Course Description

The CPS Certification Training is a 75-hour training, delivered live (in-person) over 10 training days.  The training provides foundational knowledge, skills and values that equip individuals to work as Peer Supporters in the state of Pennsylvania.  This training costs $1375.00  

The CPS Certification Training includes the following topics:

  • The history of Recovery and Peer Support
  • Recovery Values
  • WRAP Seminar I
  • CPS Core Competencies
  • Outreach and Engagement
  • Stages of Change
  • Introduction to Motivational Interviewing
  • Ethics and Boundaries
  • Documentation
  • Mental Models / Ladder of Inference
  • Diversity and Worldview
  • Support for Transitions
  • Credentialing and Job Search

Successful completion of this training requires consistent attendance, full participation in activities and assignments, as well as satisfactory scores on two weekly tests.  Successful completion of this course renders the learner eligible to sit for the PA Certification Board exam, which is required for full certification.

FAQ

  • Does the PA Certification Board recognize this training?

    Yes! We are an authorized vendor for Certified Peer Specialist training.

  • Where will the classes be held, Parking, etc.

    All classes will be held in our Center City location at 833 Chestnut St, suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA, 19107. The building is a secure building with a staffed security desk. There is ample parking available on the same block and across the street. We are also accessible by SEPTA Bus, Rail, Broad Street Subway and the Market-Frankford Elevated Line

  • What is the training schedule?

    Saturdays from 9am - 4pm. Weeknights are Monday through Thursday 5pm-9pm. Training begins on Saturday, 10/8/2022 and ends on Saturday 10/29/2022.

  • Can I attend Online?

    No. The PA Certification Board requires that CPS Certification Classes be held in the classroom with live instructors.

  • Are there scholarships available?

    Funding to take this course may be available from your local PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, your county office of Behavioral Health, or the Veteran's Administration.

Evening Instructors

Learning and Development Specialist

Matthew Anticoli

Matthew Anticoli (he/him) is a Certified Peer Specialist who joined us in March of 2022. He is a graduate of Cornell University who received his Bachelor of Arts in American Studies. At Cornell, Matthew worked as a Teaching Assistant for two years in the Computer and Information Sciences Department, where he co-led discussions on ethics and technology, as well as technological history. As a graduate of the COVID-era, Matthew has extensive experience as a student with Canvas, zoom, and other virtual learning tools; he has also worked with these tools as an educator, developing online curricula for Cornell and teaching as a graduate student for Indiana University Bloomington. Mathew worked as a facilitator for Cornell's Intergroup Dialogue Project and for the University's LGBT Resource Center as a Peer Panel Facilitator.

Instructor and Project Manager

Andrea Boffice, B.A., M.A.

Andrea Boffice is a facilitator and content developer with a particular passion for youth and young adult peer support. Prior to joining the Institute in 2019, she worked in youth advocacy in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and still engages in systems advocacy and community education within Philadelphia. Andrea earned a B.A and M.A at the school of International Development, Community, and Environment within Clark University. Her goal at the Institute is to educate about the unique experiences of youth, foster cross-generational partnerships, expand the availability of peer support services for young adults, and to aid young people in their recovery.

Program Supervisor, MEd, CPS

Patrick Montgomery

Patrick Montgomery (he/him) is a Program Supervisor for the Institute at Mental Health Partnerships. Patrick is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College where he received a B.A. in Scientific and Philosophical Studies of the Mind, concentrating in Moral Psychology. He has a combined 8 years of experience working in the Social Work and Education fields in Philadelphia and Lancaster County. Patrick received his Masters degree in Teaching from Relay Graduate School in 2021, and was previously a middle school teacher at the School District of Philadelphia before joining MHP. With a background in education and experience working with neurodivergent individuals, he aims to create and facilitate impactful learning experiences for peer specialists.

Saturday Instructor

Technical Learning and Development Specialist

Lydia Cooper

Lydia Cooper is the Technical Learning and Development Specialist. Lydia brings to the Institute 38 years of experience in the Social Services field and over 20 years of training and adult education experience. She has been a government benefits administrator, in hospital and field services, and has worked in fundraising and marketing. Most recently Lydia served as a lead trainer and content developer working in the child welfare field with a focus on Kinship Foster Care. Lydia is a seasoned trainer on the effects of trauma on children, and how to employ the methods that will assist in their healing. She was also the Principal trainer for Caregivers seeking to foster children with Special Behavioral Health needs. As Chairperson of the Training Workgroup for the Quality Parenting Initiative, Lydia advocated for virtual learning and lead the development of e-learning for resource parents in Philadelphia. Lydia is Certified trainer in Effective Black Parenting, Family Group Decision Making, CSEC and the Red Cross.

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

  • Face Mask Required

    A face mask, properly worn, is required while in the building, elevators, and during classroom lectures and activities.

  • Temperature and Symptoms

    Please check your temperature! If your temperature is over 100.4, or if you have any other COVID symptoms, please do not attend the classroom session. You may contact us by phone, email, or by chat on the main website.

  • Social Distancing

    For your safety, we will be adhering to the Philadelphia recommended social distancing standards during the class.