🧩 Lived Experience Endorsements for CRPS Applicants
Lived experience is the foundation of peer-to-peer support services. To ensure alignment with this core value, all applicants for the Certified Recovery Peer Specialist (CRPS) credential must choose a primary lived experience endorsement when submitting their application.
✅ What You Need to Apply
Each endorsement requires:
- A self-attestation of lived experience.
- A minimum of 250 hours of supervised experience providing peer support to others with similar lived experience.
⚠️Important Notes for CRPS Applicants
- You may select only one lived experience endorsement during your initial application.
- At least 50% of your work and supervision hours must involve providing peer support to individuals who share this primary lived experience.
Lived experience endorsements are not issued with provisional CRPS credentials. However:
- You must still know your primary lived experience category during your provisional period because a minimum of 250 hours of your supervised work experience must involve providing peer support to individuals with similar lived experience.
Knowing your primary endorsement early ensures your experience aligns with the upgrade requirements and supports a smooth transition to full certification.
🔖 Available Lived Experience Endorsements
Below are the five categories available during your initial application:
🧍 Adult (A)
For individuals with personal lived experience navigating mental health, substance use, or recovery as an adult.
- Must be living a wellness and recovery-oriented lifestyle for at least 2 years.
👨👩👧 Family (F)
For those with lived experience as a family member or caregiver of someone with a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
- Experience includes supporting child or adult family members through recovery or care systems.
🎖️ Veteran (V)
For military veterans with lived experience related to service and its effects on mental health, substance use, or reintegration.
- Must be living a wellness and recovery-oriented lifestyle for at least 2 years.
🌱 Youth (Y)
For individuals currently aged 18–29 who experienced significant life challenges between ages 14–25 (e.g., mental health, substance use, or systems involvement).
- Must be living a wellness and recovery-oriented lifestyle for at least 2 years.
⚖️ Criminal Justice (CJ)
For individuals with lived experience involving incarceration, probation/parole, or other criminal justice involvement due to a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
- Must be living a wellness and recovery-oriented lifestyle for at least 2 years.
📂 Required Form
All CRPS and CRPS-P Upgrade applicants must complete a:
- CRPS Lived Experience Verification and Attestation Form
This form is required at the time of application to identify your primary lived experience endorsement.
➕ Adding Endorsements Later
We recognize that many individuals have multiple lived experience categories. Once your full CRPS credential is issued:
- You may apply to add additional endorsements at any time.
- A separate CRPS Lived Experience Verification and Attestation Form is required for each additional endorsement.
✉️ Need help? Contact your Certification Specialist for guidance on how to submit additional endorsement requests.