PSS Cheat Sheet 2026

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

1. What does 'timely documentation' mean in peer support practice? → Recording interactions as soon as reasonably possible after they occur.
2. A peer specialist is asked by a supervisor to document a service that was not actually provided. The peer should: → Refuse and report the request through appropriate channels
3. Which question would BEST help a peer identify a personally meaningful long-term goal? → What would your life look like if things were going really well?
4. What kind of certification exam might be required after training? → A state or national peer support certification exam
5. A peer specialist notices that their agency's intake forms use stigmatizing language. Advocating for change reflects which SAMHSA principle? → Recovery is based on respect
6. When PSS training covers 'boundaries around social media,' trainees are most commonly advised to: → Avoid connecting with current peers on personal social media accounts
7. When SAMHSA states that recovery 'involves individual, family, and community strengths,' what does this imply for peer specialists? → Recovery leverages assets at multiple levels, not just treating deficits
8. According to SAMHSA, which principle is considered the 'foundation' that catalyzes the recovery process? → Hope
9. When a person revokes their consent for information sharing, the peer specialist should: → Honor the revocation and stop sharing information going forward
10. Which of the following is an example of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries? → Declining to attend a service recipient's birthday party
11. Which scenario BEST illustrates role confusion for a peer support specialist in a clinical setting? → A peer specialist being asked by a supervisor to complete a psychosocial assessment
12. When documenting a peer's progress, which phrase best reflects person-centered language? → John chose not to attend the session this week.
13. Which of the following best illustrates the peer specialist role versus the clinician role? → Peer specialists share lived experience to build connection and model recovery
14. Before self-disclosing personal information, the most important question a peer specialist should ask is: → How will sharing this benefit the person I am supporting?
15. Peer specialists support people with co-occurring disorders best by: → Recognizing that both conditions interact and affect each other
16. A person in crisis becomes verbally aggressive toward a peer specialist. The peer specialist should: → Set a firm limit and, if necessary, remove themselves to safety
17. Which activity is within the appropriate scope of a peer support specialist? → Helping someone practice skills for attending a job interview
18. Which SAMHSA principle most directly supports a peer specialist's decision to work with a client's church community as part of recovery? → Recovery is supported through relationships and social networks
19. Which of the following is a core responsibility of a Certified Peer Support Specialist? → Supporting individuals in setting personal recovery goals
20. A peer is in crisis and expresses intense anger. The concept of 'validation' means you should: → Acknowledge their feeling of anger without judgment.
21. According to SAMHSA, which four major dimensions support a life in recovery? → Health, home, purpose, and community
22. The role of a peer support specialist within an interdisciplinary treatment team is best described as: → Providing a recovery-focused perspective and advocating for the person's voice on the team
23. What primarily distinguishes peer support self-disclosure from personal therapy-style sharing? → Peer support sharing is intentional, brief, and other-focused
24. When a peer support specialist transitions from lived-experience volunteer to paid employee at an agency, which shift is MOST important to recognize? → They now have professional accountability, documentation duties, and ethical obligations
25. Which of the following is often part of the ongoing certification requirements for Certified Peer Support Specialists? → Completing continuing education credits
26. When a peer specialist experiences a personal relapse, what is the ethical responsibility regarding their role? → Disclose to their supervisor and follow agency protocols for leave or support
27. A peer specialist is offered a gift of significant monetary value by a grateful person they support. The ethical action is to: → Decline politely and explain the agency's gift policy
28. In which of the following settings might a Certified Peer Support Specialist commonly work? → Mental health clinics and hospitals
29. Which of the following BEST describes the skill of 'motivational interviewing' as used by peer specialists? → Evoking the peer's own motivation for change through collaborative conversation
30. A peer support specialist notices that agency policies frequently conflict with trauma-informed care principles. The BEST response is to: → Advocate through appropriate channels while complying with current policy