The PEER Support Act addresses the shortage of behavioral health workers by establishing formal recognition and support for peer support specialists—individuals with lived experience of mental health or substance use disorder recovery who help others navigate these challenges. The bill creates an official occupational classification for peer support specialists in the federal government, establishes a new Office of Recovery within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to provide training and professional development, and requires a comprehensive federal report on state criminal background check requirements for peer support specialists. The legislation aims to reduce barriers preventing people with past criminal records from becoming certified specialists while improving their professional status and career opportunities. The report on background check policies must be completed and distributed to state agencies and relevant federal offices within one year of the bill's enactment, with implementation of other requirements beginning immediately upon passage.
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