PEER Support Act

This bill addresses behavioral health workforce shortages by supporting peer support specialists, who are individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions or substance use disorders (or as caregivers) and who are state-certified to provide peer support services consistent with national guidelines. It requires the Office of Management and Budget to create a new occupational category for peer support specialists by 2026, establishes an Office of Recovery within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to lead recovery support efforts, and directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to research and recommend criminal background check processes for peer support specialists.

Sec. 2, Definition of peer support specialist: Defines a peer support specialist as someone with lived recovery experience (or as a parent/caregiver of someone with such conditions) who is certified by their state or as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide peer support services consistent with national practice guidelines.

Sec. 3, Recognizing the peer support specialist profession: By January 1, 2026, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget must revise the Standard Occupational Classification system to include an occupational category for peer support specialists.

Sec. 4, Establishing the Office of Recovery: Creates an Office of Recovery within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, headed by a Director with lived experience in mental health or substance use disorder recovery. The Office is responsible for identifying emerging recovery issues, supporting technical assistance and best practices, training and professionalizing the peer support workforce, disseminating recommendations on certification and supervision, supporting professional development and retention, and developing career pathways for peer support specialists.

Sec. 5, Research and recommendations on criminal background check process for peer support specialists: Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Attorney General, to produce a report within one year that summarizes evidence on peer support specialist effectiveness, surveys state laws on criminal background checks for certification and practice (including exemptions and changes), and provides recommendations to reduce barriers to certification. The report must be posted on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website and distributed to relevant state and federal agencies.