BestNow!
Building Employment Strategies through Networking on Wellness
Discover BestNow! (Building Employment Strategies Through Networking on Wellness), your energetic springboard to a meaningful career in the behavioral health field!
As a dynamic program designed to transform lives, BestNow! fuels your leadership potential and strengthens your unique voice. Our program focuses on training Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists (MPSS) to provide mental health and addiction support to individuals.
We’re not just about professional development but empowerment, unity, and growth. BestNow! is a certified training vendor of CalMHSA.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Training
Certified Vendor of CalMHSA
Our Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist training, part of the BestNow! program, allows participants to become certified as a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist in California. In 80 hours of training, participants will learn to engage with our peer values, including meeting each person where they are, using our personal experiences to support peers, and encouraging individuals to self-advocate and find their own solutions. BestNow! is a certified training vendor of California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA).
The cost of the 6-week training is $1600. Applicants to BestNow’s Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist training may apply for a scholarship to cover the training fee by clicking this link.
If you are not eligible for a scholarship, or if you apply for a scholarship and are not approved, please contact BestNow! at bestnow@peerwellnesscollective.org to discuss alternate payment options.
*Acceptance in the training program is not automatic. Applicants will be informed whether or not they are accepted into the training program.
Get Certified
Upcoming Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist 80-Hour Training Sessions
Virtual Trainings Are Available Throughout California
Training for Areas of Specialization
These specializations focus on additional training that build on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists. The training hours and core competencies covered vary by specialization.
Peer Services for Unhoused
Peer Services for Unhoused can complement clinical services and help individuals who are unhoused or may become unhoused. Individuals and/or families may have unique behavioral health challenges and/or co-conditions. Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists with experience being unsheltered or unhoused offer a unique perspective in supporting others meet their needs, including behavioral health, housing support, and health conditions.
Training Fee: $800
Scholarships are available; please apply by clicking this link
Dates TBD – Check back soon!
Peer Services in Crisis Care
Peer Services in Crisis Care can complement clinical services and help individuals in crisis. The inclusion of peer support workers in crisis care helps facilitate a trauma-informed response and recovery oriented and strengths-based approaches. Peer support workers demonstrate that recovery is possible and act as an advocate for the individual. This training covers core competencies and skills for crisis prevention, active crisis situations, and post-crisis care.
Training Fee: $800
Scholarships are available; please apply by clicking this link
Dates TBD – Check back soon!
California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Exam Preparation
We encourage anyone preparing for the certification exam to take advantage of these study sessions as a valuable resource in their journey towards becoming a certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist. These group study sessions are designed to equip those preparing to take the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification exam with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed. They’ll offer a comprehensive review of critical topics, an opportunity to practice with sample questions and a forum for discussion and query resolution with experienced professionals.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Law and Ethics Training
This specialized training has been tailored to meet the unique needs of Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists and offers an in-depth exploration of laws and ethical standards applicable to their critical work. Topics will cover areas such as confidentiality, informed consent, mandated reporting, professional boundaries, cultural competency, and more. These essential skills and knowledge can support specialists in providing compassionate, ethical, and legally sound assistance to those they serve.
BestNow! is a CalMHSA-approved CE training provider for Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists (CMPSS) and an acceptable source for Continuing Edcuation Units (CEUs) that meet the requirements for the biennial renewal of the CMPSS certification, including mandatory law and ethics training.
Ongoing Professional Development Trainings for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists
BestNow! provides a range of trainings on essential topics relevant to Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists, including Law and Ethics, Documentation, Self-Care, Harm Reduction, and more. Our trainings are highly evaluated for their quality and relevance by participants and community partner organizations.
BestNow! is a CalMHSA-approved Continuing Education (CE) training provider for Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists (CMPSS) and an acceptable source for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that meet the requirements for the biennial renewal of the CMPSS certification, including mandatory law and ethics training.
BestNow! Internships
BestNow! internships provide graduates of the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist training with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in peer support services by working directly with BestNow!, other Peer Wellness Collective programs, or community partner organizations.
Interns will complete 40 hours of service in areas relevant to Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist employment, including group facilitation, community outreach and engagement, information and referrals, wellness and recovery activities, and more.
In addition to the opportunity to make positive contributions to peer-run programs and organizations serving peers in the community, BestNow! internships provide interns with a Certificate of Completion and a Letter of Reference. Interns will also have access to ongoing supervision and support to ensure their success and internship completion.
BestNow! internships are an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing a career in mental health and addiction recovery to gain real-world experience and make a positive impact in their communities.
INTERNSHIPS ARE RESERVED FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN OR HAVE GRADUATED FROM MEDI-CAL PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST 80-HOUR TRAINING.
To apply, contact Jaye Stafford, Vocational Specialist, for more details at bestnow@peerwellnesscollective.org.
