Certified Family Peer Specialist

Revised: August 19, 2025

· Overview

· Eligible Providers

· Eligible Members

· Authorization Requirements

· Billing

· Legal References

Overview

Certified family peer specialists (CFPS) work with the family of a child or youth who has an emotional disturbance or a severe emotional disturbance defined under Minnesota Statutes, 245 and is receiving mental health treatment to promote the resiliency and recovery of the child or youth. Certified family peer specialists provide nonclinical family peer support building on the strengths of the family and help them to achieve desired outcomes.

Services provide the family with skills, knowledge and support to strengthen the family and increase parents’ ability to support the treatment goals of the child or youth.

Eligible Providers

Certified family peer specialist programs must operate within an existing mental health community provider.

The certified family peer specialist must meet all of the following qualifications:

· Be at least 18 years of age

· Have raised or are currently raising a child with a mental illness

· Be currently navigating or have experience navigating the children's mental health system

· Successfully complete the Minnesota Department of Human Services-approved Certified Family Peer Specialist Training and Certification exam

Scope

Certified Family Peer Specialists are required to follow guidelines in the Treatment Supervision section of the MHCP Provider Manual according to Minnesota Statutes, 245I.06. Certified family peer specialists under Treatment Supervision of a mental health professional must:

· Provide services to increase the child’s ability to function in the child’s home, school, and community

· Provide family peer support to build on a member’s family's strengths and help the family achieve desired outcomes

· Provide nonadversarial advocacy to a child and the child's family that encourages partnership and promotes the child's positive change and growth

· Support families in advocating for culturally appropriate services for a child in each treatment setting

· Promote resiliency, self-advocacy, and development of natural supports

· Support maintenance of skills learned from other services

· Establish and lead parent support groups

· Assist parents in developing coping and problem-solving skills

· Educate parents about mental illnesses and community resources, including resources that connect parents with similar experiences to one another

Eligible Members

To be eligible for Certified Family Peer Specialist services, a child or youth must be eligible for MHCP and receiving any one of the following services:

· Inpatient hospitalization

· Partial hospitalization

· Residential treatment

· Treatment foster care

· Day treatment

· Children's therapeutic services and supports (CTSS)

· Crisis services programs

Documentation

The individualized treatment plan of the child or youth must identify the need for Certified Family Peer Specialist services. Document medical necessity and progress notes according to Minnesota Statutes, 245I and retain in the child’s or youth’s record.

Authorization Requirements

Refer to Authorization for general authorization policy and procedures. For Certified Family Peer Specialist services, authorization is required to exceed more than 300 hours per client per calendar year for a combined total of H0038 HA, and H0038 HA HQ.

Billing

Bill using MN–ITS 837P.

Review the following table for CFPS benefit information:

Certified Family Peer Specialist Benefits
Code	Modifier	Brief Description	Units	Service Limitations
H0038	HA	Certified family peer specialist services	15 min.	Authorization is required for more than 300 hours per client per calendar year for a combined total of H0038 HA, and H0038 HA HQ
	HA HQ	Certified family peer specialist services in a group setting.	15 min.

Legal References

Minnesota Statutes, 256B.0616 Mental Health Certified Family Peer Specialist
Minnesota Statutes, 245I.04
Minnesota Statutes, 245I.06 Treatment Supervision