CPRS FUNDING UPDATE

REVISED FUNDING GUIDELINES

BHA’s Office of Consumer Affairs is excited to announce its partnership with the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-health Professionals Certification Board (MABPCB) to fund application and examination costs for individuals seeking their initial and recertification for Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in Maryland. This funding opportunity is available to all Maryland residents who meet the application requirements.

ALL APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING EMAIL  mabpcbfunding@gmail.com as stated on the application. Any funding applications submitted to any other email address will not be accepted. Please do not submit your CPRS Application with the funding request.  Applicants must complete all CPRS requirements prior to requesting funding. Each applicant is required to complete the funding application prior to submission of the CPRS application. Once the funding application has been reviewed and approved, all CPRS applications must be submitted within 30 days of the funding approval. The Board is excited about this  opportunity and looks forward to supporting the Maryland CPRS community with maintaining its current workforce.

All interested applicants are asked to complete the CPRS Funding Application 2021 – Revised

CPRS Application Funding

BHA’s Office of Consumer Affairs is excited to announce its partnership with the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-health Professionals Certification Board (MABPCB) to fund application and examination costs for individuals seeking their initial and recertification for Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in Maryland. This funding opportunity is available to all Mary-land residents who meet the application requirements.

ALL APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING EMAIL  mabpcbfunding@gmail.com as stated on the application. Any funding application submitted to any other email address will not be accepted. Please do not submit you CPRS Application with the funding request. 

Each applicant is required to complete the funding application prior to submission of the CPRS application. Once the funding application has been reviewed and approved, the applicant will be notified of approval and be requested to submit the CPRS application within 30 days of the funding approval notification. The Board is excited about this present opportunity and looks forward to supporting the Maryland CPRS community with maintaining its current workforce.

All interested applicants are asked to complete the CPRS Funding Application 2021 – Revised

ETHICAL COMPLAINTS

MABPCB requires all Ethical Complaints to be submitted in written format on our Ethical Complaint document. Please utilize the Ethical Complaint to submit all MABPCB Ethical Complaints. MABPCB Ethics Complaint

HOW TO BECOME A CPRS IN MARYLAND

The wait is over. If you desire to become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist in Maryland, MABPCB will be offering a FREE Information Session on Saturday, January 16, 2021 at 10am. This course is an introduction to becoming a CPRS. Come ready to ask all question to gain clarity to assist through the process.  Please register for this course at the link provided below.

How to be a CPRS in Maryland Registration Link

 

COVID 19 UPDATES

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MABPCB’S PRESIDENT: AUGUST 3, 2020

We are aware that many individuals are seeking clarification regarding the continued challenges related to the current state of emergency we are experiencing. At this time it is with great enthusiasm that I inform you MABPCB has been and will continue to work diligently to approve various virtual trainings. In addition to this, certification examination has resumed. All individuals who were scheduled to take an examination prior to the pandemic can contact the testing organization to reschedule your examination.

Just a few updates:

• All current certifications requiring renewal between March 2020 and July 2020, will be provided a 90 day extension of your certification starting from August 1, 2020.  For this reason, MABPCB will waive the extra lapsed fee for any certified professional whose certification will expire during this time.   You are eligible to submit your application at any time. MABPCB will continue to accept electronic and USPS mail submission of applications.
•  MABPCB and BHA have been working together closely to bring trainings to you.  Online training has begun and made available to Peers across Maryland.  Please stay abreast of the latest updates from MABPCB and BHA and share with your networks.
• The Organizational Provider listing has been updated to reflect all active providers who are offering trainings on an online platform and have already had their trainings vetted by MABPCB.
• There will be several 6 hour Ethical Responsibility courses provided in the next several months for RECERTIFICATION ONLY. All trainings will be listed on the Training page of this website.
• New Fillable Re-Certification Application has been posted.

Please stay safe and healthy.  It takes a village and we will all get through this trying time together!

Best Regards,

Brandee Izquierdo, President

MABPCB

Virtual Training Transition

Greetings Organizational Providers, I would like to thank you for your inquiries regarding the implementation of virtual/webinar training sessions as we learn to adjust to the social distancing policies mandated by Gov. Larry Hogan. In an attempt to support the Peer Recovery Workforce, MABPCB will be working with our Organizational Providers in an effort to transition their current approved training sessions to virtual status. If you are interested in transitioning your MABPCB Approved training to a virtual status please complete the Educational Approval Form – Virtual and submit all required documentation to admin@mapcb.com

 

COVID-19 CHANGES

 FROM THE DESK OF MABPCB BOARD PRESIDENT BRANDEE IZQUIERDO

We are aware that trainings are being canceled or postponed during this health emergency which may result in difficulties re-certifying credentials on or before expiration dates. In addition to this we understand that we will need to find innovative ways to continue your education and have set a few new standards in the wake of this pandemic.

