Texas Peer Support & Medicaid Guide

Texas has a formal statewide peer support infrastructure serving people with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, co-occurring behavioral health needs, children and families, and people receiving community-based behavioral health services.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, or HHSC, recognizes two primary adult Peer Specialist certification tracks:

Mental Health Peer Specialist
Recovery Support Peer Specialist

Texas also maintains a separate Certified Family Partner, or CFP, credential for parents and caregivers using lived experience to support other families navigating children’s behavioral health systems.

Peer Specialist Services have been a Texas Medicaid benefit since 2019. Current Texas Medicaid policy covers qualifying peer services for adults age 21 and older when Peer Specialist Services are part of the person’s person-centered recovery plan. The primary Medicaid procedure code is H0038, with HE used for mental health and HF for substance use services. (TMHP)

Texas Peer Support Quick Facts

Category	Texas overview
State Medicaid program	Texas Medicaid
State behavioral health authority	Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Abbreviation	HHSC
Mental health peer credential	Mental Health Peer Specialist
Substance use peer credential	Recovery Support Peer Specialist
Family peer credential	Certified Family Partner
Minimum Peer Specialist age	18
Education	High school diploma or GED
Lived experience	Required
Core Peer Specialist training	6 hours
Specialty training	46 hours
Total initial training	52 hours
Knowledge assessment	Required
Initial certification	6 months
Supervised internship	250 hours
Full certification	2 years
Peer supervision	Required
Adult Medicaid peer coverage	Yes
Medicaid age	21+ for H0038 Peer Specialist Services
Medicaid peer code	H0038
Mental health modifier	HE
Substance use modifier	HF
Group modifier	HQ
Group maximum	12 people
Standard service limit	104 units per rolling 6 months before prior authorization
Family peer Medicaid benefit	Yes
Family peer code	S9482
Family peer population	Caregivers of Medicaid-eligible children/youth age 20 and younger
Last reviewed	August 2026

What Is Peer Support in Texas?

Texas describes peer support as support provided by someone with lived experience who helps another person pursue long-term recovery from mental health or substance use challenges.

HHSC describes peers as providing:

Emotional support
Recovery encouragement
Knowledge
Practical assistance
Skills
Resource connection
Community connection

The state’s Medicaid Peer Specialist benefit is specifically described as:

Recovery-oriented
Person-centered
Relationship-focused
Voluntary
Trauma-informed

(Texas Health and Human Services)

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

Texas Peer Specialist Certification

Texas uses a common certification framework followed by specialization in either:

Mental health peer support
Substance use recovery support

A person begins with orientation and self-assessment, completes core training, then completes specialty-specific training before applying for initial certification. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Mental Health Peer Specialist

A Mental Health Peer Specialist uses personal lived experience with a mental health condition and recovery to support other people navigating mental health and recovery systems.

Potential services include:

Recovery planning
Wellness support
Goal setting
Self-advocacy
Community integration
Behavioral health navigation
Natural support development
Resource connection
Coping support
Treatment engagement
Recovery education

Texas Medicaid uses the HE modifier with H0038 to identify the mental health specialty. (TMHP)

Recovery Support Peer Specialist

A Recovery Support Peer Specialist uses personal lived experience with substance use disorder and recovery to support other people pursuing or maintaining recovery.

Potential services include:

Recovery mentoring
Recovery planning
Treatment engagement
Recovery capital development
Community resource navigation
Mutual support connection
Housing resources
Employment resources
Self-advocacy
Wellness
Community integration

Texas Medicaid uses the HF modifier with H0038 to identify substance use Peer Specialist Services. (TMHP)

Basic Peer Specialist Eligibility

Texas publicly documented Peer Specialist requirements include:

At least 18 years old
Lived experience with a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both
High school diploma or GED
Willingness to appropriately share a personal recovery story
Ability to demonstrate current self-directed recovery
Required criminal history and registry screening

(Texas HHS Contracts)

The worker’s lived experience is therefore a formal qualification rather than simply preferred professional experience.

Peer Specialist Training

Texas uses a two-stage initial training process.

Core Training

The first component is approximately:

6 hours of core training

Specialty Training

The second component is approximately:

46 hours of supplemental training

focused on either:

Mental Health Peer Specialist
Recovery Support Peer Specialist

This produces approximately:

52 total hours of initial peer training

before certification. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Orientation and Self-Assessment

Before beginning certification training, prospective Peer Specialists complete required:

Orientation
Self-assessment activities

The purpose is to help prospective workers understand the professional peer role and determine readiness for certification. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Knowledge Assessment

After completing core and specialty training, applicants complete a knowledge assessment before receiving initial certification. (Texas HHS Contracts)

Training attendance alone therefore does not establish a full Peer Specialist credential.

