IC&RC Peer Recovery Support & Mentoring — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes a peer recovery support specialist from a clinical counselor?
- They diagnose disorders
- They use lived recovery experience to offer non-clinical support, mentoring, and connection to resources (Correct answer)
- They prescribe medication
- They conduct psychotherapy
Correct answer: They use lived recovery experience to offer non-clinical support, mentoring, and connection to resources
Peer specialists share lived experience and provide non-clinical support, role modeling, and resource linkage within a defined scope of practice.
Question 2: A peer supporter is asked by a client for a ride and a loan of money. Which response best follows ethical boundaries?
- Provide the loan to build trust
- Decline the loan, discuss it with a supervisor, and connect the client with appropriate resources (Correct answer)
- Offer a loan and keep it secret
- End the relationship immediately without explanation
Correct answer: Decline the loan, discuss it with a supervisor, and connect the client with appropriate resources
Financial entanglements create dual relationships. Peers should maintain boundaries, seek supervision, and link clients to legitimate resources.
Question 3: Which approach best describes recovery-oriented, person-centered support?
- The peer decides the goals for the client
- The client sets their own recovery goals and the peer supports their strengths and choices (Correct answer)
- Clients must follow one pathway to recovery
- Support ends if the client relapses
Correct answer: The client sets their own recovery goals and the peer supports their strengths and choices
Recovery support honors self-direction, multiple pathways to recovery, and strengths-based, person-centered practice.
Question 4: Which activity best represents advocacy by a peer specialist?
- Interpreting lab results
- Helping a client navigate housing or benefits applications and speak up for their needs (Correct answer)
- Prescribing a treatment plan
- Diagnosing a co-occurring disorder
Correct answer: Helping a client navigate housing or benefits applications and speak up for their needs
Advocacy includes helping clients access services and have their voices heard, while empowering them to self-advocate where possible.
Question 5: Confidentiality for peer specialists working in a substance use program is governed in part by which federal regulation?
- 42 CFR Part 2 (Correct answer)
- The Fair Housing Act
- Title IX
- The Sherman Act
Correct answer: 42 CFR Part 2
42 CFR Part 2 protects the confidentiality of substance use disorder treatment records, and peers must follow it along with HIPAA.
Question 6: When a client is struggling with a return to use, the most recovery-oriented peer response is to:
- Shame the client to motivate change
- Offer nonjudgmental support, explore what happened, and reconnect the client with supports and services (Correct answer)
- Drop the client from the caseload
- Ignore it and not mention it
Correct answer: Offer nonjudgmental support, explore what happened, and reconnect the client with supports and services
Recovery is often non-linear. A peer should respond with hope, nonjudgmental support, and help re-engaging in the recovery plan.