS and F-PRSS professionals within its behavioral health workforce. Certification and Medicaid billing eligibility are separate issues, meaning an individual may qualify for certification even when their employing organization is not eligible to bill a particular peer service. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Oklahoma Peer Support Quick Facts

Category	Oklahoma overview
State Medicaid program	SoonerCare
State behavioral health authority	ODMHSAS
Adult peer credential	Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Abbreviation	PRSS
Family peer credential	Family Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Abbreviation	F-PRSS
Dual certification	Available
PRSS minimum age	18
F-PRSS minimum age	21
Education	High school diploma, GED, or qualifying equivalent
Lived experience	Required
PRSS lived experience	Mental health and/or substance use recovery
F-PRSS lived experience	Parent/guardian or primary caregiver
Core training	40 hours
Examination	Required
Passing score	75%
Recovery story	Required
Personal NPI	Required
Background screening	OSBI report
Certification renewal	Annual
Continuing education	12 hours annually
Ethics CE	3 hours annually
Medicaid recognition	Yes
Last reviewed	August 2026

What Is Peer Support in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma defines a Peer Recovery Support Specialist as an individual who is:

Trained
Certified
Living in recovery
Willing to share lived experience
Able to provide hope and support to others

ODMHSAS describes the role through the principles:

Recover, Inspire, Empower

and

Do For, Do With, Cheer On

The state’s model emphasizes that peer support is not simply having lived experience. Professional peer work also requires training, skills, structure, ethics, and certification. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Peer services may include:

Recovery mentoring
Sharing lived experience
Recovery planning
Goal setting
Self-advocacy
System navigation
Resource connection
Treatment engagement
Community integration
Wellness support
Recovery capital development
Family engagement
Community support
Skill development
Hope and encouragement

Peer support remains distinct from psychotherapy, diagnosis, medication management, and other clinical services requiring professional licensure.

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

The Peer Recovery Support Specialist, or PRSS, is Oklahoma’s primary adult peer credential.

A PRSS is a person who has demonstrated recovery from:

A mental health diagnosis
A substance use disorder
Or both

and uses that lived experience professionally to help others navigate their own recovery. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

PRSS professionals work collaboratively with the people they serve and with clinical staff while maintaining a distinct lived-experience role.

PRSS Eligibility Requirements

Current ODMHSAS requirements include:

Demonstrated recovery from a mental health diagnosis, substance use disorder, or both
At least 18 years old
High school diploma or GED
Willingness to self-disclose personal recovery experience
Ability to effectively model hope and recovery
Agreement to follow the PRSS Code of Ethics
Employment or internship with an eligible organization within the applicable certification timeframe
Completion of required training
Successful sharing of the applicant’s recovery story
Passing the certification examination

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Lived Experience Requirement

Lived experience is foundational to Oklahoma’s PRSS credential.

Applicants must demonstrate recovery from:

Mental health challenges
Substance use disorder
Or both

They must also be willing to appropriately disclose their recovery journey as part of their professional peer role. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Oklahoma does not define peer expertise simply as professional behavioral health experience.

The worker’s personal recovery experience is a core qualification.

Education Requirement

PRSS applicants must have a:

High school diploma
GED
High School Equivalency credential
Or qualifying higher-education documentation where applicable

A college degree is not required. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Employment Requirement

Oklahoma’s certification model is closely connected to employment.

Current ODMHSAS guidance requires a PRSS applicant to be employed by or intern with an eligible organization within the applicable certification timeframe.

Eligible settings may include:

State agencies
Behavioral health providers contracting with the state
ODMHSAS-certified behavioral health providers
SoonerCare behavioral health providers
Tribes or tribal behavioral health facilities
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs facilities
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities
Other qualifying behavioral health organizations

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

This is an important distinction from states where an individual can obtain a peer credential entirely independently of employment.

Employment and Certification Timeline

Applicants who complete training, share their recovery story, and pass the examination but are not yet employed or volunteering with an eligible organization do not immediately receive the official certification.

Current ODMHSAS guidance gives applicants up to six months from training to obtain an eligible employment or volunteer position and submit Verification of Employment.