Initial Six-Month Certification

Texas uses a staged credentialing process.

After completing:

Orientation
Self-assessment
Core training
Supplemental training
Background screening
Knowledge assessment

a Peer Specialist may receive an initial six-month certification. (Texas Health and Human Services)

During this period, the Peer Specialist completes supervised work experience.

250-Hour Supervised Internship

Texas requires an initially certified Peer Specialist to complete:

250 hours of supervised work experience

The internship is intended to be completed during approximately:

6 months

An extension may be granted by the certification entity when needed. (Texas HHS Contracts)

The pathway is therefore:

Orientation → Training → Initial Certification → 250 Supervised Hours → Full Certification

Two-Year Certification

After successfully completing the supervised internship, the Peer Specialist progresses to a:

two-year certification

Texas’ publicly documented certification process identifies completion of the 250-hour supervised experience as the step between initial certification and the two-year credential. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Current renewal and continuing education requirements should be verified through the state’s designated certification entity.

Peer Specialist Supervision

Organizations employing Peer Specialists must provide supervision.

Texas publicly identifies several professionals who may provide Peer Specialist supervision, including qualifying:

Qualified Credentialed Counselors
Licensed Practitioners of the Healing Arts
Qualified Mental Health Professionals under applicable oversight
Qualified Peer Supervisors under applicable oversight

(Texas HHS Contracts)

Supervision Frequency

Texas requirements distinguish between newly certified and fully certified peers.

Current publicly available HHSC contract standards specify supervision:

At least weekly for a Peer Specialist with an initial certification
At least monthly for a Peer Specialist with a two-year certification
More frequently when requested or necessary

(Texas HHS Contracts)

Supervision may occur:

Individually
In groups
Face-to-face
Through teleconference

and may include observation of Peer Specialist service delivery. (Texas HHS Contracts)

What Peer Supervision Can Address

Texas describes Peer Specialist supervision as including areas such as:

Review of cases and activities
Skill development
Problem resolution
Professional growth
Organizational policy
Administrative requirements

(Texas HHS Contracts)

Peer-focused supervision may also help reinforce:

Role fidelity
Appropriate use of lived experience
Ethics
Boundaries
Recovery orientation
Documentation
Staff wellness

Texas Medicaid Peer Specialist Services

Texas Medicaid formally covers Peer Specialist Services.

Current Texas Medicaid guidance states that H0038 Peer Specialist Services are a benefit for Medicaid members who:

Are age 21 or older
Have a mental health condition, substance use condition, or both
Have Peer Specialist Services included in their person-centered recovery plan

(TMHP)

Medicaid Philosophy of Peer Support

Texas Medicaid specifically describes Peer Specialist Services as:

Recovery-oriented
Person-centered
Relationship-focused
Voluntary
Trauma-informed

(TMHP)

This distinction matters because Medicaid reimbursement does not change the fundamental nature of the peer role.

Covered Peer Specialist Activities

Texas Medicaid identifies three major categories of Peer Specialist Services.

Recovery and Wellness Support

Providing information and support for recovery planning.

Mentoring

Serving as a role model and helping the participant identify and access community resources and services.

Advocacy

Supporting people during stressful or urgent situations and helping ensure their rights are respected.

Advocacy may also involve helping the participant develop self-advocacy skills. (TMHP)

Medicaid Peer Support Code

Texas Medicaid uses:

H0038

for Peer Specialist Services.

Claims must also identify whether the service relates to:

Mental health
Substance use

using specialty modifiers. (TMHP)

Texas Medicaid Peer Support Modifiers

Service	Code / Modifier
Peer Specialist Services	H0038
Mental health	HE
Substance use	HF
Group service	HQ
Synchronous audiovisual where permitted	95
Synchronous audio-only where permitted	FQ

Current providers should verify telehealth eligibility for the specific service configuration because Texas Medicaid telecommunications rules are detailed and program-specific. (TMHP)

Individual Peer Support

For an individual mental health Peer Specialist encounter, the coding framework generally uses:

H0038 HE

For an individual substance use Peer Specialist encounter:

H0038 HF

(TMHP)

Group Peer Support

Group Peer Specialist Services use the additional:

HQ modifier

For example:

H0038 HE HQ for qualifying mental health group peer services
H0038 HF HQ for qualifying substance use group peer services

Texas Medicaid currently limits Peer Specialist group sessions to:

12 total people

(TMHP)

Medicaid Service Limits

Texas Medicaid currently allows:

104 units of Peer Specialist Services in a rolling six-month period

before prior authorization is required.

