§ 256B.0616 — Mental Health Certified Family Peer Specialist
Plain-Language Summary
Makes Medical Assistance cover certified family peer specialist services for people with mental illness. Family peer specialists are people who have experience as family members of someone with mental illness and are trained to help other families navigate the mental health system.
256B.0616 MENTAL HEALTH CERTIFIED FAMILY PEER SPECIALIST.
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Subdivision 1.Scope.
Medical assistance covers mental health certified family peer specialists services, as established in subdivision 2, subject to federal approval, if provided to recipients who have a mental illness or serious mental illness under chapter 245, and are provided by a mental health certified family peer specialist who has completed the training under subdivision 5 and is qualified according to section 245I.04, subdivision 12. A family peer specialist cannot provide services to the peer specialist’s family. §
Subd. 2.
MS 2020 [Repealed, 2021 c 30 art 17 s 113] §
Subd. 3.Eligibility.
Family peer support services may be provided to recipients of inpatient hospitalization, partial hospitalization, residential treatment, children’s intensive behavioral health services, day treatment, children’s therapeutic services and supports, or crisis services. §
Subd. 4.Family peer support program providers.
The commissioner shall develop a process to certify family peer support programs, in accordance with the federal guidelines, in order for the program to bill for reimbursable services. Family peer support programs must operate within an existing mental health community provider or center. §
Subd. 5.Certified family peer specialist training and certification.
(a) The commissioner shall develop or approve the use of an existing training and certification process for certifying family peer specialists. Family peer specialist candidates must have raised or be currently raising a child with a mental illness; have experience navigating the children’s mental health system; and demonstrate leadership and advocacy skills and a strong dedication to family-driven and family-focused services. The training curriculum must teach participating family peer specialist candidates specific skills relevant to providing peer support to other parents and youth.
(b) In addition to initial training and certification, the commissioner shall develop ongoing continuing educational workshops on pertinent issues related to family peer support counseling.
(c) Initial training leading to certification as a family peer specialist and continuing education for certified family peer specialists must be delivered by the commissioner or a third-party organization approved by the commissioner. An approved third-party organization may also provide continuing education of certified family peer specialists.
History:
2013 c 108 art 4 s 15; 2017 c 79 s 5; 2021 c 30 art 17 s 52-54; 2022 c 99 art 1 s 48; 2025 c 38 art 4 s 35,36; art 8 s 58
History: History: 2013 c 108 art 4 s 15; 2017 c 79 s 5; 2021 c 30 art 17 s 52-54; 2022 c 99 art 1 s 48; 2025 c 38 art 4 s 35,36; art 8 s 58