The IUA–New York Certification Board defines a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA and CRPA-Provisional) as an individual who provides outreach, advocacy, mentoring, and recovery support services to people seeking or sustaining recovery from substance use disorders.
For the purpose of certification, a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate is considered a professional who has demonstrated competence in a range of activities outlined in the IC&RC Peer Recovery Job Task Analysis and the IC&RC Peer Recovery Candidate Guide (2025) available here.
To become certified as a CRPA, candidates must demonstrate completion of the required education and training aligned with the performance domains: Advocacy, Ethical Responsibility, Mentoring/Education, Recovery/Wellness Support, and Harm Reduction, as outlined in the IC&RC Peer Recovery Job Task Analysis. Click here for the full list of domains and associated competencies (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities).
CRPA-Provisional Certification Requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Live or work in New York State at least 51% of the time at the point of application and testing.
- Must hold a high school diploma (or jurisdictionally certified high school equivalency or higher education). If your education credential is from outside of the United States or its territories, please contact Elisabeth Kranson (ekranson@iuany.org) or Cathie Gifford (cgifford@iuany.org) or for more information, click here.
- Must complete 46 hours of NYCB-approved role training specific to the Peer Recovery (PR) domains with 10 hours in each of the domains in Advocacy, Mentoring/Education, and Recovery/Wellness Support and 16 hours in the domain of Ethical Responsibility. An additional 4 hours of NYCB-approved Medication Supported Recovery (MSR) training is also required for a total of 50 hours.
- Agree to abide by the NYCB Code of Ethical Conduct by signing the appropriate section in the CRPA and/or CRPA-Provisional application.
- A copy of the Code of Ethical Conduct is available for download here
- Candidates are bound by this code from the date their certification application is submitted.
CRPA or CRPA Upgrade Applicants must meet all CRPA-Provisional requirements listed above and the following additional requirements:
- Complete 500 hours of supervised volunteer or paid work experience specific to the Peer Recovery (PR) performance domains.
- Receive 25 hours of mentoring and/or supervision specific to the PR domains.
- Achieve a passing score on the IC&RC Peer Recovery (PR) Examination.
Important Note on Work and Supervision Hours:
Work and supervision that occurred in a treatment setting while the candidate was receiving services in that same setting (either inpatient or outpatient) will not be accepted toward certification requirements.
To prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest, the following policy applies:
- Role experience and supervision in a treatment setting while the candidate is receiving services in that setting does not meet the requirements for CRPA certification.
- However, role experience in a treatment setting may be considered for candidates in long-term medication-supported recovery, provided all of the following conditions are met:
- The candidate does not access confidential information about other service recipients.
- The candidate is not performing in a dual role, i.e., simultaneously receiving services alongside individuals to whom they currently (or previously) provide peer services.
- The candidate recuses themselves from providing services when a potential dual-role conflict arises, in order to prioritize their own recovery.
In alignment with our “recovery-first” policy, the IUA–New York Certification Board strongly recommends that all candidates prioritize building a strong personal recovery foundation before pursuing vocational employment in the peer recovery field.