Below you will find this information:

• For 90 days after the July 1st re-certification requirement, MABPCB will waive the extra lapsed fee for any certified professional who is late re-certifying their credential.  When you are able, you will simply re-certify as normal (You have up to one year beyond your expiration date to re-certify your credential so there is no need to request an extension or waiver).
• An online training system is being established to meet the needs of the Maryland Peer Network.  This system will allow full online learning opportunities to commence.  All online learning will require a post test and a certificate of completion.  Note:  We will continue to update you as we identify these online learning opportunities.  For example, we are working in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Certification Board to offer some of their trainings which have already been vetted by their educational committee.  You can access the trainings by logging onto the PCB website at https://www.pacertboard.org/education (use the navigation bar on the left to search by Region/Location, In Person Training and or Online/Home Study)..

• MABPCB and BHA are working together closely to bring trainings to you.  As many of you know, testing for Peer Certification is on hold.  However, as we continue collaboration, training toward peer certification will continue to be a top priority.  Please stay abreast of the latest updates from MABPCB and BHA and share with your networks.

• Organizational providers who wish to move their trainings to an online platform and have already had their trainings vetted by MABPCB must submit an “online transition” request to the board for approval.

• Finally, MABPCB will accept electronic submission of applications to eliminate delayed processing and to ensure our administrator has minimal contact in an effort to comply with current preventive measures set in place by the state.

Please stay safe and healthy.  It takes a village and we will all get through this trying time together!

Best Regards

Exams Halted for 30 Days!

Dear IC&RC Stakeholder,
Effective Immediately, and for a period of 30 days from today, ALL TESTING SERVICES ARE HALTED throughout the United States and Canada.
Within the past 24 hours, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued updated guidance on measures to be taken to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 disease. In particular, the CDC lowered the number of people that should be able to congregate in the same space from 50 to 10 in the United States.

Given this new guidance, Prometric has determined it is necessary and appropriate to close our test centers in the United States and Canada for a period of 30 days, starting today on March 17. This dramatic step is necessary in order to comply with this new federal guidance as well as to further protect the health and well-being of the individual test takers and the staff that provide services at each of our testing locations. We anticipate re-opening our test centers effective April 16, however, please note that the specific date will be dependent on circumstances that are changing daily.

Operations teams are actively reaching out to individuals with testing appointments today and throughout the closure period, in an effort to prevent them from unnecessarily appearing at the testing centers. We will be taking measures to reschedule those impacted appointments into a new date after the planned re-opening and will be communicating that information to the impacted individuals. We will work closely with the test takers to find new appointment dates and times that work for their schedules, and we will be waiving any rescheduling fees.

If you have any questions, or testing support requirements, kindly reply to this email and we will assist you as quickly as possible.

Stay Healthy,

IC&RC

CPRS RECIPROCITY

Please be advised that all CPRS Applicants must be certified with the Maryland Board (MABPCB) which is an IC&RC affiliated.  If you currently possess a certification through another organization, you must qualify for credentialing in Maryland. If the board which you are affiliated is IC&RC approved, you may qualify for reciprocity.  Please contact the credentialing board where you are presently certified to begin the process for reciprocity in Maryland.  Also, please be advised that if your credentialing board is not IC&RC affiliates, you must meet all Maryland Board guidelines and qualifications, or you will be required to apply for CPRS status and conduct the exam.

MABPCB Credentialing Board

CPRS Family Endorsement

CERTIFIED PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST- Family ENDORSEMENT (CPRS-F)

The Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-health Professionals Certification Board is pleased to announce the launch of the Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Family Endorsement (CPRS-F). Effective July 1, 2019, CPRS’ and family members will be offered specialized training to become certified as a Family Peer Recovery Specialist. Required training will be a total of 21 hours specific to family peer work. For more information, please visit http://www.mapbcb.wordpress.com or email at admin@mapcb.com.

Family recovery is a highly-individualized journey that provides a unique perspective regarding the recovery process. A CPRS-F understands the stigma associated with behavioral health disorders and its impact on the family. This recovery journey is a voluntarily maintained lifestyle that includes the pursuit of spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being that is often supported by others but is not contingent upon the recovery of our loved one(s).

Definition of Family: A Family is defined as a meaningful relationship of people connected by bonds.

The CPRS-F endorsement is for adults who have been directly impacted by another person’s behavioral health condition.

CPRS-F’s are trained to use their lived experience to assist individuals and families to access recovery support services for themselves, their family member or loved one. (including but not limited to information, education, advocacy and services) As a CPRSF, an individual accepts and agrees that his/her personal experience will be known by their colleagues, persons served, and others with whom he/she may share that they have achieved this endorsement. Additionally, a CPRS-F will follow, at a minimum the Code of Ethical Conduct established by the IC&RC guidelines.