Peer support specialist

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A peer support specialist is a person with "lived experience" who has been trained to support those who struggle with mental health, psychological trauma, or substance use. Their personal experience of these challenges provide peer support specialists with expertise that professional training cannot replicate. [1]

Contents

Some roles filled by peer support specialists include assisting their peers in articulating their goals for recovery, learning and practicing new skills, helping them monitor their progress, supporting them in their treatment, modeling effective coping techniques and self-help strategies based on the specialist's own recovery experience, supporting them in advocating for themselves to obtain effective services, and developing and implementing recovery plans. [2]

In 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services recognized peer support services as an evidence-based practice. It also informed all 50 state Medicaid directors that The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would pay for peer support services, provided that peer support specialists--like other types of healthcare providers--were governed by a statewide training and credentialing program. [3] As of 2016, 42 US states, the District of Columbia, and the Veterans' Administration have adopted such programs to train and certify individuals to work as peer support specialists. [4]

Recovery planning

Recovery plans can take many forms. A key component of the recovery management model is a personal recovery plan which is drawn up by the individual looking for support, and reviewed with an RSS. This plan is instrumental for individuals in the process of their recovery.

Central to such plans are the overall health and well-being of each individual, not just their mental health. Components often include support groups and individual therapy, basic health care maintenance, stable housing, improvements in family life and personal relationships, and community connections. The plan may also include education goals, vocational development and employment. Some plans outline a timetable for monitoring, and/or a plan for re-engagement when needed to balance the health and overall quality of life of each individual.

Peer recovery support specialists can be found in an increasing variety of settings, including community-based recovery centers. Funding for peer recovery programs comes from a combination of federal and state agencies as well as local and national charities and grant programs, such as Catholic Charities and the United Way. [5]

Training and certification

When peer support specialists work in publicly funded services, they are required to meet government and state certification requirements. Since the adaptation of the Recovery Management Model by state and federal agencies, peer support specialist courses have been offered by numerous state, nonprofit and for-profit entities such as Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery, [6] PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization-Achieving Community Together), [7] The McShin Foundation, [8] Tennessee Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training and Program, [9] Appalachian Consulting Group, [10] and the State of New York's Office of Addiction Services. [11] PARfessionals has developed the first internationally approved online training program for peer support specialists in the fields of mental health and addiction recovery. In addition, numerous for-profit firms offer peer support specialist training. Training includes courses on the ethics of a recovery coach, recovery coaching core competencies, clinical theories as stages of change, motivational interviewing, and co-occurring disorders. [12]

Core competencies

Adapted for the recovery support specialist by William L. White: [13] [14]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Bulletin MSA 07-52: Revisions to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Chapter (PDF) (Report). Michigan Department of Community Health. September 1, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Certified Peer Specialist Job Description". Georgia Peer Specialist Certification Project. March 2003.
  3. ↑ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2007). State Medicaid Director letter on peer support services. SMDL 07-011.
  4. ↑ Chapman, Susan (2018). "Emerging Roles for Peer Providers in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders". American Journal of Preventive Medicine. University of Texas at Austin. 54 (6 Suppl 3): S267–S274. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2018.02.019 . PMID   29779551.
  5. ↑ Killeen, Melissa (March 2009). The Emerging Field of Recovery Coaching (Masters). Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania.
  6. ↑ "CCAR". CCAR.
  7. ↑ "PRO-ACT". www.councilsepa.org.
  8. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-03. Retrieved 2014-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-12. Retrieved 2014-01-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ "ACG | Appalachian Consulting Group | Appalachian Consulting Group".
  11. ↑ "OASAS Recovery Coach". Oasas.ny.gov. 2014-11-07. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  12. ↑ Killeen, Melissa (2013). Recovery Coaching: A Guide to Coaching People in Recovery from Addictions. Charlotte, NC: Create Space Press. p. 103.[ ISBN missing ]
  13. ↑ White, William L. (2007). Ethical Guidelines for the Delivery of Peer-based Recovery Support Services (PDF). PRO ACT Ethics Workshop.
  14. ↑ White, W. (March 22–23, 2004). The history and future of peer-based addiction recovery support services (PDF). SAMHSA Consumer and Family Direction Initiative 2004 Summit. Washington, DC.
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