908 Ky. Admin. Regs. 2:240

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 6, December 1, 2024

Section 908 KAR 2:240 - Kentucky youth peer support specialist

RELATES TO: KRS 200.505, 210.010, 210.040, 210.370-210.485

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 194A.050(1) requires the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to promulgate administrative regulations necessary to protect the health of Kentucky citizens and to implement programs mandated by federal law or to qualify for the receipt of federal funds. KRS 210.450 requires the secretary to promulgate administrative regulations governing qualifications of personnel and standards for personnel management for community programs for mental health or individuals with an intellectual disability. This administrative regulation establishes the minimum eligibility and training requirements for a Kentucky youth peer support specialist.

Section 1. Definitions.

(1) "Applicant" means an individual seeking to complete the Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist training.

(2) "Application" means completing the Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist Core Competency Training Application form and submitting it to the department.

(3) "Child-serving agency" means an agency represented by the State Interagency Council.

(4) "Client" means a child with an emotional disability as defined by KRS 200.503(1) or who is at risk of developing an emotional disability.

(5) "Core Competency" means the knowledge and skills listed in Section 3(4) of this administrative regulation that all applicants must demonstrate in order to successfully complete the Kentucky youth peer support specialist training.

(6) "Department" means the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities.

(7) "Kentucky Family Leadership Academy" or "KFLA" means a prerequisite training designed for parents, caregivers, and youth leaders that fosters initial leadership development.

(8) "Kentucky youth peer support specialist" or "KYPSS" means an eligible youth who has completed the requirements of this administrative regulation.

(9) "Lived Experience" means an experience of a child or youth with an emotional, social, behavioral, or substance use disability that is defined in the current version of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders.

(10) "Professional Equivalent" means a person who meets the professional equivalent requirements established in the Community Mental Health Center Services Manual that is incorporated by reference in 907 KAR 1:044.

(11) "State family organization" means an organization with whom the department contracts to carry out the activities associated with statewide advocacy and support for children and youth with severe emotional disabilities.

(12) "State Interagency Council" is the State Interagency Council for Services to Children with an Emotional Disability as defined by KRS 200.505.

(13) "Youth Peer Support 101" means a training designed for Kentucky youth peer support specialists and their supervisors that provides an orientation to the position.

Section 2. Eligibility Criteria. An applicant shall:

(1) Be an individual who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and is not older than thirty-five (35) years of age;

(2) Have lived experience;

(3) Be receiving or have received from at least one (1) child-serving agency a state-funded service that is related to the youth's emotional, social, behavioral, or substance abuse disability;

(4) Have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) certificate;

(5) Have successfully completed the KFLA training approved by the department;

(6) Discuss the experience of receiving state-funded services from at least one (1) child-serving agency on the applicant's responses on the short-essay form;

(7) Demonstrate experience with leadership and advocacy in the field of behavioral health; and

(8) Demonstrate the applicant's own efforts at self-directed leadership development.

Section 3. Department's Responsibilities. The Department shall:

(1) Ensure that the KYPSS Core Competency Training Application is available to eligible applicants through:

(a) A written or verbal request to the department;

(b) The department Web site;

(c) Member agencies of the State Interagency Council; and

(d) The statewide family organization;

(2) Approve the KFLA training based on a standard curriculum that includes at a minimum:

(a) Leadership roles;

(b) Communication skills;

(c) Decision making skills;

(d) Dealing with conflict;

(e) Effective advocacy; and

(f) Collaboration and partnerships;

(3) Provide notification of KYPSS training to include:

(a) Date;

(b) Time;

(c) Location of the training; and

(d) Prerequisites for training participants as established by Section 2 of this administrative regulation;

(4) Approve KYPSS training based on a standard curriculum that includes at a minimum the following core competencies:

(a) System of Care Philosophy;

(b) Wraparound Process;

(c) Youth Support;

(d) Group Process;

(e) Cultural and Linguistic Competence;

(f) Communication;

(g) Organization;

(h) Self-Care;

(i) Leadership; and

(j) Ethics and Values;

(5) Maintain documentation of an applicant's successful completion of the KYPSS training, including the applicant's:

(a) Application;

(b) Completion of the KFLA;

(c) Competency examination; and

(d) Examination results;

(6) Maintain a database with the names of Kentucky youth peer support specialists; and

(7) Approve Youth Peer Support 101 training based on a standard curriculum that includes at a minimum:

(a) Position description;

(b) Role expectations;

(c) Supervision requirements;

(d) Coaching; and

(e) Other professional opportunities.

