FAQs

Yes. Applicants are required to submit official verification of 500 service hours completed in the role of a Peer Specialist. The verification must be provided on official organizational letterhead from the agency where the service hours were completed.

Applicants should contact their Registered Peer Supervisor and ask them to complete the electronic supervision log. Supervision logs should be uploaded by the RPS when they complete the electronic MABPCB request. If the application is in submission status, the RPS log can be uploaded in the RELEASE section under ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS — only if your application is in submission status and no edits can be made.

Yes. All certificates of completion must be uploaded along with the training log.

No. Applicants cannot reuse the exact same Ethics course used during a previous certification cycle.

Yes, but applicants may only use up to 5 webinar (non-interactive) training hours toward recertification.

THEESEED training does not satisfy the required Harm Reduction domain at this time.

Yes. Effective September 1, 2025, all CPRS applicants must complete 4 hours of Harm Reduction training and 5 Harm Reduction supervision hours.

Applicants who complete CCAR training through third-party trainers must upload the official certificates issued through the PROTRAXX system.

Applicants must complete 50 hours of Peer-specific behavioral health CEUs through a MABPCB-approved provider in the following domains:

• Advocacy – 10 hours
• Ethical Responsibility – 16 hours
• Mentoring/Education – 10 hours
• Recovery/Wellness – 10 hours
• Harm Reduction – 4 hours

Applicants may apply up to 12 hours of in-service training if the training is provided by an agency employee and is domain relevant.

A maximum of 5 hours of online/webinar (non-interactive) training may be used toward certification requirements.

All applicants must complete at least one approved CORE training, such as:

• CCAR Recovery Coach Academy
• Intentional Peer Support
• THEESEED Institute
• Mosaic Peer Curriculum
• Jordan Peer Training
• The Jude House

Applications will be returned until all required hours and domain requirements are completed.

Applications will be returned until all associated certificates are uploaded.

The application fee for both initial CPRS certification and CPRS recertification is $125.00.

Applicants must complete a dedicated 6+ hour Ethical Responsibility ONLY course.

No. CPRS recertification must be approved prior to RPS approval.

Yes. Returned applications may generally be resubmitted without additional payment once all required documentation is uploaded.

Registered Peer Supervisors are responsible for documenting all supervision hours for Peer Recovery Specialists under their supervision. Supervision logs must include all required MABPCB information and be uploaded into the Peer Supervision section of each CPRS application along with the RPS certificate, to verify their credentials.

RPS holders must complete a six (6) hour "Supervising Peers" refresher course every two (2) years. CPRS holders must also maintain an active CPRS certification to retain RPS status.

To qualify for RPS status, an applicant must meet ONE of the following:

• Have at least one (1) year of experience in a Supervisor or Director role that includes supervising Peer Recovery Specialists in the behavioral health, recovery, and/or crisis support field; OR
• Be a current CPRS holder who has:
  • Held CPRS certification for at least two (2) years;
  • Successfully completed CPRS recertification;
  • Completed at least six (6) months of direct supervision of Peer Recovery Specialists or served in a Lead Peer role within their current organization;
  • A job description reflecting supervisory responsibilities; and
  • A letter of support from a current Registered Peer Supervisor; OR
• Be an Administrative or Clinical professional with at least six (6) months of supervisory experience in the behavioral health field.

Training Requirement

All applicants must complete the six (6) hour "Supervising Peers" training course.

The application fee for both initial RPS certification and RPS recertification is $100.00.

Common reasons include:

• Not meeting the 2-year CPRS requirement.
• CPRS recertification not completed.
• Missing endorsement letter.
• Missing signed job description.
• Lack of proof of supervisory duties.
• Missing RPS refresher course certificate.
• Applicant name and appropriate signatures must be attached to the job description.

No. It is unacceptable for an applicant to personally submit their transcripts or high school diploma directly to the board. It will only be accepted from their educational institution.

MABPCB only accepts OFFICIAL transcripts sent directly from the educational institution.

Official transcripts may be emailed directly from the educational institution to: admin@mabpcb.com

If electronic transcripts are unavailable, transcripts may be mailed directly from the institution to MABPCB:

10807 Falls Rd, #1376
Brooklandville, MD 21022

No. Applications are processed in chronological order based on submission date.

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Due to the high volume of submissions, processing times may vary.

Generally, no. Most returned applications may be corrected and resubmitted without additional payment.

• Missing transcripts
• Missing certificates / CEUs
• Missing 6 Hour Ethics course (recertifications)
• Missing supervision logs
• Missing references
• Incomplete job descriptions
• Lack of proof of supervisory duties
• Missing endorsement letters
• Failure to meet recovery requirements
• Failure to meet CPRS or RPS eligibility requirements

No. MABPCB does not directly schedule examination dates.