The limitation applies across individual and group Peer Specialist Services.

The limit may be exceeded when additional services are medically necessary and proper prior authorization is obtained. (TMHP)

Prior Authorization

Prior authorization is not required for the first:

104 units

during a rolling six-month period.

Providers must request prior authorization once the participant exceeds that threshold. (TMHP)

Texas Medicaid describes prior authorization as a condition of reimbursement rather than a guarantee of payment.

Medicaid Documentation Requirements

Texas Medicaid requires Peer Specialist documentation to include:

Date
Time
Place of service
Purpose of the service
Content of the service
Specific strategies and activities used
Connection to goals in the person’s plan of care

(TMHP)

Peer Specialist supervisors must also document supervisory sessions and maintain those records in the employee’s personnel file. (TMHP)

Documentation Is Not Separately Billable

Texas Medicaid explicitly excludes:

Recordkeeping activities
Documentation activities
Services not provided directly to the participant

from the Peer Specialist benefit. (TMHP)

This means administrative time spent writing a note is not itself a separate H0038 service.

Medicaid and Simultaneous Services

Texas Medicaid generally does not allow Peer Specialist Services to be delivered simultaneously with another behavioral health service being delivered to the same person or group. (TMHP)

Organizations should therefore prevent overlapping service-time claims.

Certification Does Not Equal Independent Billing Authority

Holding a Texas Peer Specialist credential does not automatically mean the individual can independently bill Medicaid.

The Medicaid-enrolled provider is responsible for:

Service delivery
Documentation
Supervision
Claim submission
Compliance with Medicaid requirements

Organizations should separately verify:

Peer certification
Employer/provider eligibility
Medicaid enrollment
Participant eligibility
Covered service
Plan-of-care requirement
Supervision
Documentation
Coding
Managed care requirements

Texas Medicaid Managed Care

Texas Medicaid operates extensively through managed care organizations.

Administrative requirements may differ between:

Fee-for-service Medicaid
Individual MCOs

TMHP specifically notes that MCO requirements involving:

Prior authorization
Precertification
Referrals
Claims
Encounter filing

may differ from fee-for-service requirements. (TMHP)

Providers should verify requirements with the participant’s specific MCO.

Home and Community-Based Services Adult Mental Health

Texas’ Home and Community-Based Services Adult Mental Health, or HCBS-AMH, program also incorporates Peer Support Services.

Current HCBS-AMH provider guidance identifies:

H0038 Peer Support

within the program and directs providers to Texas Medicaid Peer Specialist Services requirements. (Texas Health and Human Services)

HCBS-AMH Peer Support providers must also complete program-specific required training.

Certified Family Partner

Texas has a separate family peer credential known as the Certified Family Partner, or CFP.

A Certified Family Partner is a parent, legally authorized representative, or primary caregiver with lived experience navigating child-serving systems on behalf of a child or youth with significant behavioral health needs.

Texas Medicaid added a dedicated Certified Family Partner benefit effective March 1, 2025. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Who Can Become a Certified Family Partner?

Current Texas Medicaid requirements state that a CFP must:

Be at least 18 years old
Have a high school diploma or equivalent
Have lived experience navigating a child-serving system
Have experience as a parent, legally authorized representative, or primary caregiver of a child or youth with a serious emotional disturbance, mental health condition, or substance use condition
Be willing to appropriately share their lived experience
Successfully complete the HHSC-approved certification process
Pass required criminal history and registry checks

(TMHP)

Examples of Child-Serving Systems

Texas identifies examples including:

Mental health systems
Juvenile justice
Social Security
Special education

(TMHP)

Family peer expertise therefore involves more than simply parenting experience. It includes direct experience navigating systems on behalf of a child or youth.

Certified Family Partner Services

Texas Medicaid describes CFP activities including:

Introducing caregivers to mental health and substance use systems
Modeling advocacy
Providing education and information
Making referrals
Providing skills training
Identifying supports
Conducting support groups
Helping caregivers navigate systems

Systems may include:

Juvenile justice
Child Protective Services
Independent school districts
Behavioral health services

(TMHP)

Who Receives Medicaid CFP Services?

