This program is for justice impacted and formerly incarcerated individuals who have overcome personal challenges with mental health, substance abuse, or trauma. The program is ideal for those with a passion for helping others overcome the challenges and collateral consequences of incarceration, prepare for release, facilitate reentry, and successful community reintegration.
Students will draw on their own experiences and recovery as they acquire the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to help others overcome their challenges. Upon completion of the program, students earn a Peer Specialist Certificate and are prepared to fill peer support roles in community-settings, government agencies, community health clinics, recovery centers, and housing and homeless service providers. Students may also be eligible for tuition scholarship and additional supports including career counseling, job placement assistance and post-program support.
Take the first step toward making a positive impact in the lives of justice impacted and formerly incarcerated individuals. For more information, please contact us at Elizabeth.Tobias@lmu.edu
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LMU Extension is an approved CalMHSA training provider for Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Core Competency Training. The program meets the educational requirements necessary for applicants seeking to take the state certification exam to become a California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist.
The 80-hour Peer Specialist training program includes the following 17 core competencies:
- The concepts of hope, recovery, and wellness
- The role of advocacy
- The role of consumers and family members
- Psychiatric rehabilitation skills and service delivery, and addiction recovery principles, including defined practices
- Cultural and structural competence trainings
- Trauma-informed care
- Group facilitation skills
- Self-awareness and self-care
- Co-occurring disorders of mental health and substance use
- Conflict resolution
- Professional boundaries and ethics
- Preparation for employment opportunities, including study and test-taking skills, application and resume preparation, interviewing, and other potential requirements for employment
- Safety and crisis planning
- Navigation of and referral to, other services.
- Documentation skills and standards
- Confidentiality
- Digital literacy
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Jenny Serrano, MPA
Jenny Serrano is a Children’s Services Administrator III (Program Director) for the County of Los Angeles’ Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Youth Development Services Division. Prior to her move to DCFS in 2010, she served as the Special Assistant to Deputy Chief Executive Officer Miguel Santana in the County’s Chief Executive Office. In that capacity, Jenny assisted with program development, policy analysis, made recommendations to Department Heads and the County Board of Supervisors and oversaw all County social services programs that came about as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (a $2-billion-dollar portfolio).
Jenny is currently responsible for managing programs that assist thousands of transition age foster youth annually, in the areas of employment, transportation, credit protection and other special projects. She manages 26 staff, including 3 subordinate program managers.
Jenny has been characterized as a thinker, a doer, a strategic risk-taker, often unconventional, smart, passionate, diligent, analytical and a listener. She is a natural forger of collaborations and innovation, all while maintaining a high degree of transparency and accountability.
Jenny holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Northridge. She is celebrating her 16th year as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Pierce College. She served on the Board of Directors at Peace4Kids, a nonprofit serving foster youth in South Los Angeles from 2011-2017 and remains active as a volunteer and consultant.
Jenny was 13 years old when she went into foster care, and 18 when she exited. During that time, she attended 6 high schools and lived in 6 foster homes. She went on to become the caregiver for her younger brother when she was 19 and he was 15. Today, Jenny has a family of her own with her children – Nyah, age 22 and Asher, age 15 and enjoys reading, road trips and concerts.
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UPCOMING CLASSES
Schedule Coming Soon
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Scholarships are available for California residents through a fully funded program by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) with no out-of-pocket costs for tuition or materials. Scholarship includes the cost of tuition, career counseling, job placement assistance and post-program support for six (6) months. Interested individuals can complete a scholarship application. Click here to apply:
Peer Specialist Scholarship Application
To request a hard copy of the application, email elizabeth.tobias@lmu.edu or call 310-338-5813.