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The California Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS) has made limited funding available in the form of scholarships for Peers seeking the Certification for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists in California. The scholarships and funding are time limited.
The scholarships are now available to all applicants, with priority given to applicants submitted by their county behavioral health plans who have elected to implement the peer support benefit.
Individuals seeking certification under the out-of-state reciprocity process are not eligible for participation in the scholarship program.
- A total of 5,000 scholarships will be distributed: 2,500 for peers under the grandparenting process and 2,500 for peers seeking “initial” certification.
- Scholarship applications are processed on a first-come-first-serve basis until depleted.
- Priority is given to applicants whose names were submitted by their county behavioral health plans.
- Scholarships under the grandparenting process cover application and the cost of one exam attempt.
- Scholarships under the initial certification cover application, training, and one exam attempt costs.
- Applications for scholarships must be submitted via our website
- Applications for certification are approved for 12-months. This means the scholarship must be used prior to 12-month expiration or scholarship is forfeited.
- The scholarship shall contain a unique identification number. The scholarship is not transferrable.
- No extensions will be granted for expiration of scholarships.
- Unused or expired scholarships will be returned to a “general inventory pool” for redistribution to applicants on the waitlist.
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