Introduction
Peer recovery support services are expanding across Wisconsin. With certified peer specialists, certified parent peer specialists, and many more serving in the peer recovery coach role, peer professionals represent an emerging workforce operating across human service systems and settings. The peer professional brings lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges and the requisite training to deliver effective services. Certified peer professionals provide services within a scope of practice guided by core competencies and a code of ethics. For peer recovery coaches, Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 72 provides the framework to guide service delivery, supervision, and Medicaid reimbursement. Peer recovery support services are well established as evidence-based (Gillard, Bremner et al., 2022; Lloyd-Evans et al. 2014; Min et al., 2007; Smit et al., 2023; Reif et al., 2014; White et al., 2020) and cost-effective (Castedo de Martell, Moore et al., 2025; Castedo de Martell, Wilkerson et al., 2025). Peer professionals can make a difference in the lives of people across Wisconsin every day.
Purpose of this toolkit
The purpose of this toolkit is to offer research-based guidance and best practices for how your organization can successfully implement peer recovery support services. Successful implementation of this new service into routine operations is important because this is how service participants will experience the anticipated benefits of these services. The process of implementing evidence-based services is well established (Fixsen et al., 2005) and comprises three phases: exploration, preparation, and action. These phases overlap with fluid movement to and from each. Within each phase, specific tasks are described with guidance for how to complete the tasks. These tasks represent the evidence-informed strategies used by organizations that have successfully implemented peer recovery support services. Citations to this growing area of research are identified throughout the toolkit and can be found in the references section.
Toolkit overview
The toolkit is organized by implementation phase. Consider the crosswalk table of themes and phases: Within each phase (exploration, preparation, action), specific tasks are identified across research-based themes of successful implementation (staff readiness, teaming integration, recovery-oriented). As the wisdom of “stages of change” suggests (Levesque et al., 1999), tasks completed in one phase will provide your organization the foundation from which to successfully advance to the next phase. Note how background learning tasks during exploration builds to preparation and action tasks. Links to many tasks are provided for efficient navigation across phases.
| Research-Based Theme of Successful Implementation | Exploration Phase | Preparation Phase | Action Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff readiness Staff readiness for working with the new peer professional is critical for successful implementation (Bochicchio et al., 2023; Ehrlich et al., 2020; Firmin et al., 2019; Scannell, 2021; Vandewalle et al., 2016). | Staff background learning: the Wisconsin model, benefits, and evidence of peer recovery support services | Staff readiness through facilitated discussion, survey, and action plan | Supervision to support staff readiness |
| Teaming integration When role clarity of the peer professional informs teaming, the organization is more likely to achieve successful implementation (Bell et al., 2025; Elswick et al., 2024; Mutschler et al., 2022; Reeves, McIntyre et al., 2024; Shepardson et al., 2019). | Clinical team background learning: the Wisconsin model, scope of practice, limits of peer recovery support services | Integration plan (before hiring new peer professional) | Teaming integration (after hiring new peer professional) Supervision to address role clarity |
| Recovery-oriented Organizations that have recovery-oriented policies that inform practice are more likely to achieve successful implementation (Cooper et al., 2024; Mancini, 2018; Reeves et al., 2024; Tham et al., 2025). | Leadership team background learning: the Wisconsin model, what peer professionals do, principles of recovery | Policy review to examine recovery-orientation and action plan | Teaming integration is recovery-oriented Supervision is recovery-oriented |
Where to start
Like implementing any new service, getting peer recovery support services into place is an ambitious goal. Dedicated focus, attention, and time is needed for success. To effectively use this toolkit, forming a leadership team to guide the process is highly recommended. With a newly formed team, start by identifying your organization’s current phase using the guidelines below.
Exploration phase
Start here if:
- You need to create a leadership team to guide the implementation process.
- You need to understand the Wisconsin model of peer recovery support services.
- You need to consider the benefits, evidence, limits, need, fit, and capacity for implementing peer recovery support services.
- You need to make an informed decision about moving forward—or not.
Preparation phase
Start here if:
- Most exploration tasks were completed.
- The leadership team is meeting regularly and feeling confident about the decision to move forward.
- The team seeks to hire a peer professional to deliver peer recovery support services.
- The team needs to get useful supports in place for initial delivery of peer recovery support services.
Action phase
Start here if:
- Most preparation tasks were completed.
- The leadership team is meeting regularly and feeling confident about how to support a newly hired peer professional.
- The peer professional was recently hired, and now effective onboarding and teaming integration is needed.
- The peer professional was recently hired and now effective supervision is needed.
Each section of this toolkit—exploration, preparation, and action—begins with a brief description of the phase, then presents a checklist of tasks for your team to consider. It is up to you and your team to decide which tasks to engage; however, it is recommended to consider all tasks within a given phase because they represent the evidence-informed strategies that will help your organization achieve successful implementation.
Need help?
Organizations do not have to navigate the implementation process alone. Peer services coordinators at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services can help guide your organization. Submit requests for support to DHSDCTSPeerSpecialist@dhs.wisconsin.gov.