Current Texas Medicaid CFP services are available to:

Birth parents
Adoptive parents
Foster parents
Legally authorized representatives
Primary caregivers

of a Medicaid-eligible child or youth age:

20 or younger

who has:

Serious emotional disturbance
Mental health condition
Substance use condition

and has CFP services included in the applicable person-centered plan of care. (Texas Health and Human Services)

The CFP provides the service to the caregiver, not directly to the child or youth. (TMHP)

Certified Family Partner Medicaid Code

Texas Medicaid uses:

S9482

for Certified Family Partner services.

A billable unit is:

15 minutes of continuous contact. (TMHP)

Certified Family Partner Modifiers

Service	Modifier
Mental health	HE
Substance use	HF
Group	HQ
Synchronous audiovisual where permitted	95
Audio-only where permitted	FQ

(TMHP)

Certified Family Partner Service Limit

Texas Medicaid currently limits CFP services to:

104 units in a rolling six-month period

before additional prior authorization is required. (TMHP)

Group CFP sessions are limited to:

12 people per group session. (TMHP)

CFP Certification Cycle

Texas Medicaid guidance states that Certified Family Partner certification is issued for:

two years

and must be renewed every two years through the state-designated certification entity.

Recertification requires continuing education according to the certifying entity’s standards. (TMHP)

Family Partner Scope Boundaries

Texas Medicaid explicitly states that a Certified Family Partner may not:

Practice psychotherapy
Make clinical or diagnostic assessments
Provide expert clinical opinions
Provide services requiring professional licensure

A CFP also may not provide Family Partner Services to their own child or youth. (TMHP)

Family Partner Support in Texas Mental Health Services

Certified Family Partners also operate within Texas’ broader children’s mental health infrastructure.

HHSC contracts require applicable behavioral health programs to use CFPs for peer mentoring and support to parents and primary caregivers of children receiving services. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Texas’ community mental health resources similarly identify Family Partner Support Services among the supports available through Local Mental Health and Behavioral Health Authorities. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Youth Peer Support

Texas publicly documents youth peer roles in several behavioral health initiatives.

For example, Texas’ behavioral health planning materials describe youth peer specialists participating in school- and community-based Systems of Care projects alongside family partners and behavioral health professionals. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Organizations should verify the current credentialing and funding rules for specific youth peer roles because they are not necessarily identical to adult MHPS, RSPS, or CFP certification requirements.

Peer Support in Coordinated Specialty Care

Texas’ Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis programs may include:

Psychiatrist
Licensed therapist
Certified Family Partner or Peer Specialist
Supported employment and education specialist

as part of the interdisciplinary team. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Peers can therefore be integrated into multidisciplinary behavioral health services while maintaining their distinct lived-experience role.

Intensive Peer Support Services

Texas also publicly operates or contracts for specialized peer programs beyond the standard Medicaid adult peer benefit.

In 2026, HHSC, on behalf of the Department of Family and Protective Services, opened enrollment for Intensive Peer Support Services for high-acuity foster youth with complex mental and behavioral health needs. (Texas HHS Resources)

This illustrates the expanding use of peer services across child welfare and behavioral health systems.

Scope of Peer Support

Depending on certification and program, Texas Peer Specialists may appropriately provide:

Sharing relevant lived experience
Recovery planning
Wellness support
Mentoring
Self-advocacy
Advocacy
Community resource navigation
Treatment engagement
Community integration
Natural support development
Recovery education
Recovery capital development
Goal setting
Support during stressful situations
Group peer services

Activities Generally Outside Peer Scope

Unless separately licensed and authorized, a Texas Peer Specialist generally should not:

Diagnose a mental health condition
Diagnose a substance use disorder
Conduct psychotherapy
Provide licensed counseling
Prescribe medication
Provide medical advice
Perform clinical assessments requiring licensure
Independently modify clinical treatment
Make involuntary treatment decisions
Represent themselves as a licensed clinician
Provide legal advice

Documentation for Texas Peer Support

A strong Texas Peer Specialist note may include:

Participant identifier
Date
Start time
End time
Duration
Location
Modality where applicable
Peer Specialist name
Peer certification
Mental health or substance use specialty
Recovery-plan goal
Purpose of the service
Peer activity
Recovery or wellness support
Mentoring
Advocacy
Resource navigation
Participant response
Progress
Follow-up
Signature or attestation

For Medicaid services, Texas specifically requires documentation connecting the strategies and activities used to the participant’s plan-of-care goals. (TMHP)

Documentation Should Be

Accurate
Timely
Person-centered
Recovery-oriented
Relationship-focused
Trauma-informed
Strengths-based
Specific
Respectful
Relevant
Connected to recovery-plan goals
Consistent with peer scope

Documentation Should Avoid

Unsupported diagnoses
Clinical interpretations outside peer scope
Stigmatizing terminology
Generic statements such as “provided peer support”
Copy-and-paste notes
Unnecessary sensitive information
Services that did not occur
Personal opinions presented as clinical facts
Documentation designed solely to maximize reimbursement

Documentation and Billing Are Not the Same Thing

A completed peer note does not automatically establish Medicaid reimbursement.

