CRSS Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CRSS facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In relapse prevention, what is a 'trigger'? → A person, place, thing, or emotion that increases the urge to use substances
2. In motivational interviewing, 'rolling with resistance' means the specialist should: → Avoid arguing and instead explore ambivalence with curiosity
3. Why is the occupational dimension important in recovery support? → To find personal satisfaction and enrichment from work
4. Which competency is essential in promoting recovery-oriented mental health practices? → Working collaboratively with individuals to leverage their strengths and abilities
5. A recovery support specialist is co-facilitating a peer education group and one participant dominates the discussion. The BEST response is to: → Use structured turn-taking techniques to invite quieter members to share
6. Which mentoring approach is MOST consistent with the recovery support specialist role when a mentee makes a poor decision? → Use open-ended questions to help the mentee reflect on consequences and alternatives
7. Which scenario BEST demonstrates a CRSS working within their scope of practice? → Helping a peer identify and connect with community recovery support meetings
8. What is 'discord' in Motivational Interviewing (formerly called 'resistance')? → A rupture in the collaborative relationship signaling something needs to shift
9. In Motivational Interviewing, what term describes a client's statements that favor making a change? → Change talk
10. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a CRSS sharing their personal recovery story with a peer? → To instill hope and demonstrate that recovery is possible
11. In a relapse prevention plan, 'high-risk situations' are best defined as: → Circumstances most likely to challenge the client's recovery and increase relapse risk
12. Social wellness in recovery is BEST supported by: → Helping the client build a healthy support network and positive relationships
13. A peer with severe depression frequently uses alcohol to feel better temporarily. This pattern best illustrates which theory? → Self-medication hypothesis
14. What does the MI spirit component 'autonomy support' mean in the context of recovery support? → Respecting the client's right to choose their own path
15. Which federally funded program is most directly associated with establishing recovery community organizations (RCOs) and peer recovery support services? → SAMHSA's Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP)
16. Which approach to addiction recognizes it as a chronic brain disorder influenced by genetic, environmental, and developmental factors? → The disease model
17. Which statement BEST reflects the wellness model as applied in recovery support services? → Wellness encompasses physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions of health
18. 'Dual relationships' in CRSS practice refers to situations where: → The CRSS has a personal relationship with a peer outside the professional context
19. A CRSS is advocating for a peer who was terminated from a recovery program for a relapse. Which argument is most aligned with recovery-oriented systems of care? → Relapse is a common part of recovery and services should not end because of it
20. Which statement best reflects the concept of person-driven recovery? → Persons' life goals, hopes, and dreams should guide all treatment and approaches.
21. A client expresses frustration after being placed on multiple waiting lists. The peer specialist's BEST response is to: → Help the client identify interim support options while waiting for services
22. Why is physical wellness important in recovery support? → To maintain overall health and engage in appropriate physical activity
23. The concept of 'retraumatization' in a recovery support setting most commonly refers to: → Practices or interactions that unintentionally trigger or worsen previous trauma
24. Recovery capital for someone with co-occurring disorders includes which of the following? → Social support, stable housing, employment, and access to healthcare
25. A client verbally consents to releasing information but refuses to sign a written release form. What should the RSS do? → Decline to release the information and document the client's refusal to sign
26. When building a community resource directory, a peer specialist should prioritize including: → Eligibility requirements, contact information, and service descriptions
27. A client with co-occurring substance use disorder and serious mental illness would BEST be served by: → Integrated dual diagnosis treatment that addresses both conditions simultaneously
28. A client in recovery wants to start an exercise routine. What is the BEST role for the CRSS? → Support the client's self-identified goals and connect them to community fitness resources
29. Which MI technique involves asking open-ended questions, affirming, reflecting, and summarizing? → OARS
30. Which ethical principle requires a recovery support specialist to keep a client's information confidential unless specific exceptions apply? → Confidentiality