After receiving a congratulatory email advising you that your application has been approved, the email will include instructions to complete and submit your Examination Registration Form using the online link provided. Once your registration form has been received and processed, you will receive an email from the testing company, ISO Quality Testing, from "SMT NOTICE" with instructions to schedule your examination.

If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check your SPAM or JUNK folder. If you have not received the email within 30 days, please reach back out to the Board for further assistance.

While your application is in submission status, it is awaiting review by the Peer Review Committee. Once the committee has completed their review, you will receive an email notification regarding the status of your application. If your application is approved, you will be notified accordingly. If any adjustments or additional information are required, those instructions will also be provided by email.

1. Visit the MABPCB website.
2. Navigate to the login page where you would normally enter your account information.
3. Select the option that says "Unsure if you have an account?"
4. Enter your first name, last name, and email address.
5. You will then receive an email containing your username and a password reset link.
6. Follow the instructions in the email to reset your password and regain access to your account.

First, you will need an actual photo of yourself saved to your computer or device. Then follow these steps:

1. Go to Applications and select Edit.
2. Under the Personal section, scroll down to Photo.
3. Click Upload to upload your photo.
4. It will ask you to name the file.
5. Select save before you exit that section of the application.

Once your photo is uploaded, you will be able to proceed with your application.

To begin, you will need to identify a Registered Peer Supervisor who is willing to provide you with supervision. The structure and format of supervision will be determined by the supervisor, based on their individual approach and availability (e.g., virtual, in-person, or a combination of both).

Please note that the Board does not have jurisdiction over how supervision is conducted, nor are we able to directly assign or refer you to a Registered Peer Supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a supervisor independently.

We recommend the following steps:

• Reach out to the organization or provider who conducted your initial/core training
• Inquire about any Registered Peer Supervisors they are affiliated with
• Network within the recovery community to identify potential supervisors
• Contact educational providers you have worked with for additional referrals

Once you have identified a Registered Peer Supervisor, they will guide you on how your supervision hours will be completed.

If you are seeking financial assistance for your application, please visit our website and navigate to the top of the page. Select "Resources," then locate the 2026 BHA Funding Application. Once you have downloaded, printed, and completed the application, please carefully follow the instructions provided on the form for submitting it back to the board. It is important that you read the application in its entirety and follow all directions to ensure it is received and processed correctly.

To begin the reciprocity process, you must first contact the board that currently oversees your certification in your state and inform them that you are seeking reciprocity in another state. Once you make that request, your current certifying body will contact IC&RC to initiate the reciprocity process. After IC&RC reviews and processes the request, they will notify the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-health Professionals Certification Board (MABPCB) that you are seeking reciprocity in the state of Maryland. Once our administrator receives notification from IC&RC, they will contact you directly to begin the reciprocity process with MABPCB.

1. Log into your account.
2. Go to your profile page.
3. Select the CERTIFICATIONS tab.
4. Click the DOWNLOAD button next to the certification you wish to print.

To update your name in the system, you will need to submit official documentation verifying your legal name change. First, navigate to our website and select the "Resources" tab. Within that section, you will find the Name Change Form.

Kindly complete the form and submit it along with a copy of your supporting documentation to the administrator, Vickie Isadore via email at mapcbboss@outlook.com, who will process the update on your behalf.

Please ensure that the documentation clearly reflects the reason for the name change (e.g., marriage, court order, etc.), as this is required before any updates can be made in the system.

Applications will be returned until applicants review the required ethics materials and answer the required questions appropriately.

Applications cannot move forward until all required questions are completed.

All CEU submissions must include the CEU Training Breakdown form. For your convenience, the form may be accessed here.

All submissions must include:

• The trainer's name
• The trainer's credentials
• The certification(s) to which the training applies
• A PowerPoint presentation of the training material

All presentations must include proper citations on individual slides and at the end of the PowerPoint presentation to avoid plagiarism.

For virtual, webinar-based, or asynchronous courses, a posttest must also be included to demonstrate understanding of the material.

Please note: Organizational surveys are not required by MABPCB.

The recertification process begins when your certification reaches its renewal date. At that time, you are required to complete and submit a renewal application.

If your certification is not renewed by the renewal date, it will move into lapsed status. A certification may remain in lapsed status for up to 364 days.

During this 364-day period, you may still renew your certification by submitting:

• The completed renewal application
• The required application fee
• A $15.00 lapse fee will be applied for each month your certification remains in lapsed status.

If your certification is not renewed within the 364-day period, it will expire. Once expired, you will be required to restart the process by submitting a new initial application.

If they are unable to locate the electronic Reference Request sent by MABPCB, they should first check their SPAM or JUNK folder. Once located, the reference should complete the form and submit it so it can be attached to the applicant's application for processing.

Your references must complete the electronic MABPCB Reference Request before your application can be finalized.

Applicants must meet the required two (2) year recovery period before becoming eligible to submit a CPRS application. If your recovery start date does not meet the minimum requirement, your application cannot move forward until the eligibility date has been reached.