Payment may additionally depend on:

Texas Medicaid eligibility
Participant age
Covered behavioral health condition
Person-centered recovery plan
Peer certification
Provider enrollment
Managed care participation
Supervision
Service limit
Prior authorization
Correct procedure code
HE or HF modifier
HQ where applicable
Documentation
Timely filing

Organizations should validate each requirement separately.

Confidentiality

Texas peer programs may handle sensitive:

Mental health information
Substance use information
Family information
Child and youth information
Recovery information

Applicable requirements may include:

HIPAA
42 CFR Part 2
Texas law
HHSC requirements
Texas Medicaid requirements
Managed care requirements
Organizational policies
Participant consent

Peer workers should receive role-specific training addressing:

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

Starting a Peer Support Program in Texas

Step 1: Define the Population

Determine whether the program serves:

Adults with mental health conditions
Adults with substance use disorders
People with co-occurring conditions
Parents and caregivers
Children and youth
People in community behavioral health
People receiving HCBS-AMH
People in other behavioral health programs

Step 2: Determine the Peer Credential

Identify whether staff need:

Mental Health Peer Specialist
Recovery Support Peer Specialist
Certified Family Partner
Another program-specific peer designation

Step 3: Build Credential Tracking

For adult Peer Specialists, track:

Age
Education
Lived-experience eligibility
Orientation
Self-assessment
Six-hour core training
46-hour specialty training
Knowledge assessment
Background screening
Initial certification
250 supervised internship hours
Full two-year certification
Renewal
Continuing education

Step 4: Track Supervision

Track:

Supervisor
Supervisor qualification
Weekly supervision during initial certification
Monthly supervision after full certification
Supervision records
Observations
Professional-development issues

Step 5: Determine the Funding Model

Potential funding structures may include:

Texas Medicaid
Medicaid managed care
HHSC behavioral health programs
HCBS-AMH
Local Mental Health Authorities
Local Behavioral Health Authorities
Grants
Child welfare programs
Other public or private contracts

Step 6: Determine Medicaid Eligibility

For H0038 Peer Specialist Services, verify:

Medicaid eligibility
Age 21+
Mental health and/or substance use condition
Person-centered recovery plan
Qualified provider
Certified Peer Specialist
Supervision

Step 7: Configure Coding

For adult Peer Specialist Services, systems should support:

H0038
HE
HF
HQ
Service units
104-unit rolling six-month threshold
Prior authorization

For CFP services, systems should support:

S9482
HE
HF
HQ
Participant/caregiver relationship
Child/youth Medicaid eligibility
104-unit threshold

Step 8: Build the Service Workflow

Map:

Referral
Eligibility
Intake
Person-centered recovery planning
Peer assignment
Scheduling
Service delivery
Documentation
Supervision
Follow-up
Outcomes
Billing

Step 9: Establish Role Boundaries

Develop policies addressing:

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

Step 10: Measure Outcomes

Potential outcomes include:

Engagement
Recovery-plan progress
Treatment engagement
Recovery capital
Self-advocacy
Community connection
Natural supports
Housing
Employment
Wellness
Crisis utilization
Hospitalization
Family empowerment
Participant satisfaction
Peer workforce retention
Certification progression
Documentation timeliness

Common Challenges for Texas Peer Programs

Two Adult Specialty Certifications

Texas distinguishes between:

Mental Health Peer Specialist
Recovery Support Peer Specialist

Organizations need to know which specialty is appropriate to the participant and service.

Staged Certification

Texas certification does not end after classroom training.

The pathway includes:

Core Training → Specialty Training → Initial Certification → 250 Supervised Hours → Two-Year Certification

This creates a substantial credential-tracking requirement. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Supervision Frequency

New Peer Specialists require more frequent supervision than fully certified workers.

Organizations need systems capable of identifying which staff require:

Weekly supervision
Monthly supervision

based on certification status. (Texas HHS Contracts)

Adult vs. Family Peer Services

Texas distinguishes adult Peer Specialist Services from Certified Family Partner Services.

