Illinois’ certified peer recovery workforce has grown 335% since 2022, with 1,010 people now credentialed as Certified Recovery Support Specialists or Certified Peer Recovery Specialists, according to a July 8 news release from the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Here are three things to know:
- The state had about 230 certified peer professionals in 2022. Today, these workers provide recovery support in community mental health centers, substance use treatment programs, hospitals, mobile crisis teams, recovery homes and Living Rooms, a safe environment for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises, throughout Illinois.
- IDHS credited much of the growth to the CRSS Success Program, which launched in 2022. Funded through adult-use cannabis tax revenue authorized under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act signed in 2019, the initiative helps participants pursue careers in behavioral health by covering expenses such as tuition, textbooks, technology, certification fees, transportation, legal support and childcare.
- The CRSS Success Program has supported nearly 1,500 students since it began. Illinois now has approximately 600 certified peers in Northern Illinois, nearly 100 in Central Illinois and more than 300 in Southern Illinois, according to the release.
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