CRSS Success Program

The CRSS Success Program is a grant-funded program operated through designated post-secondary educational institutions in Illinois.

The CRSS Success Program is designed to support students with lived experience of mental health or substance use recovery to successfully complete all requirements necessary to obtain either the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and enter the behavioral health workforce.

The program provides support for eligible students to overcome practical barriers to full participation and success, including but not limited to student tuition, books, and fees; ICB credentialing fees; general technology needs (e.g., laptop, tablet, hotspot, etc.); stipends for practical experience (internship) component; clothing for practical experience (internship) component (e.g., polo shirts, professional attire, etc.); childcare and transportation (including parking); employment and housing supports; counseling, advising, and transfer services; legal support to address barriers to employment related to criminal history or citizenship status; any other needs and/or accommodations essential for students to maintain participation in the program.

Scholarship Fund

Designated post-secondary educational institutions (listed below) maintain and manage a needs-based scholarship fund for Illinois residents who are CRSS and CPRS candidates or credentialed professionals, available to qualified Illinois residents, not just students in the CRSS Success program.

Illinois residents can apply for scholarship funds to cover any of the following: ICB credentialing fees (application, exam, annual renewal); transportation costs to and from exam site.

Interested students can apply for the program at the following colleges and universities:

Chicago Area:

Location Contact Phone Number
Envision Unlimited Catherine Aranas
caranas@envisionunlimited.org
(773) 506-3229
Governor's State University (South Suburban Chicago) Cheryl Mejta
cmejta@govst.edu  
(708) 534-4911
Governor's State University (South Suburban Chicago) Nancy Burley
nburley@govst.edu  
(708) 534-4387
Illinois Institute of Technology (South Loop/Near South) Lindsay Sheehan
lsheehan@iit.edu
(312) 567-7983
Malcolm X College (Near West Side) Elizabeth Gmitter
egmitter@ccc.edu
(312) 850-3532
Rincon/New Hope School of Counseling (Irving Park) Kimberly Skoczelas
kskoczelas@rinconfamilyservices.org
(773) 564-9700
University of St. Francis (Joliet) Marcia Van Natta
mvannatta@stfrancis.edu
(815) 740-3779

Northern Illinois:

Location Contact Phone Number
College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn) Jason Florin
florin@cod.edu  
(630) 942-2043
College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn) Andrea Polites
politesa@cod.edu  
(630) 942-2103
Elgin Community College (Elgin) Joe Rosenfeld
jrosenfeld@elgin.edu
(847) 214-7345
Elgin Community College (Elgin) Kristina Garcia
kgarcia@elgin.edu 
(847) 214-7805
Northern Illinois University (DeKalb) Paul Priester
ppriester@niu.edu  
(815) 753-5198

Central Illinois:

Heartland Community College (Normal)

Sonja Workman
Sonja.workman@heartland.edu
309-268-8740

Southern Illinois:

SIU Edwardsville (Edwardsville)

Jayme Swanke
jswanke@siue.edu
618-650-5976