The CRSS (Certified Recovery Support Specialist) is a peer support credential for individuals with lived experience of behavioral health challenges who help others in recovery from mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or both. Many states use IC&RC (International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium) standards as the basis for this credential.
This free CRSS practice test PDF provides printable exam questions covering all major content domains — recovery and wellness, peer support ethics, advocacy, crisis support, community navigation, and cultural competency. Download it and study offline wherever works for you.
Questions draw on SAMHSA's four dimensions of recovery: health, home, purpose, and community. You should understand recovery capital (social, human, physical, and cultural capital), wellness domains, trauma-informed care principles (safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity), and the difference between mental health recovery and substance use recovery, including co-occurring disorders.
A core distinction on the exam is that peer support is non-clinical — peer specialists support and walk alongside, not treat or counsel. Expect questions on managing dual relationships, appropriate self-disclosure guidelines, confidentiality limits, mandated reporting requirements, and the IC&RC Code of Ethics.
This domain covers person-centered planning, motivational interviewing principles (OARS: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries), distinguishing change talk from sustain talk, and the stages of change model (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance). Know the difference between systems advocacy and individual advocacy.
You should understand warning signs of a mental health crisis, suicide risk factors and protective factors, the peer role in safety planning (which is supportive — not clinical crisis counseling), harm reduction principles, recognizing overdose signs, and connecting people to crisis resources including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Questions cover benefits navigation (SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, housing assistance), connecting individuals to treatment programs, recovery housing types, transportation resources, legal aid connections, employment support, and the peer specialist's role in team-based services such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT).
Expect questions on cultural humility versus cultural competence, serving populations with unique recovery needs (LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, justice-involved individuals, youth, older adults), language access, implicit bias awareness, and the impact of trauma and historical trauma in underserved communities.
Want to practice interactively? Our full CRSS practice test library lets you answer questions online with instant feedback and score tracking by domain. Combine online practice with this printable PDF for a well-rounded study plan.