If the requirement is not satisfied within that period, the applicant may need to restart the certification process. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Organizations recruiting new peer workers should account for this timeline during onboarding.

Personal NPI Requirement

Oklahoma requires PRSS and F-PRSS applicants to obtain a personal National Provider Identifier, or NPI, before beginning the online certification application.

ODMHSAS directs applicants to use the taxonomy:

175T00000X - Peer Specialist

Applicants who already have an NPI should update the existing record rather than obtain another number. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

This creates an important workforce onboarding requirement for organizations employing new peer professionals.

Oklahoma PRSS Training

Oklahoma requires applicants to complete the state’s approved PRSS certification training.

Current administrative rules specify a 40-hour PRSS training block covering areas including:

Recovery
Ethics
Boundaries
Mental health
Substance use
Peer support competencies

Applicants must complete the full training requirement. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

ODMHSAS currently describes the instructor-led portion as a five-day certification training experience following required application and eLearning steps. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Core PRSS Competencies

Oklahoma’s certification training introduces participants to competencies involving:

Providing recovery support
Understanding the recovery process
Using one’s recovery story appropriately
Establishing healing relationships
Self-care
Professional peer roles
Ethics
Boundaries
Mental health recovery
Substance use recovery

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Certification Examination

After completing training, applicants must pass Oklahoma’s PRSS certification examination.

Current ODMHSAS guidance specifies a minimum passing score of:

75%

Applicants must attend all required training modules before testing. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

The examination includes competency-based questions designed to assess understanding and application of peer support principles.

Recovery Story Requirement

Oklahoma’s certification process also requires applicants to successfully share their personal recovery story.

This is not merely an optional classroom exercise.

Successful completion of the recovery-story component is part of the certification process. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

The requirement reinforces Oklahoma’s emphasis on using lived experience intentionally and appropriately within professional peer relationships.

Application Process

Applicants generally complete several stages.

Step 1: Review Eligibility

Confirm:

Lived experience
Age
Education
Employment eligibility
Willingness to self-disclose
Other certification requirements

Step 2: Obtain an NPI

Obtain or update a personal NPI with the Peer Specialist taxonomy.

Step 3: Complete Required eLearning

Complete the required ODMHSAS eLearning components and save the completion certificate.

Step 4: Complete the Online Application

Create or use the applicant’s ODMHSAS Access Control account and submit the required application information.

Step 5: Submit Supporting Documents

Current ODMHSAS guidance identifies required materials including:

Peer Checklist
Application Inventory Form
Code of Ethics
Verification of Employment
Application fee
Education transcript
OSBI report
PRSS eLearning certificate

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Step 6: Receive Training Approval

ODMHSAS reviews the application before allowing the applicant to attend certification training.

A complete application must generally be submitted at least 14 days before training. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Step 7: Complete Training

Complete the required PRSS certification curriculum.

Successfully complete the lived-experience storytelling component.

Step 9: Pass the Examination

Score at least 75%.

Step 10: Complete Employment Verification

Ensure ODMHSAS has documentation of qualifying employment or volunteer status.

OSBI Background Report

Oklahoma requires an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation criminal history report as part of the PRSS application.

Current ODMHSAS guidance states that:

A name-based OSBI search is sufficient
The report must be recent
Applicants should wait until required documents are complete before submitting the certification packet

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Organizations should use current ODMHSAS rules when evaluating criminal-history requirements rather than automatically excluding applicants based on informal assumptions.

Application Fee

Current ODMHSAS guidance lists an initial PRSS application fee of:

$25

ODMHSAS employees and employees of tribal entities are currently identified as exempt from the initial fee. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Fees may change and should be verified before application.

Family Peer Recovery Support Specialist

Oklahoma also certifies Family Peer Recovery Support Specialists, or F-PRSS.

