PIE Notes for Certified Peer Specialists
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Short answer: a peer support PIE note records the Problem (the need or goal the person brought today, in their own words and linked to their recovery or service plan), the Intervention (the specific peer support you gave, such as sharing a relevant part of your recovery experience, practicing a coping tool or helping the person connect with a resource) and the Evaluation (how the person responded, what they decided to do and the next contact). Write as a peer, not a clinician: describe what happened and what the person said, without diagnosing or interpreting symptoms.
Certified peer specialists use their lived experience of mental health or substance use recovery, plus training and certification, to support others; requirements vary by state. When peer support is billed to Medicaid, states generally require supervision, a link to goals in the person’s individualized plan and a note for each contact, and many use HCPCS code H0038 (self-help/peer services, per 15 minutes). Check your state’s Medicaid manual, your certification board and your agency’s policy for required fields such as start and stop times, location and supervisor review.
What to document in a peer support PIE note
| Section | What to document | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| Problem | The person’s goal or need today, in their words, linked to the plan | “Said: ‘I want to get back to Thursday group but I keep talking myself out of it.’ Plan goal: attend a peer support group weekly.” |
| Problem | What has happened since the last contact | “Has not attended group for 2 weeks; mostly stayed home after an argument with their brother.” |
| Intervention | The peer support you gave and why | “Shared briefly how I used small steps to start attending groups, to show that a first visit can be short.” |
| Intervention | Tools, skills or resources you worked on together | “Reviewed the person’s WRAP daily plan; looked up the bus route and schedule together.” |
| Evaluation | The person’s response and choices, in their words | “Said: ‘If you can walk in with me the first time, I can do it.’ Chose to attend Thursday.” |
| Evaluation | Next step, next contact and any hand-off | “Will meet at the bus stop Thursday at 5:30 p.m.; next contact Thursday.” |
| Any section | Safety concerns and what you did under agency policy | “Asked about thoughts of suicide per agency protocol: person said no; nothing to report to the supervisor.” |
If someone tells you they are thinking about suicide or about harming someone, or that they are being harmed, follow your agency’s protocol: stay with them, connect them with your supervisor or the on-call clinician, and share crisis resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988 in the US). Document what the person said, what you did, whom you told and when. Assessing risk and making treatment decisions belong to the clinical team; your note records the facts and the hand-off.
Peer support PIE note example
Fictional documentation example, not treatment guidance. Adapt it to the peer support you actually provided and your organization’s requirements.
Problem: Fictional adult participant in a community mental health program; peer support contact 7, 45 minutes, in person at the drop-in center. Recovery plan goal, in the participant’s words: “Have people to talk to besides my family”; objective: attend a peer support group weekly. Participant said they had not attended group for two weeks after an argument with their brother and had mostly stayed home. Said: “I want to get back to Thursday group but I keep talking myself out of it.” Named walking into the room alone and the bus trip as the main barriers.
Intervention: Listened and reflected the participant’s mixed feelings about going back. Shared briefly, with a clear purpose, how I used small steps to start attending groups during my own recovery, then returned the focus to the participant. Used the participant’s Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) to review their daily plan and triggers. Looked up the bus route and schedule together and practiced what to say on arriving at group. Offered to meet at the bus stop before Thursday’s group; the participant accepted.
Evaluation: Participant engaged throughout, saved the bus times in their phone and said: “If you can walk in with me the first time, I can do it.” Named two things that help after family arguments (a walk, calling a friend). Asked, per agency protocol, whether they were having thoughts of suicide or of harming anyone: participant said no. No concerns to report. Next contact: meet at the bus stop Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and attend group together. Note submitted for supervisor review per agency policy.
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Tips for peer support PIE notes
- Use the person’s words: quote the goal and the person’s own description of what is getting in the way. It keeps the note person-centered and shows the support was shaped by their choices.
- Link every contact to the plan: name the recovery or service plan goal the contact served. Payers and auditors look for this link, and it shows the contact was purposeful rather than a general check-in.
- Name the support you gave: write what you did, such as sharing lived experience, coaching, modeling a skill, problem-solving or resource navigation, instead of “provided support.”
- Describe, do not diagnose: record what you saw and what the person said (“said they slept about 4 hours”) rather than clinical labels (“presented with depressive symptoms”). Leave assessment and diagnosis to the clinical team.
- Keep self-disclosure brief: note that you shared part of your recovery experience and why, not the details of your own history. The record is about the person you support.
- Fill in the required fields: start and stop times, location, contact type and supervisor review where your state or agency requires them. Incomplete documentation can lead to denied claims or audit findings.
Frequently asked questions
How do certified peer specialists write PIE notes?
In Problem, record the need or goal the person brought today in their own words, linked to their recovery or service plan. In Intervention, record the specific peer support you gave, such as sharing lived experience, practicing a coping tool or connecting them with a resource. In Evaluation, record how the person responded, what they decided and the next contact. Add the time, location and any safety concerns your agency requires.
What should a peer specialist avoid writing in a note?
Avoid diagnoses, clinical interpretations, treatment plans and therapy language that suggests a licensed clinical service. Also avoid vague phrases like “provided support” without saying what you did. Write what the person said, what you did together and what changed by the end of the contact.
How do you document self-disclosure in a peer support note?
Record that you shared part of your recovery experience, its purpose and how it related to the person’s goal, for example “shared briefly how I used small steps to return to groups, to support the goal of weekly attendance.” Leave out the details of your own history; the note is about the person you support.
How is peer support documented for Medicaid billing?
Rules vary by state, but Medicaid programs generally require that peer support is supervised, tied to goals in the person’s individualized plan and documented for each contact, often with start and stop times. Many states bill it with HCPCS code H0038 (self-help/peer services, per 15 minutes). Check your state’s Medicaid manual and your agency’s policy.
What should a peer specialist document if someone mentions suicide?
Follow your agency’s protocol: stay with the person, connect them with your supervisor or the on-call clinician, and share crisis resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Document what the person said in their words, what you did, whom you told and when. Risk assessment and treatment decisions are made by the clinical team.
Related guides: SOAP notes for peer specialists · DAP notes for peer specialists · progress notes for peer specialists · PIE notes for community mental health · PIE notes for substance use disorder · PIE note format and examples.
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Further Reading
- SAMHSA — Provides comprehensive resources on behavioral health documentation and peer support best practices.
- HHS HIPAA — Offers essential guidelines on privacy and security standards relevant to mental health documentation.
- APA Documentation Guidelines — Details clinical documentation standards that inform best practices for mental health professionals, including peer specialists.