Highlights

The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) contracted SSRS to conduct the Survey of Certified Peer Recovery Coaches (PRCs). With this survey, FORE hoped to better understand the experiences, needs, and challenges faced by certified Peer Recovery Coaches across the country, building on previously completed qualitative research by FORE and SSRS among this population.

The Survey of Certified PRCs was fielded from October 25, 2022 to January 19, 2023. A total of 1,174 certified PRCs who support individuals experiencing Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) completed the self-administered online survey.

Challenge

A key challenge for this study was developing a representative sample since the certification process varies across states and there is no national registry of certified PRCs. Significant efforts were made to engage certification boards and other organizations to obtain samples that would be representative of the population of certified PRCs in each state. In lieu of a national sample source, SSRS collaborated with the FORE team to leverage relationships between FORE and individual states/certification boards.

The foundation of this study design is built upon their willingness to support this endeavor and provide the necessary information and resources to reach PRCs in their states. Specifically, SSRS and FORE reached out to contacts at states across the country introducing the survey and asking if they’d like to participate. After several meetings and communications with representatives from over a dozen states over the course of several months, we were able to directly partner with a total of six organizations, encompassing nine different states. The close collaborations with these organizations, and their support of the overall research goals, helped build trust and engagement with the certified peer population in each state, which further enhanced both coverage and cooperation. We were also able to procure publicly available data from two additional states.

Approach

All surveys for this study were completed online. The certification boards for Delaware, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Oregon, Maine, Nevada and New York were responsible for sending out email invitations and reminders to their respective members. SSRS sent invitation emails and reminders to the Arkansas, Ohio, and Idaho lists. To increase cooperation, a $25 virtual gift card was offered to all respondents upon completion of the survey.

Results

Peer recovery coaches play an indispensable role in helping people with OUD find treatment and sustain their recovery, but little is known about the workforce itself. Through the efforts of FORE and SSRS in the design and implementation of this study, we were able to field what is believed to be the most comprehensive survey to date of peer recovery coaches who support people with OUD.

In addition to asking about peers’ experiences with training, certification, supervision, and compensation, we learned what motivates them to do their work and what supports they would need to remain in the profession.