1. Purpose
The Colorado Providers Association (COPA) is pleased to offer the CPFS Application Fee Scholarship and is grateful for the partnerships and funding that make this opportunity possible. The purpose of this scholarship is to reduce financial barriers for qualified individuals pursuing the Colorado Certified Peer and Family Specialist (CPFS) credential.
Scholarship funding is limited and awarded based on eligibility, available funding, and compliance with the requirements outlined in this policy.
Receipt of a scholarship does not guarantee certification. Applicants must successfully meet all CPFS credentialing requirements established by COPA and the CPFS Committee.
2. Scholarship Coverage
The scholarship covers the $245 CPFS Initial Application Fee.
The scholarship does not cover:
The $50 non-refundable application registration fee.
Required education or training costs.
Examination retake fees.
Travel or testing-related expenses.
Any other certification-related costs.
The scholarship covers one (1) examination attempt only.
3. Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Have a completed CPFS application in Certemy, except for: Payment of the application fee; CPFS Committee review; and IC&RC Peer Recovery Examination.
- Submit a completed CPFS Application Fee Scholarship application
- Meet all CPFS credential eligibility requirements.
Incomplete applications or applications requiring additional documentation are not eligible for scholarship consideration until all required materials have been received.
4. Scholarship Review Process
Step 1 – Scholarship Application
Applicants submit the CPFS Application Fee Scholarship application after completing all required sections of their CPFS application in Certemy.
Step 2 – Administrative Review
The Credential Manager reviews both the scholarship application and the CPFS application to verify eligibility and completeness.
If additional information or documentation is required, the scholarship review will not proceed until the application is complete.
Step 3 – Conditional Scholarship Approval
If the applicant meets the initial eligibility requirements, the Credential Manager will upload a Conditional Scholarship Approval Letter to the applicant's Certemy account.
The Conditional Scholarship Approval:
Indicates the applicant has successfully completed the administrative review.
Does not guarantee final scholarship approval.
Is valid for 30 calendar days from the date it is uploaded to Certemy.
5. CPFS Committee Approval Requirement
Applicants must receive approval of their CPFS application by the CPFS Committee within 30 calendar days of the Conditional Scholarship Approval Letter being uploaded.
If the application is not approved within 30 calendar days, the conditional scholarship approval expires automatically.
When a conditional scholarship expires:
Scholarship funding is forfeited.
The applicant is no longer eligible for the scholarship during the current fiscal year.
A new scholarship application may be submitted during a future funding cycle, subject to available funding.
6. Final Scholarship Approval
Following CPFS Committee approval of the credential application, the Credential Manager will upload a Final Scholarship Approval Letter to the applicant's Certemy account.
The Final Scholarship Approval authorizes payment of the CPFS Initial Application Fee through the scholarship program.
7. Examination Requirement
Applicants receiving a Final Scholarship Approval must complete their first IC&RC Peer Recovery Examination within sixty (60) calendar days of CPFS Committee approval.
Failure to complete the examination within the required timeframe will result in withdrawal of the scholarship.
Applicants whose scholarship is withdrawn due to failure to test within 60 calendar days must either:
Pay the application fee themselves to continue the certification process; or
Wait until a future fiscal year and submit a new scholarship application, subject to available funding.
Extensions will only be considered under extraordinary circumstances at COPA's discretion.
8. Examination Retake Policy
The scholarship covers one examination attempt only.
Applicants who do not pass the examination must follow the standard CPFS examination retake procedures, including:
Waiting the required 90-day retest period;
Paying the $80 examination retake fee; and
Being pre-registered by the COPA Credential Specialist before scheduling another examination.
Examination retake fees are the responsibility of the applicant.
9. Applicant Responsibilities
Applicants are responsible for:
Providing accurate and truthful information.
Completing all required sections of the CPFS application before requesting scholarship assistance.
Monitoring their Certemy account and email for scholarship and credentialing updates.
Responding promptly to requests for additional information.
Scheduling and completing the examination within the required timeframe.
Using their legal name exactly as it appears on their government-issued identification.
Failure to monitor communications or respond to requests does not extend scholarship deadlines.
10. Funding Availability
Scholarship funding is limited and available only while funds remain available during each fiscal year.
Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee receipt of scholarship funding.
COPA reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the scholarship at any time based on funding availability, organizational priorities, or program needs.
11. Appeals
Scholarship decisions based on funding availability, missed deadlines, failure to meet eligibility requirements, or noncompliance with scholarship requirements are final and are not subject to the CPFS credential appeal process.
Administrative errors may be reviewed by the Credential Manager on a case-by-case basis.
12. Pending Grievances, Complaints, or Credentialing Matters
Applicants for the CPFS Application Fee Scholarship who have a pending grievance, complaint, investigation, or other matter relevant to CPFS credentialing eligibility may be subject to additional review before scholarship funds are applied to their CPFS application.
If COPA is aware of a pending matter that, under the CPFS Grievance Policy and Procedures or other applicable credentialing policies, may be brought before the CPFS Committee when an applicant's credential application is reviewed, the following procedures will apply:
a. Scholarship and Credentialing Review Are Separate Processes. Eligibility for or conditional approval of a CPFS Application Fee Scholarship does not constitute approval of the applicant's CPFS credential application or a determination of eligibility for certification.
b. CPFS Committee Review. When the applicant's CPFS credential application is otherwise ready for Committee review, the CPFS Committee will be informed of the pending matter consistent with applicable CPFS policies and procedures.
c. Applicant Interview. The applicant will be required to participate in an interview with the CPFS Committee before a final determination is made regarding the applicant's credential application. The interview provides the applicant an opportunity to respond to the matter, provide relevant context or documentation, and answer questions from the Committee.
d. Pending External Investigations. When a complaint or allegation has been referred to another regulatory, oversight, payer, governmental, or investigative entity because the individual was not credentialed by COPA at the time of the alleged conduct, COPA may consider the status and any available findings of that external review as part of the credentialing process, as permitted by applicable CPFS policies.
d. Scholarship Award Status. Scholarship funds may be held and will not be applied to the applicant's CPFS application fee until any required Committee interview and credentialing review have been completed and the applicant is authorized to proceed with the credentialing process.
f. No Presumption of Misconduct. The existence of a grievance, complaint, or investigation does not, by itself, establish that misconduct occurred. The Committee will consider the information available, the applicant's response, and any relevant documentation in accordance with CPFS policies and procedures.
g. Committee Determination. Following its review, the CPFS Committee may authorize the applicant to proceed, request additional information or documentation, defer a decision pending additional information or the outcome of an external investigation, or take another action permitted under applicable CPFS policies and procedures.
Applicants are responsible for participating in required interviews and providing requested information within timelines established by COPA. Failure to participate in the review process may result in the scholarship award being placed on hold, withdrawn, or otherwise handled in accordance with scholarship and credentialing policies.
13. Contact Information
Questions regarding the CPFS Application Fee Scholarship may be directed to the COPA Credentialing Team. Please email the COPA Credential Manager at precious@coprovidersassociation.org
Applicants are encouraged to review the current CPFS Candidate Manual, Frequently Asked Questions, and other credentialing resources before submitting a scholarship application.