Submit verification of a CPSS/CFSP’s supervision and work experience
Supervisor Qualifications
CPSSs and CFSPs must be under the supervision of an individual who:
- Holds a bachelor’s degree or higher in a human services field,
- Holds a supervisory position at his/her agency, and
- Works in a supervisory capacity within the agency
Supervision Requirements
For purposes of certification, a CPSS/CFSP must document a minimum of twenty (20) hours of supervision with a qualified supervisor.
The CPSS/CFSP must also be under the supervision of a qualified supervisor when obtaining their 100-200 hours of work/volunteer experience.
Documenting Supervision
CPSS/CFSP supervisors must document the supervision they provide by submitting the Supervision and Work/Volunteer Verification Form found here. A CPSS/CFSP may obtain supervision and work/volunteer experience under more than one supervisor and at more than one agency if needed. Verification must be submitted separately by each supervisor if this is the case. Supervisors may track hours of supervision on the verification form as they are provided and we encourage this practice.
The electronic Supervision and Work/Volunteer Verification Form found here will calculate a running total of supervision hours provided. Supervisors may save and return to the form after each occurrence of supervision they provide.
Methods of Supervision
Individual one-on-one supervision is preferred to ensure quality and consistency in services provided by CPSSs/CFSPs. It is recommended that a minimum of ten (10) hours of supervision take place one-on-one.
Supervision may also take place in a group format in which more than one individual is in direct contact with the supervisor. It is not recommended that supervision hours be solely comprised of group supervision and we recommend that no more than ten (10) hours of CPSS/CFSP supervision take place in a group format.
Here you can find a copy of SAMHSA’s Supervision of Peer Workers Guidelines.
Individualized Supervision
Peer Support Specialists and Family Support Partners often times do not have the same educational background as master level clinicians. After the initial Peer Support and Family Support training, much of their real world education is guided heavily by the supervisors, who we also consider to be their mentors. As such, we rely heavily on the documentation that you, and other Peer supervisors provide.
The individualized information that is provided allows our committee to gauge the competency that the CPSS or CFSP has achieved during the supervision hours in order to be considered for a one year certification.