Virtual Certified PARENT Peer Specialist Training in April 2026 for
ALL Wisconsin Residents and Tribal Nations
🔓Applications Open: Friday, February 6th at 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
🔒Application Deadline: Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) or when the maximum is reached at 50 applications.
"Trauma informed Care in Leadership (Part 1)" with Michael King
In leading communities deep in the depths of substance use and behavioral health, trauma is so often an ongoing component in the dynamic. It is critical for leaders in these worlds to come to terms with trauma and lead from a place of responsibility:
✨What impact does trauma have on communities?
✨What is our responsibility as leaders in these communities?
✨What is the opportunity to build leadership in these moments?
"Trauma informed Care in Leadership (Part 1)" with Michael King
In leading communities deep in the depths of substance use and behavioral health, trauma is so often an ongoing component in the dynamic. It is critical for leaders in these worlds to come to terms with trauma and lead from a place of responsibility:
✨What impact does trauma have on communities?
✨What is our responsibility as leaders in these communities?
✨What is the opportunity to build leadership in these moments?
🔥Join us TOMORROW on zoom for the WIPSEI Community Networking Group🔥
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
3:00pm-4:30pm
This space is intended for current Certified Peer Specialists and Certified Parent Peer Specialists to build community, debrief different experiences, and receive other peer support updates!
"Making Sense of Paranoia & Beliefs a Lived Experience Perspective" with Peter Bullimore
Join international speaker and trainer Peter Bullimore as he shares unique insights from lived experience into understanding and supporting individuals experiencing paranoia and unusual beliefs.
This presentation will explore:
✨The three phases of paranoia and what they may look like in everyday life
✨Practical ways to support someone as they move through these phases
✨How to “decode” beliefs by viewing them through the eyes of lived experience
With compassion and clarity, Peter will challenge common misconceptions and offer practical strategies to foster understanding, reduce fear, and build meaningful connections with those navigating paranoia and unusual beliefs.
IN-PERSON Certified Peer Specialist Training in March 2026 for:
Residents of Outagamie County and/or folks who work in Outagamie County
🔓Applications Open: Friday, January 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
🔒Application Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) or when the maximum is reached at 50 applications.
"Making Sense of Paranoia & Beliefs a Lived Experience Perspective" with Peter Bullimore
Join international speaker and trainer Peter Bullimore as he shares unique insights from lived experience into understanding and supporting individuals experiencing paranoia and unusual beliefs.
This presentation will explore:
✨The three phases of paranoia and what they may look like in everyday life
✨Practical ways to support someone as they move through these phases
✨How to “decode” beliefs by viewing them through the eyes of lived experience
With compassion and clarity, Peter will challenge common misconceptions and offer practical strategies to foster understanding, reduce fear, and build meaningful connections with those navigating paranoia and unusual beliefs.
🔶Any questions, please contact Kaeden, Peer Specialist Workforce Development Coordinator, at kaedenw@accesstoind.org
12/22/2025
🔥Join us on zoom for the WIPSEI Community Networking Group🔥
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
3:00pm-4:30pm
This space is intended for current Certified Peer Specialists and Certified Parent Peer Specialists to build community, debrief different experiences, and receive other peer support updates!
🔶Any questions, please contact Kaeden, Peer Specialist Workforce Development Coordinator, at kaedenw@accesstoind.or
10/18/2025
Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown and its impact on funding, the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative (WIPSEI) staff are temporarily furloughed from the initiative contract and the Community Networking Groups will be canceled until further notice.
A lived-experience parenting mentorship program for parents experiencing Child Welfare involvement. Volunteer position with pay that is funded through The Women's Fund of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative:
Origins:
Wisconsin has a long history of engaging with and supporting peer inclusion in the delivery of public mental health and substance use systems of care. The Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative embodies this engagement, though the concept of peer support existed long before a certification for professional employment began. The Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative was launched by the Wisconsin Recovery Implementation Task Force (RITF) in December 2006.
The Peer Specialist Committee (PSC) of the RITF provided recommendations to the Department of Health Services (DHS) for the creation of the initiative. Funding was secured from the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, and a contract was established with Access to Independence, Inc. (Access) to work with the PSC, DHS, and other stakeholders to build core competencies, a job description, ethics and boundaries guidelines, and more from 2007-2009. Once those documents were in place, Access, DHS, and the PSC worked together to establish a training protocol and statewide competency-based examination process.
In January of 2010, the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative held their first certification exams and brought the initial cohort of newly Certified Peer Specialists to Wisconsin. By the end of 2010, approximately 100 Certified Peer Specialists were available throughout the state.
In February 2011, a separate design committee was developed with leaders in the parent support community in order to build a system that reflects the challenges and opportunities in supporting parents of children and youth experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. In partnership with Access and DHS, this committee developed guiding documents. The training protocol and the competency-based exam were launched in 2018.
Looking Towards the Future:
Since 2006, many accomplishments have been achieved, including: building an active and engaged workforce composed of more than 1,400 Certified Peer Specialists throughout the state, developing a peer workforce that can offer quality support to people with lived experience of mental health or substance use challenges or both, collaborating with tribal nations to ensure professional peer support services are available in communities that want them, bringing CPS training, certification, and services to incarcerated persons throughout Wisconsin, launching a Certified Peer/Parent Peer Specialist Advisory Committee, and developing and implementing a Certified Parent Peer Specialist certification.
Wisconsin is a leader in peer specialist services, and both the Certified Peer Specialist and Certified Parent Peer Specialist initiatives continue to evolve as we learn.
