The peer support movement has a long history in Maryland. Many non-profit service organizations were originally founded by small groups of people coming together to address specific community needs. The Maryland recovery movement followed this pattern by starting with conversations in locations such as church basements which led to the development of programs such as On Our Own, Inc. (the first peer-run drop-in center in the nation). They have grown in the present day to become well-known and respected recovery-focused non-profit groups. Peer support is now viewed as an essential component of Maryland’s Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) and is fundamental to supporting the use of non-stigmatizing language and understanding the many paths a person in recovery can take.
History
In the 1990s, groups such as the Black Mental Health Alliance, the Mental Health Association of Maryland, and NAMI Maryland played key roles in advancing community based services and advocating for individuals and families. Today, leadership from several of Maryland’s active recovery organizations often point to Carlos Hardy and Carroll C. Conquest as two of the key visionaries responsible for launching the recovery movement in Baltimore and the rest of the state in the early 2000s.
Carlos Hardy was affiliated with the Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems, later known as Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore. He played a pivotal role in expanding the Threshold to Recovery Centers in Baltimore City, which evolved into Recovery Community Centers, and subsequently became known as Peer-Run Community Centers. Carlos successfully passed the torch to Carrol, leading to the creation of the Baltimore Recovery Corps. Their vision and the organizations they created opened a myriad of opportunities for Peer Support in Baltimore City and the surrounding counties.
In 2013, the Peer Recovery Specialist Committee of the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-Health Professionals Certification Board (MABPCB) and the State of Maryland announced a new Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credential to all peer recovery specialists who reside or work in Maryland. It sets clear professional standards and ensures that peers have the training and skills necessary to help others while maintaining their own recovery.
Through MABPCB’s efforts and those of the Maryland Peer Advisory Council (MPAC) and the State of Maryland’s Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), the value of peer specialists has been recognized and opportunities for Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRSs) have grown exponentially.
By 2022, job options had grown with the State reporting an estimated 500 peer support positions. Trainings and opportunities continue to grow with recent efforts focused on making services provided by CPRSs more sustainable and accessible by providing reimbursements for these services through Medicaid.
In 2025, Maryland expanded access even further by incorporating peer services into its fee-for-service model, marking a new milestone in legitimizing and sustaining this workforce
Peer recovery specialists now provide services in a variety of settings across the entire state including hospitals, clinics, community health centers, recovery houses and programs, local health departments and service providers, and as part of local diversion programs and crisis response teams.
Peers can find positions regularly listed on local health department and healthcare provider websites, and general job listing services such as Indeed, ZipRecruiter, JobAps, and Glassdoor.
“When we address addiction from a recovery aspect, we must take a holistic approach. To truly assist an individual seeking long-term recovery, we must address the issues of education, employment and most importantly, family and community wellness.” — Carroll Christopher Conquest, circa 2011