Mental Health Partnerships

Mental Health Partnerships was funded to support their Peer Empower Path Program (PEPP), a workforce development initiative transforming lived experience into meaningful careers in behavioral health. PEPP supports adults in recovery as they pursue roles as Certified Peer Specialists (CPS), case managers, and advocates through a structured pathway that includes training, mentorship, and job placement. PEPP is designed to create a sustainable living wage for CPSs while strengthening the behavioral health workforce with skilled, recovery-oriented professionals. Participants complete CPS training and Career Ready Minds training, followed by mentorship and support with employment. The program also establishes formal outcome tracking to measure certification success, employment placement, and retention over time. By aligning training, employment, and system partnerships, PEPP helps shift how the behavioral health field recruits, values, and retains peer professionals, thereby advancing recovery, economic independence, and a more responsive and equitable system of care.