Selected Peer Workforce Training and Continuing Education – Virtual, Fre, Sliding Scale, or with Scholarship Support

Event times are shown in Pacific time.

These trainings resources are for Peer Support Specialists, Peer Wellness Specialists, Family and Youth Support Specialists, support group facilitators, and others in the peer workforce who want to grow their skills and keep their certifications current.

Offerings range from live webinars and facilitator think tanks to multi-session virtual trainings and self-paced courses, all free or offered on a sliding scale, and many of them count toward continuing education hours, including Oregon’s suicide-prevention requirement for Traditional Health Workers.

ACORN

ACORN is an online continuing education provider approved by the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO), offering courses free of charge courtesy of the Oregon Health Authority.

Training & Professional Development

Suicide Prevention: Responding with Care

A self-paced course introducing the 5 Action Steps model, direct conversations about suicidal thoughts, referrals and follow-up within your role, and sociocultural attunement. The course addresses Oregon’s suicide-prevention continuing education requirement under ORS 676.866.

Eligibility: Traditional Health Workers, including Peer Support Specialists, Peer Wellness Specialists, Community Health Workers, Birth Doulas, and Qualified Mental Health Associates

Cost: Free, 3 CE hours, approved by OHA and MHACBO

Format: Virtual, on demand

Access: https://www.acorncourses.org/courses/suicide-prevention

Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery — Doors to Wellbeing

The Copeland Center’s Doors to Wellbeing program hosts a free monthly Peer Specialist Webinar Series that brings peer leaders and people with lived experience together to expand peer specialist skills and practices.

Events & Meetings

Peer Specialist Webinar Series

One-hour webinars presented by peer specialist leaders and subject matter experts. Posted sessions are “When Someone Needs You: Tools for Staying Well While Supporting Others” on September 29 and “The Power and Importance of Belonging” on October 27. The series usually meets on the last Tuesday of each month except December, and new dates are posted on the Copeland Center’s training calendar.

Time: Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Date(s): September 29 and October 27, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CJC7wSiJRmCqsnH4fMNAaA

On-Demand Resources

Peer Specialist Webinar Recordings

Type: Recorded Webinar

Duration: About 1 hour each; two special sessions run 2 hours

More than 100 past webinars on topics such as ethics in peer support, healthy boundaries, gender inclusive facilitation, and building community support groups. Every recording includes an automatic certificate; most are free, and a few carry a $2.50 fee.

Access: https://copelandcenter.com/doors-wellbeing/peer-specialist-webinar-series

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)

DBSA is a national peer-directed organization that provides hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people who have mood disorders, including through a network of chapters and support groups.

Events & Meetings

Facilitator Think Tank

A one-hour discussion where DBSA support group facilitators bring questions or topics and share ideas with one another. Please register at least one day in advance.

Time: Thursday, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST

Date(s): August 13, October 8, and December 10, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/16a205394f5b440396fbd58e4d1596c0

Chapter Think Tank

A one-hour discussion for DBSA chapter leaders to share questions, topics, and ideas. Please register at least one day in advance.

Time: Thursday, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST

Date(s): September 10 and November 12, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/01975b38900a775682b0aa18c61dac02

Next Level Thinking: Facilitator Resources

A 90-minute session led by National Support Group Facilitator Trainer Shannon Emerich of DBSA Lehigh Valley, exploring DBSA facilitator resources and brainstorming ways to use them in support groups and with chapter members.

Time: Thursday, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PST

Date(s): September 17, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/0ffd639b81784bd0b76b23b0e8f13b26

Next Level Thinking: Sticky Situations

A 90-minute session hosted by experienced DBSA support group facilitator trainers, focused on navigating challenging moments in support groups. Registration details are posted on DBSA’s facilitator resources page.

Time: Thursday, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PST

Date(s): November 19, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://www.dbsalliance.org/support/facilitatorresources/

Training & Professional Development

Basic Support Group Facilitator Training

An 8-hour introductory training taught by experienced facilitators across two to three sessions, with lecture, question-and-answer segments, and mock facilitation practice. Participants must attend all sessions to receive a certificate of participation.

Application Window or Dates: Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM PST each day; fourth-quarter sessions in November or December 2026, with dates posted on DBSA’s facilitator resources page

Eligibility: Peers working with a DBSA chapter or support group, endorsed or referred by a chapter leader

Cost: Free

Format: Virtual

Access: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/f41f1e5e2dc94dc6b8c0137ca7309052

HealtheKnowledge

HealtheKnowledge is a free online learning platform managed by the Collaborative to Advance Health Services at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, hosting self-paced courses from SAMHSA-funded technical assistance centers.

Training & Professional Development

Family Peer Specialist Through the Lifespan

An 8-hour self-paced course from the National Family Support Technical Assistance Center exploring the family peer specialist role across every stage of life.

Cost: Free with a certificate of completion; optional CE credit is $5 per credit hour

Format: Virtual, on demand

Access: https://www.healtheknowledge.org/course/view.php?id=921

Family Peer Specialist Role Modules

Five 45-minute courses from the National Family Support Technical Assistance Center, each focused on a different family peer perspective: parents and caregivers, kinship caregivers, siblings, adult children, and partners or spouses.

Cost: Free with a certificate of completion; optional CE credit is $5 per credit hour

Format: Virtual, on demand

Access: https://healtheknowledge.org/course/search.php?search=peer

Peer Integration into Treatment and Recovery Courts

A 6-hour SAMHSA-funded course on bringing peer support into treatment and recovery court programs.

Cost: Free with a certificate of completion; optional CE credit is $5 per credit hour

Format: Virtual, on demand

Access: https://www.healtheknowledge.org/course/view.php?id=657

Supporting Recovery from Opioid Use: A Peer’s Guide to Person-Centered Care

A 1-hour course from the Northwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center on person-centered peer support for people in recovery from opioid use.

Cost: Free with a certificate of completion; optional CE credit is $5 per credit hour

Format: Virtual, on demand

Access: https://www.healtheknowledge.org/course/view.php?id=448

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals

NAADAC is a national membership organization for addiction and recovery professionals, including peer recovery support specialists, and offers a free webinar series open to all.

On-Demand Resources

Peer Recovery Support Webinar Series

Type: Recorded Webinar

Duration: About 1 hour each

Fifteen recorded webinars for peer recovery professionals, covering storytelling, peer supervision, telehealth, ethics and boundaries, and problem-solving skills.

Access: https://www.naadac.org/peer-recovery-support-webinars

Peer-Focused Recorded Webinars

Type: Recorded Webinar

Duration: About 1 hour each

Six additional free recordings for the peer workforce: Navigating Ethical Boundaries: Decision Making for Peer Support Specialists and Addiction Counselors; Supporting Individuals Engaged in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment for Peers; Essential Clinical and Peer Supervision Practices in Substance Use Disorder Services; The Peer Model: The Ethics in Efficacy; Sequential Intercept Model of Peer Support in Criminal Justice; and Interdisciplinary Care in Opioid Treatment: The Role of Peers.

Access: https://www.naadac.org/on-demand-webinars

Northwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC)

The Northwest ATTC hosts free monthly webinars for addiction treatment and recovery support workers across the region, with presentations on a wide range of topics.

Events & Meetings

Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Addictive Behavior

Neha Chawla, PhD, Joel Grow, PhD, and Erinn McGraw, BFA, of the University of Washington share core mindfulness practices and exercises that help people work with triggers and cravings in recovery.

Time: Wednesday, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PST

Date(s): September 30, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://washington.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t6rJX0zDSJmoknSq-cMKUw

Therapeutic Potential of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Substance Use Disorders

Christian Hendershot, PhD, of the Keck School of Medicine at USC shares current research on GLP-1 medications and substance use, co-sponsored by the Northwest and Pacific Southwest ATTCs and the Western States Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network. Up to 1.5 CE/CME credits are available.

Time: Wednesday, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PST

Date(s): October 28, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://washington.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FaWdFAwWR1ChXJ3i1iPuGg

Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC)

The Northwest PTTC is a SAMHSA-funded center that supports prevention practitioners, allied partners, and community members working to prevent substance misuse in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Events & Meetings

Promoting Healthy Digital Media Use in Adolescence to Support Mental and Behavioral Health

Dr. Lucía Magis-Weinberg of the University of Washington explores how digital technology and social media affect young people, with strategies for supporting healthy digital habits at home, at school, and among peers. Participants receive a 1-hour certificate of attendance.

Time: Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Date(s): October 20, 2026

Format: Virtual

Platform: Zoom — https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1rvc_mv7SdSQXb5dAUZW-Q

Training & Professional Development

Building Protection Using the Social Development Strategy

An interactive five-week learning series on shared protective factors and how the Social Development Strategy helps families, schools, coalitions, and communities build protection. Participants attend all five sessions, complete up to one hour of independent work between sessions, and stay on camera for most of each session.

Application Window or Dates: Thursdays, October 22, October 29, November 5, November 12, and November 19, 2026, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM PST; registration closes October 8, 2026

Eligibility: Prevention practitioners, coalition coordinators, and allied partners in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington; limited to 25 participants

Cost: Free, 12.5-hour certificate of attendance

Format: Virtual

Access: https://pttclearning.org/building-protection-using-the-social-development-strategy-sds-registration/

University of Minnesota Center for Practice Transformation

The Center for Practice Transformation, part of the University of Minnesota School of Social Work, supports evidence-based practice through a free webinar series that includes sessions for peer support specialists.

On-Demand Resources

Peer Support Specialists Webinar Archive

Type: Recorded Webinar

Duration: About 1 hour each

Past webinars in the Center’s Peer Support Specialists category are free to stream at any time, and most offer one CEU through a purchased post-test. New live webinars are announced on the Center’s continuing education page.

Access: https://practicetransformation.umn.edu/webinars/category/peer-support-specialists/

Wildflower Alliance

The Wildflower Alliance is a grassroots peer support, advocacy, and training organization with a focus on harm reduction and human rights.

Training & Professional Development

When Conversation Turns to Suicide

A 16-hour training grounded in the Alternatives to Suicide approach, covering myth-busting, frameworks for conversation, connections between trauma and suicide, and power-sharing. Participants receive a certificate after attending all sessions, and the training is not recorded.

Application Window or Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, January 12, 14, 19, and 21, 2027, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Eligibility: Open to providers, family members, peer supporters, first responders, and anyone who wants to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts

Cost: Sliding scale

Format: Virtual (Zoom)

Access: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/when-conversation-turns-to-suicide-january-2027-tickets-2000418562771

General & Cross-Cutting Resources

Crisis & Immediate Support

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — https://988lifeline.org · Call or text 988, available 24/7

SAMHSA National Helpline — https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline · 1-800-662-4357, free and confidential, available 24/7

Disclaimer: This listing is shared for community information only. The offerings are organized and hosted by the listed organizations, not by PeerGalaxy. Details such as dates, times, availability, and access links are subject to change — please confirm with the relevant organization before attending or applying.