The Standards of Care for for Alternative Peer Groups was developed by the Association of Alternative Peer Groups with the understanding that each state has its own standards for those professionals who treat substance use disorders and other high-risk behaviors. The Association urges each APG to include the applicable standards in their staff training so that each staff member has a clear knowledge of how the standards apply to their jobs. Whether or not intended, any violation of the standards can cause harm to clients and the respective APG.

All APG personnel shall protect clients‘ rights and provide competent services by complying with the organization’s standards of conduct. The standards of conduct must include policies relating to:

1. Staff criteria for employment & professional boundaries
   • All staff who have direct contact with clients must be gainfully pursuing or have some form of certification or licensure as available in your state that they are responsible for keeping current. All staff must abide by the standards of their certification or licensure.
     • An important note about hiring is that the recommended qualities for all staff that have direct contact with clients is that a program gives a conscientiously managed approach to talent-based hiring. A talent based hiring approach means identifying individuals who have the innate social skills to create and maintain an APG, as opposed to a focus on credentials or personal recovery status.
   • Each program needs to have an Employee Manual for Standards of Care with Clients that is in line with state credentialing requirements.
   • Each program needs to have a Training Protocol for all staff who work directly with clients.
   • If available, having appropriate licensure for the program itself
2. Procedure to address drug use on property 
3. Having a policy regarding dual relationships between staff & clients 
4. Prohibiting romantic or sexual relationships between staff and clients 
5. The location where the APG meetings and events occur meet local and state safety standards, is physically accessible, and free from harassment or potential barriers to engagement.
6. Prohibiting financial exchanges between staff and clients 
7. Client confidentiality protections 
8. Personal Protective Information (PPI) record keeping and destruction procedures 
9. Procedure for reporting abuse and neglect to CPS in accordance to federal and state laws 
10. Incident reporting procedure 
11. Client grievance procedure 
12. Transportation of clients 
13. Rules for participation and accountability process
14. Strategic planning for organization to ensure sustainability 

We understand that not all APGs can offer all of the services below when first starting programming. The basic services required when starting an APG is peer to peer support with participants or family members. Over time APGs should work towards offering all of the following services:

1. Individual Peer Support Services and/ or Individual Counseling 
2. Family Support Services and/ or Family Counseling 
3. Support Groups for Participants 
4. Recovery Meetings for Participants
5. Social Events for Participants
6. Provide Support Groups for Family Members of Participants or Refer to Other Family Support Resources
7. Referrals to Community Resources as Needed
8. Mechanisms to Coordinate Case Management for the Family System