An F-PRSS is an individual with lived experience as the caregiver of a:

Child
Youth
Young adult

who has experienced mental or behavioral health challenges. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Family peers use their lived experience to help families:

Engage with treatment
Navigate behavioral health systems
Develop knowledge
Develop advocacy skills
Build confidence
Support their family member’s recovery
Navigate services
Develop family resilience

F-PRSS Eligibility

Current Oklahoma requirements include:

Being a parent, guardian, or primary caregiver
Having lived with and cared for a child receiving behavioral or mental health services
Having been actively involved in obtaining services for the child
Having had applicable legal and financial responsibility for at least one year while the child received services
Willingness to disclose family lived experience
Ability to model hope and recovery
Employment in an applicable family peer role
At least 21 years old
High school diploma or GED

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Family Peer Training

Oklahoma integrated Family Peer certification more closely into its PRSS training structure beginning in 2024.

Current ODMHSAS training includes shared core content for general PRSS and Family Peer participants followed by specialized family peer content.

Family Peer competencies include:

Recovery and Systems of Care
Family Peer roles and responsibilities
Effective storytelling
Supporting families
Working within family systems
Self-care
Stages and cycles of support
Building self-efficacy
Respite

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Dual PRSS/F-PRSS Certification

Oklahoma allows dual certification for individuals who meet both the personal recovery and family caregiver lived-experience criteria.

This allows a qualified professional to hold both:

PRSS
F-PRSS

certification. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Organizations should still match the worker’s role, lived experience, service definition, and participant needs appropriately.

Who Can Family Peers Serve?

ODMHSAS states that Family Peers can provide peer services to families of a child or adolescent experiencing:

Serious emotional disturbance
Substance use disorder

Current ODMHSAS guidance notes that the former Family Support Provider requirements based on certain CAR score levels do not apply in the same way to the F-PRSS service structure. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Annual Certification Renewal

Oklahoma PRSS certification must be renewed every year.

Certified peers are currently required to complete:

12 continuing education hours annually

including:

3 hours of Ethics

The remaining hours may consist of qualifying general continuing education. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

This annual cycle is important for organizations employing large peer workforces.

Continuing Education

Current annual requirements are:

CE category	Hours
Ethics	3
General qualifying CE	9
Total	12

Certified peers are responsible for maintaining their own CE documentation and may be selected to provide proof of attendance. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Organizations should independently track these requirements to reduce the risk of employees unknowingly allowing certification to lapse.

Late Renewal and Termination

ODMHSAS maintains specific deadlines for annual renewal.

Current guidance states that late renewals may result in:

Additional late fees
A limited late-renewal period
Certification termination if renewal is not completed within the allowed timeframe
Requirement to restart certification after the applicable waiting period

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Credential expiration can therefore create both workforce and billing risks.

PRSS Specialty Tracks

Oklahoma offers supplemental PRSS Specialty Tracks for already-certified peer professionals.

These trainings are designed to expand knowledge related to specific:

Populations
Recovery modalities
Substance use issues
Behavioral health topics
Evidence-based practices

Specialty Tracks also count toward continuing education requirements. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Mental Health Peer Support

Mental health recovery is one of Oklahoma’s primary PRSS lived-experience pathways.

Peers may support people experiencing:

Serious mental illness
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Psychotic disorders
Trauma-related conditions
Anxiety
Other mental health challenges

Support may include:

Recovery mentoring
Goal setting
Wellness
Self-advocacy
Treatment engagement
Community integration
Natural supports
Housing navigation
Employment navigation
Recovery planning

Substance Use Peer Support

Substance use recovery is also explicitly included within Oklahoma’s PRSS credential.

PRSS professionals may support people experiencing:

Opioid use disorder
Alcohol use disorder
Stimulant use disorder
Other substance use disorders
Co-occurring mental health conditions

Activities may include:

Recovery coaching
Treatment navigation
Recovery planning
Mutual support connection
Recovery capital development
Harm reduction
Community connection
Housing support
Employment resources
Wellness
Long-term recovery engagement

Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use

A PRSS may qualify through lived experience involving:

Mental health recovery
Substance use recovery
Both

This makes Oklahoma’s peer workforce particularly relevant for people with co-occurring behavioral health conditions. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

SoonerCare and Peer Support

Oklahoma Medicaid is known as SoonerCare.

