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Peer and Recovery Specialists

Individuals with substance use or mental disorders often face obstacles in access to care. To improve engagement, learn more about the use of peer and recovery specialists, often those with lived experience, to provide recovery support.

Highlighted Resource

Peer Support Specialist Programs for Families Affected by Substance Use and Involved with Child Welfare Services: A Four-Module ...

Module 1: Background on Peer Support Specialist Programs and Introduction to the Toolkit

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2024

This four-module toolkit offers strategies to develop peer support specialist programs for parents affected by substance use—whose

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Policy and Practice Resources

Peer Recovery Supports for Behavioral Health in Rural Communities

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2026

Offers peer-based strategies and state-level examples to improve substance use and

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View Document (PDF 6.4 MB)

Expanding Behavioral Health Teams in Care Deserts with Community Health Workers and Peer Support Specialist...

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2026

Highlights the use of community health workers and peer support specialists to close

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View Document (PDF 6.4 MB)

Lived Experience Integration Framework

National Child Welfare Center for Innovation..., 2026

Use this framework to embed lived experience expertise into every phase of child

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Allied Health Professions Series: Peer Support Specialists

National Conference of State Legislatures, 2025

Describes financing and Medicaid reimbursement for peer support services.

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Peer Support Specialist Programs for Families Affected by Substance Use and Involved with Child Welfare Ser...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2024

This four-module toolkit offers strategies to develop peer support specialist programs for parents affected by substance use—whose

... (Read More)
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Engaging Parents and Youths: Strengthening Collaborative Policy and Practice Initiatives for Families with ...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2022

Provides key considerations for collaboratives engaging parents involved with the

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View Document (PDF 1.27 MB)

Peer Recovery Center of Excellence

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2022

This resource provides training and technical assistance related to peers and

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Related Online Training, Videos, and Webinars

Video Series: Improving Early Childhood Outcomes and Systems

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2025

Includes nine brief videos that feature subject matter experts including parents in recovery from a substance use disorder. Learn of the

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State and Local Examples

Northeast Georgia Community Connections Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialists (CARES) Progra...

In partnership with the Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) and Georgia’s

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Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START)

Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) is a specialized child welfare service

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Find Help with a Personal Situation

Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Locator

To find treatment facilities confidentially, 24/7, please call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP).

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

National Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child has been harmed by abuse or neglect, please call 1-800-422-4453.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at Call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

National Suicide Prevention Line

For free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7, please call or text 988, chat 988Lifeline.org, or call 1-800-273-8255.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, help is available and there are options to receive compassionate care. You can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Both are confidential and available 24/7 to everyone in the United States and will connect you to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.

If you or someone you know are in crisis, thinking about harming yourself, attempting suicide, or harming another person, tell someone who can help right away. There are options to help you cope. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is confidential support, available 24/7 to everyone in the United States.

Contact Us

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare offers free technical assistance to a variety of systems on making policy and practice changes to improve outcomes for families affected by substance use disorders and involvement with child welfare services. To learn more about technical assistance services or if you have a question please email NCSACW at ncsacw@cffutures.org or call toll-free at 1–866–493–2758.

Administration for Children & FamiliesSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
https://ncsacw.acf.gov

An official website of the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare