Reentry Peer Support Specialist

The Hinda and Tikvah Reentry Peer Support Program is a year-long journey of training courses, reflection sessions, and supervised practicum designed to empower individuals with lived experience to support others transitioning back into the community after incarceration.

This program is a collaboration between the Hinda Institute and the Tikvah Center for Jewish Recovery and Healing and evaluated by North Western University. 

The curriculum focuses on trauma-informed care, reentry challenges, personal wellness, secondary trauma, mental health, and substance use disorders. Each course reinforces the ethical foundations of peer support, the core competencies and guiding values of the peer model and follows the Illinois Certification Board Accreditation standards. 

Participants gain practical skills during a year-long clinical  practicum in one-on-one peer counseling, support group facilitation, wellness and recovery planning, setting SMART goals, crisis intervention, resolving ethical dilemmas, advocacy, and trauma-informed approaches. The program also offers wrap around support including academic and job support, Peer Co- reflection sessions and counseling support.  

Courses are led by professionals in the peer support and clinical fields, and are enriched by the guidance and insight of individuals with lived experience.
 

The training includes:

  • Hands-on practice in counseling others
  • Mentorship and personal support
  • Instruction from leading experts in the field
  • Meaningful dialogue and learning within a peer community


 

What is a Peer Support Specialist?

 

Advantages of Certification

Earning a Peer Support Certification comes with several meaningful benefits:

➢  It may fulfill certain parole or probation requirements, providing a structured and productive path forward.

➢  A Reentry Specialist Certification enhances your ability to secure employment in a field where your personal experience is a valued asset. As demand grows in this emerging profession, certified individuals are in high demand. Accreditation means you can be reimbursed through Medicaid.

➢  Through this educational journey, you'll have the chance to validate your lived experience, make a positive impact on others, and contribute meaningfully to your community. You can use your lived experience to help others and empower them in their recovery.

➢  This program will also build your self-confidence and deepen your self-awareness. It will allow you to heal through helping. And it will help you to fight stigma. 

 

For further information please contact Project Coordinator
 

Curious About What We Offer?

Click below to explore our Sample Module.

 

Our Sponsors

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our generous sponsors—your support makes this program possible.         

The  Walder Foundation , established by Joseph z”l and Elizabeth Walder, supports initiatives in science innovation, environmental sustainability, the performing arts, migration and immigrant communities, and Jewish life. Guided by the Walders’ lifelong passions and values, the Foundation prioritizes projects in the Chicago metropolitan area while also supporting select global efforts that align with its mission.
 

The  Jewish United Fund (JUF)  is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the United States. Rooted in the principles of collective action and responsibility, JUF provides critical health and human services, fosters community connections, and creates life-enriching experiences where they are most needed. JUF empowers individuals, strengthens families, and unites communities in times of challenge and growth.