SoonerCare recognizes:

PRSS
F-PRSS

as behavioral health workforce credentials when certified by ODMHSAS under Oklahoma Administrative Code requirements. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

However, certification does not itself create a right to independently bill Medicaid.

Certification vs. Billing Eligibility

This is one of the most important distinctions in Oklahoma.

ODMHSAS explicitly notes that:

Individual PRSS certification and provider-agency billing eligibility are separate issues.

An individual may meet the requirements for PRSS certification while their employer may not qualify to bill a particular Medicaid peer service.

Likewise, many behavioral health organizations may employ certified peers even when peer support is funded through another mechanism. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Organizations should therefore evaluate separately:

Is the individual eligible to become a PRSS?
Is the organization eligible to employ the PRSS?
Is the organization enrolled for the applicable SoonerCare service?
Is the specific peer service Medicaid-covered?
Does the encounter meet the service requirements?
Does the documentation support the claim?

Eligible Employers for Certification

ODMHSAS currently identifies qualifying employer categories including:

SoonerCare behavioral health providers
ODMHSAS-certified providers
ODMHSAS-contracted providers
Other state-contracted behavioral health providers
State agencies
Tribes and tribal behavioral health facilities
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs facilities
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities

(Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Organizations that are private-pay only and lack applicable state certification, Medicaid enrollment, or state behavioral health contracts may not qualify to sponsor staff for PRSS certification.

Can a PRSS Independently Bill SoonerCare?

PRSS certification should not be treated as independent Medicaid billing authority.

Reimbursement depends separately on:

Provider organization
SoonerCare enrollment
Covered service
Participant eligibility
Service definition
Staff credential
Treatment or service plan
Supervision
Documentation
Procedure code
Modifier
Units
Prior authorization where applicable
Other Oklahoma Medicaid requirements

Scope of Practice

Oklahoma PRSS professionals provide recovery-oriented support based on lived experience.

Appropriate activities may include:

Sharing relevant lived experience
Recovery mentoring
Recovery planning
Goal setting
Self-advocacy
System navigation
Treatment engagement
Community resource navigation
Natural support development
Wellness
Recovery capital development
Community integration
Family engagement
Skill development
Transition support

Activities Generally Outside Peer Scope

Unless separately licensed and authorized under another professional role, PRSS professionals generally should not:

Diagnose mental health disorders
Diagnose substance use disorders
Conduct psychotherapy
Provide licensed counseling
Prescribe medication
Provide medical advice
Conduct clinical assessments requiring licensure
Make involuntary treatment decisions
Independently modify clinical treatment
Represent themselves as licensed clinicians
Determine Medicaid eligibility
Provide legal advice

Peer and Clinical Collaboration

ODMHSAS emphasizes that PRSS and F-PRSS professionals can work collaboratively with clinical staff to promote recovery outcomes. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Collaboration does not mean eliminating the distinction between the peer and clinical roles.

The peer’s contribution remains rooted in:

Lived experience
Hope
Mutuality
Recovery
Self-determination
Advocacy
Relationship
Community connection

Peer Supervision

Organizations should provide supervision designed specifically for peer professionals.

Peer-focused supervision may address:

Appropriate use of lived experience
Recovery story sharing
Ethics
Boundaries
Recovery orientation
Role fidelity
Documentation
Difficult interactions
Self-care
Burnout
Community resources
Professional development

Administrative supervision may separately address:

Scheduling
Caseloads
Documentation completion
Attendance
Credential status
Continuing education
Performance

Clinical consultation should be available when participant needs move outside peer scope.

Documentation for Oklahoma Peer Support

A strong Oklahoma peer support note may include:

Participant identifier
Date
Start time
End time
Duration
Location
Modality
PRSS or F-PRSS name
Credential
Recovery goal
Peer intervention
Relevant use of lived experience
Recovery activity
Advocacy
Resource navigation
Natural supports
Participant or family response
Progress
Barriers
Follow-up
Connection to applicable service plan
Signature or attestation

When SoonerCare reimbursement applies, documentation must also satisfy the requirements of the specific Medicaid service being billed.