These use different:

Lived-experience pathways
Populations
Procedure codes
Service relationships

Medicaid Age Requirement

The standard H0038 Texas Medicaid Peer Specialist benefit applies to people age 21 and older. (TMHP)

Organizations serving younger populations should determine whether CFP, another behavioral health program, or another funding pathway applies.

Mental Health vs. Substance Use Coding

H0038 requires either:

HE for mental health
HF for substance use

This needs to be determined accurately before billing. (TMHP)

Service Limits

Texas’ 104-unit rolling six-month threshold requires organizations to track utilization across time and trigger prior authorization before additional services are delivered or billed. (TMHP)

Managed Care Complexity

Texas Medicaid MCOs may use different:

Prior authorization
Network
Referral
Claims
Encounter

processes.

Organizations serving multiple plans need payer-specific configurations.

Documentation Burden

Texas requires structured documentation linking the service to the participant’s recovery-plan goals.

Organizations need enough structure to meet Medicaid requirements without forcing peers to write like clinicians.

Role Drift

Peers may gradually be assigned:

Generic case management
Administrative work
Transportation-only duties
Compliance monitoring
Clinical tasks

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Texas’ two primary adult peer certifications?

Texas recognizes:

Mental Health Peer Specialist
Recovery Support Peer Specialist

within its formal Peer Specialist certification framework. (Texas HHS Contracts)

Is lived experience required?

Yes.

Applicants must have lived experience involving a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both. (Texas HHS Contracts)

How old must a Peer Specialist be?

At least 18 years old. (Texas HHS Contracts)

Is a high school diploma required?

Yes.

A high school diploma or GED is part of the current qualification requirements. (Texas HHS Contracts)

How much training is required?

Texas publicly describes:

6 hours of core training
46 hours of specialty training

for approximately 52 hours total. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Is there an assessment?

Yes.

Applicants complete a knowledge assessment after core and specialty training. (Texas HHS Contracts)

Is supervised work required?

Yes.

An initially certified Peer Specialist completes 250 hours of supervised work experience. (Texas HHS Contracts)

How long is initial certification?

Texas publicly describes an initial six-month certification period. (Texas Health and Human Services)

What happens after the supervised internship?

The Peer Specialist may progress to a two-year certification after satisfying the applicable requirements. (Texas Health and Human Services)

Is supervision required?

Yes.

Organizations providing Peer Specialist Services must provide qualifying supervision. (Texas HHS Contracts)

How often are newly certified peers supervised?

At least weekly under the publicly documented standards for initial certification. (Texas HHS Contracts)

How often are fully certified peers supervised?

At least monthly under the publicly documented standards. (Texas HHS Contracts)

Does Texas Medicaid cover peer support?

Yes.

Peer Specialist Services have been a Medicaid benefit since 2019. (TMHP)

How old must someone be for the standard Medicaid H0038 Peer Specialist benefit?

Age 21 or older. (TMHP)

What is the Medicaid peer support code?

H0038. (TMHP)

What modifier is used for mental health?

HE. (TMHP)

What modifier is used for substance use?

HF. (TMHP)

What modifier is used for group services?

HQ. (TMHP)

How large can a Medicaid peer group be?

Current Texas Medicaid guidance limits groups to 12 people. (TMHP)

How many units are allowed before prior authorization?

104 units in a rolling six-month period before prior authorization is required for additional Peer Specialist Services. (TMHP)

Does Texas have family peer services?

Yes.

Texas has a Certified Family Partner credential and a dedicated Medicaid CFP benefit. (TMHP)

Who does a Certified Family Partner support?

Parents, legally authorized representatives, or primary caregivers of eligible children and youth.

The service is delivered to the caregiver for the benefit of the Medicaid-eligible child or youth. (TMHP)

What is the Medicaid code for Certified Family Partner services?

S9482. (TMHP)

What ages does the CFP Medicaid benefit cover?

The child or youth must be age 20 or younger under current Texas Medicaid guidance. (TMHP)

Can a CFP provide services to their own child?

No.

Texas Medicaid prohibits a CFP from providing billable CFP services to a child or youth for whom they are the parent, legally authorized representative, or primary caregiver. (TMHP)

Are Texas Peer Specialists clinicians?

No.

Peer certification is a lived-experience support credential and does not itself establish clinical licensure.

Official Texas Peer Support Resources

Texas Health and Human Services Peer Services

Official Texas HHSC information about the state’s Peer Services infrastructure and the role of lived-experience professionals.