Section 4. Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist Duties and Responsibilities. A Kentucky youth peer support specialist shall:

(1) Use relevant personal stories to teach through experience;

(2) Serve as a role model for clients;

(3) Ensure and empower client voice and choice during development and implementation of plans;

(4) Support clients by attending team meetings, upon request;

(5) Support clients by improving their confidence to be a self-advocate;

(6) Help individuals working with youth to understand youth culture; and

(7) Help clients enhance their relationships with community partners.

Section 5. Training Requirements. An applicant seeking to provide youth peer support specialist services shall:

(1) Complete and submit the KYPSS Core Competency Training Application to the department;

(2) Complete a department approved KYPSS training as defined in Section 3(4) of this administrative regulation;

(3) Successfully complete the oral and written examination following the training;

(4) Complete and maintain documentation of a minimum of six (6) hours of related training or education in each subsequent year; and

(5) After employment as a KYPSS, complete the department approved Youth Peer Support 101 training as defined in Section 3(7) of this administrative regulation.

Section 6. Request to Waive the Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist Training Requirements.

(1) An applicant may request to waive the Kentucky youth peer support specialist training requirements. To request a waiver, an applicant shall provide the following to the department:

(a) Completion of the KYPSS Core Competency Training Application;

(b) Documentation of completion of a youth peer support specialist training sponsored by a federal entity or by another state with core competencies consistent with that of the KYPSS program; and

(c) Documentation to show that the training has occurred within five (5) years of the application date.

(2) The department shall review all requests to waive the training requirement and shall:

(a) Approve the request in writing based on the documentation provided by the applicant;

(b) Approve the request in writing pending successful completion of the KYPSS Core Competency Training exam; or

(c) Deny the request in writing if the applicant fails to demonstrate compliance with any provision of this administrative regulation.

(3) If an applicant is denied a training waiver, the applicant may apply to complete the KYPSS training in accordance with Section 5 of this administrative regulation.

Section 7. Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist Supervision.

(1) Kentucky youth peer support services shall be provided under the supervision of one (1) of the following professionals who shall complete the department approved Youth Peer Support 101 training as defined in Section 3(7) of this administrative regulation:

(a) Physician;

(b) Psychiatrist;

(c) Advanced practice registered nurse;

(d) Physician assistant;

(e) Licensed psychologist;

(f) Licensed psychological practitioner;

(g) Licensed clinical social worker;

(h) Licensed professional clinical counselor;

(i) Licensed marriage and family therapist;

(j) Certified psychologist;

(k) Certified psychologist with autonomous functioning;

(l) Licensed psychological associate;

(m) Marriage and family therapy associate;

(n) Certified social worker;

(o) Licensed professional counselor associate;

(p) Licensed professional art therapist;

(q) Professional equivalent;

(r) Certified alcohol and drug counselor; or

(s) Psychiatric nurse.

(2) Individual supervision meetings shall:

(a) Be conducted face to face;

(b) Occur no less than once a week for the first year and monthly thereafter; and

(c) Be documented in accordance with subsection (3) of this section.

(3) The supervising professional shall maintain a written record for supervision that:

(a) Is dated and signed by both the KYPSS and supervisor for each meeting; and

(b) Includes a description of the encounter that specifies:

1. The topic discussed;

2. Any specific action to be taken;

3. An update for any issue previously discussed that required follow-up; and

4. A plan for additional training needs if any were identified.

Section 8. Incorporation by Reference.

(1) "Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist Core Competency Training Application", May 2014, is incorporated by reference.

(2) This material may be inspected, copied, or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, 275 East Main, Fourth Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

908 KAR 2:240

40 Ky.R. 2234; Am. 2793; eff. 6-18-2014; TAm eff. 4-27-2016; Cert eff. 5-10-2021.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 194A.030, 194A.050, 210.450, 12.455