Documentation Should Be

Accurate
Timely
Person-centered
Family-centered when applicable
Recovery-oriented
Strengths-based
Specific
Respectful
Relevant
Consistent with peer scope
Connected to participant goals
Consistent with payer requirements when billed

Documentation Should Avoid

Unsupported diagnoses
Clinical interpretations outside peer scope
Stigmatizing language
Generic statements such as “provided peer support”
Copy-and-paste documentation
Unnecessary sensitive information
Documentation of services that did not occur
Personal opinions presented as clinical facts
Language designed solely to justify reimbursement

Documentation and Billing Are Not the Same Thing

A completed peer support note does not automatically establish that the encounter is reimbursable.

Payment may additionally depend on:

SoonerCare eligibility
Covered service
Provider enrollment
ODMHSAS certification
PRSS or F-PRSS credential
Treatment or service plan
Authorization
Correct code
Correct modifier
Units
Supervision
Documentation
Timely filing
Managed care or program requirements

Organizations should validate each component independently.

Oklahoma PRSS professionals agree to comply with the state’s Code of Ethics.

Peer organizations may also need to comply with:

HIPAA
42 CFR Part 2
Oklahoma law
ODMHSAS requirements
SoonerCare requirements
Organizational policies
Participant consent requirements

Peer staff should receive role-specific training involving:

Information access
Documentation
Participant consent
Care-team communication
Substance use records
Family information
Youth information
Text messaging
Email
Telehealth
Social media
Crisis communication
Mandatory reporting

Starting a Peer Support Program in Oklahoma

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
Children and families
Veterans
Justice-involved populations
People in community recovery
Other behavioral health populations

Step 2: Determine the Peer Credential

Identify whether staff need:

PRSS
F-PRSS
Dual PRSS/F-PRSS
Specialty training

Step 3: Establish an Eligible Employment Structure

Determine whether the organization qualifies under ODMHSAS requirements to employ or sponsor certified peers.

Step 4: Build Credential Tracking

Track:

NPI
Peer Specialist taxonomy
Education
OSBI report
eLearning
Application
Code of Ethics
Verification of Employment
Training
Recovery story
Examination
Certification
Annual CE
Ethics CE
Renewal
Specialty tracks

Step 5: Determine the Funding Model

Potential funding may include:

SoonerCare
ODMHSAS contracts
State behavioral health funding
Federal block grants
Opioid settlement funding
Tribal funding
Veterans programs
Grants
Hospital contracts
Philanthropy
Other contracts

Step 6: Determine Medicaid Billing Eligibility

If SoonerCare reimbursement is planned, determine:

Organizational enrollment
Covered service
Participant eligibility
Staff qualification
Service-plan requirements
Authorization
Documentation
Billing requirements

Step 7: Establish Supervision

Determine:

Peer supervisor
Administrative supervisor
Clinical consultant
Frequency
Documentation expectations
Crisis escalation
Staff wellness

Step 8: Build the Service Workflow

Map:

Referral
Eligibility
Intake
Consent
Peer assignment
Recovery goals
Scheduling
Service delivery
Documentation
Supervision
Follow-up
Outcomes
Billing

Step 9: Establish Role Boundaries

Develop policies addressing:

Use of lived experience
Recovery story sharing
Peer vs. clinical roles
Confidentiality
Dual relationships
Transportation
Gifts
Social media
Communication outside work
Crisis escalation
Staff wellness
Role drift

Step 10: Measure Outcomes

Potential outcomes include:

Engagement
Recovery goal progress
Treatment initiation
Treatment retention
Recovery capital
Self-advocacy
Community connection
Housing stability
Employment
Family empowerment
Wellness
Crisis utilization
Hospitalization
Participant satisfaction
Peer workforce retention
Documentation timeliness
Credential retention

Common Challenges for Oklahoma Peer Programs

Employment-Linked Certification

Oklahoma’s certification system is closely connected to qualifying employment.

