Peer recovery support specialists are people with their own lived experience of substance use and recovery, trained and often certified to support others — a distinct role from a therapist or case manager.
What they do: Provide practical, relatable support — helping navigate treatment systems, sharing coping strategies from lived experience, and offering a kind of connection that a clinical relationship alone doesn’t always provide.
Why this role has grown: Evidence suggests peer support improves engagement and retention in treatment, likely because peers can build trust and rapport in a way that feels different from a clinical relationship, without replacing clinical care.
Where you might encounter one: Hospital emergency departments (as part of ED-initiated buprenorphine programs) [link to that article], treatment programs, and some community organizations increasingly employ peer specialists as a standard part of care teams.
This is not a replacement for clinical treatment: Peer support works alongside MOUD and therapy, not instead of them — it fills a different, complementary role.
How to find one: Ask your treatment program or local health department whether peer recovery support is available; some states have peer support directories through their behavioral health agencies.
Medically reviewed by [pending]. Sources: SAMHSA peer support certification standards, research literature on peer support outcomes.