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The Department of Health has filed a Preproposal Statement of Inquiry for rulemaking around creating the new Peer Specialist and Peer Specialist Trainee credentials (WSR 23-16-037). This starts the process for the department to work with interested parties to learn more about the current practice of the profession and begin creating the rules.
In 2023 the legislature passed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5555 to create two new credentials, the certified Peer Specialist and certified Peer Specialist Trainee. These professions must be available by July 1, 2025. The rulemaking process will determine the requirements for the credentials, including education, experience, and other aspects relevant to the program such as continuing education requirements.
Get more information and get involved
The department is interested in hearing from partners, peer counselors, and other interested parties about this profession and the requirements in the legislation. We will be scheduling virtual listening sessions this fall to bring everyone together and begin discussions on the new credentials.
To get more information:
- Sign up for “Peer Specialists” GovDelivery updates here. After entering your contact information, expand the “Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA)” list, then the “Health Professions” list, to find and select “Peer Specialists”;
- Check out the Rules in Progress webpage for Peer Specialists; or
- Send questions and comments to peerspecialist@doh.wa.gov.
*For Agency Affiliated Counselors working as Peer Counselors*
This notice is also being sent to the Agency Affiliated Counselor contacts on GovDelivery as Peer Counselors currently can work as an AAC. You may want to update your GovDelivery preferences to include the Peer Specialist profession in addition to the AAC, which will ensure you don’t miss information on the creation of the new peer credentials, including workshop dates and draft rule language.
The Peer Specialist credentials will be available on July 1, 2025; however, the AAC Peer Counselors will not be required to obtain the new credentials until January 1, 2027. You can contact the department with questions and comments at peerspecialist@doh.wa.gov.
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