102523 Online Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) Training of the Trainer (DHS & Access to Independence-supported).

We are excited to announce an upcoming online (zoom-based) Certified Peer Specialist Training of the Trainer in October 2023!

This Virtual (Zoom-based) Certified Peer Specialist training is supported by Department of Health Services and Access to Independence.

Training Dates: October 25th – 27th, October 30th – November 1st

Hours: 9AM – 4PM CT

Location: Online (Zoom-based)

Trainers/Co-Facilitators: Carmella Glenn, Dominique Christian, Gaochi Vang, Lynn Maday-Bigboy, Marcia Galvin, and Marguerit Galindo.

Training Serves: Residents of any Wisconsin County

Training Cost: Free for participants

When to Apply (and Deadlines/Closing)

A button will appear below this section with the words “Click Here to Apply” at the time applications open. Click that button to access the application form for this training.

Applications Open: Tuesday, August 1st, 2023 at 12PM (Noon)

Application Deadline: Thursday, August 31st, 2023 at 12PM (Noon)

The deadline to apply for this Certified Peer Specialist Training of Trainers has passed.

Possible Early Closing of Applications:

A maximum of 30 applications will be considered. If 30 applications are received prior to the application deadline (see above), the application form will automatically close and no additional applications will be received.

Determining Eligibility and Fit

The following are required to be eligible to apply for this CPS training:

• Must be a Certified Peer Specialist with active Wisconsin certification by July 8th, 2023
• Must reside in any Wisconsin County
• Must be willing and able to facilitate a minimum of 2 CPS trainings per year
• Must be able to facilitate online trainings and arrange for travel for facilitation of in-person trainings

It is anticipated that 8-12 participants will be selected for this training. To be considered for selection, you must meet the basic eligibility requirements, submit an application form, and complete a virtual interview.  Selected participants will be compensated at $40/hour for this training of the trainer.

Applying for this or any CPS training of the trainer does not guarantee selection as a participant.

Applications received are reviewed by trainers in full, and a variety of criteria may determine whether an applicant is asked to interview and possibly participate in a training. These include, but are not limited to:

• Whether or not the applicant meets the basic eligibility requirements to become a Certified Peer Specialist (18 or older, possesses either a high school diploma or GED, is a Wisconsin resident, has first-hand, personal lived experience navigating mental health or substance use)
• Whether or not the applicant meets secondary eligibility requirements that are training-specific (belongs to the county, tribe, region, and/or community served by the particular training)
• Whether or not the applicant is seeking employment or is already employed in a parent peer support position and/or a supervisory role to CPS (trainings are intended to serve workforce development efforts as part of an employment initiative)
• Whether or not the applicant is a community member looking to use their personal experiences to support others towards recovery/wellness/meaningful living
• How well the applicant is able to demonstrate an understanding of recovery principles, especially in such a way that supports self-determination of people with lived experience
• Whether or not the applicant has experience offering peer support in a professional or personal setting
• Whether or not the applicant has facilitation experience in a professional or personal setting

Because this training is the pre-requisite to becoming a state-approved CPS trainer, and a pathway to working as a professional trainer, applications demonstrating the following may not be given priority in the application review process:

• Applicants seeking this certification simply as a resume booster
• Applicants looking to obtain the trainer certification but not go on to co-facilitate CPS trainings
• Applicants looking to use this training as the “next step in their recovery”
• Applicants who show they do not support many pathways to recovery
• Applicants only seeking certification in order to bill as a CPS while providing non-CPS services
• Applicants who do not display initiative in having difficult conversations that address harm when they arise

Considerations

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the role of a Certified Peer Specialist before applying. Click here to learn more about the role and work of a Certified Peer Specialist.

Filling Out and Submitting the Online Application

First, we highly recommend filling out and submitting the online training application form using a desktop computer or tablet and not a smart phone.

It is important that you answer all required questions (marked with an asterisk) on the online training application form. There are also formatting requirements in regards to dates and other fields (such as email address). If required fields are not answered in the application form or the fields are entered incorrectly, it will register as an error and your application will not be submitted to us when you press the “submit” button.

This is what happens if you try to submit an application with errors:

• Applicant presses “submit” button
• Instead of being redirected to the “application submission page,” the training application form page reloads
• This page now contains language telling the hopeful applicant that some fields were entered incorrectly (applicant may need to scroll down to see this)
• Incorrectly filled out or missing fields are highlighted in red
• Applicant should fix errors and resubmit
• Upon successfully addressing errors, the application submission page with a timestamp will appear (we recommend you print or save a print screen of this page when it appears) and a copy of the application will be sent to the applicant’s email address they provided alongside an outline of next steps

Please note: If the application form or event page reloads instead of the “application submission page,” there is something wrong with your application, and you will need to follow the instructions to address any errors.

What to Expect After Applying

Once the application deadline has passed or 30 applications are received (whichever is sooner), trainers will be sent applications to review, contact up to 20 applicants out of the total applicant pool for virtual interviews, and then select a final cohort of training participants after conducting virtual interviews. Though a maximum of 20 people will be contacted for interviews, everyone can expect to hear back about the final decision in regard to their application.

Please know that it may take some time for participant selection to be finalized, and we ask for your patience. Final selection decisions for this training may not be made until Wednesday, October 4th, 2023.