Organizations recruiting new peers should understand the Verification of Employment requirements and six-month timeline. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Annual Renewal

Unlike states using two- or three-year peer credentials, Oklahoma requires annual renewal.

This creates a recurring compliance workflow for both individual peers and employers.

Continuing Education

Each certified peer needs 12 annual CE hours, including three Ethics hours.

Organizations should track both total hours and ethics hours.

NPI Requirements

PRSS applicants need a personal NPI with the appropriate Peer Specialist taxonomy.

This should be incorporated into onboarding rather than discovered after the employee begins certification.

Certification vs. Billing

A certified peer does not automatically create a Medicaid-billable service.

Organizations need to distinguish workforce certification from provider and service billing eligibility. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Family vs. General Peer Services

Oklahoma now distinguishes:

PRSS
F-PRSS
Dual certification

Systems should know which credential and lived-experience pathway applies to the service.

Credential Expiration

Annual certification creates significant risk if organizations do not proactively monitor:

CE completion
Ethics hours
Renewal submission
Late-renewal deadlines
Certification status

Documentation Burden

Peer specialists are valuable because of their ability to form relationships grounded in lived experience.

Excessive documentation requirements can reduce direct participant time and contribute to workforce burnout.

Rural Access

Oklahoma includes large rural areas where programs may encounter:

Long travel distances
Workforce shortages
Limited treatment availability
Limited peer supervision
Transportation barriers
Limited recovery resources

Flexible community and virtual workflows can be particularly valuable where permitted.

Role Drift

Peers may gradually become responsible for:

Generic case management
Administrative work
Transportation
Compliance monitoring
Clinical activities

Organizations should preserve the distinct lived-experience function of peer support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Oklahoma’s primary peer credential?

The Peer Recovery Support Specialist, or PRSS. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Who certifies Oklahoma PRSS professionals?

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Is lived experience required?

Yes.

A PRSS must demonstrate recovery from a mental health diagnosis, substance use disorder, or both. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

How old must a PRSS be?

At least 18 years old. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Is a high school diploma required?

Yes.

A high school diploma, GED, or qualifying equivalent is required. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

How much training is required?

Oklahoma’s administrative rules specify a 40-hour PRSS training block. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Is there an examination?

Yes.

Applicants must pass the certification examination. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

What is the passing score?

Current ODMHSAS guidance identifies a minimum score of 75%. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Yes.

Successful sharing of the applicant’s recovery story is part of the certification process. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Does Oklahoma have a family peer credential?

Yes.

The Family Peer Recovery Support Specialist, or F-PRSS. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

How old must an F-PRSS be?

At least 21 years old under current ODMHSAS requirements. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Can someone hold both PRSS and F-PRSS certification?

Yes.

Oklahoma offers a dual certification pathway for people meeting both lived-experience criteria. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Is an NPI required?

Yes.

ODMHSAS currently requires applicants to have a personal NPI and identifies 175T00000X Peer Specialist as the applicable taxonomy. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Is a background check required?

Yes.

An OSBI criminal history report is part of the current application process. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Does certification need to be renewed?

Yes.

Oklahoma PRSS certification is renewed annually. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

How much continuing education is required?

12 hours each year, including 3 hours of Ethics. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Does SoonerCare recognize PRSS professionals?

Yes.

SoonerCare behavioral health rules recognize ODMHSAS-certified PRSS and F-PRSS credentials. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Does PRSS certification automatically mean a provider can bill Medicaid?

No.

ODMHSAS specifically distinguishes individual certification eligibility from provider-agency billing eligibility. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Can peers work with both mental health and substance use populations?

Yes.

The PRSS lived-experience pathway includes mental health recovery, substance use recovery, or both. (Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site)

Are PRSS professionals clinicians?

No.

PRSS certification is a lived-experience peer credential and does not itself constitute professional clinical licensure.

Official Oklahoma Peer Support Resources

Oklahoma Peer Services

Official ODMHSAS hub for Oklahoma’s peer workforce, including PRSS and F-PRSS information, peer resources, support calls, specialty tracks, training, and workforce initiatives.