MODULE 19 ROLE OF PEER SUPPORT 1

MODULE 19 ROLE OF PEER SUPPORT 1

OBJECTIVES 1) DEFINE PEER SUPPORT – WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT 2) EXPLORE DIFFERENT EMPLOYMENT SETTINGS 3) IDENTIFY COMMON ROLES OF PEER SUPPORT 4) RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES 2

CHACKU MATHAI WATCH EXCERPT FROM “THE EVOLVING ROLE OF PEER SUPPORT IN HEALTHCARE” 3

WHAT IS A PEER? “A PERSON WHO HAS EQUAL STANDING WITH ANOTHER IN A GROUP” MERRIAM WEBSTER DICTIONARY TO BE A CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST, ONE MUST: BE IN RECOVERY FROM A MENTAL ILLNESS AND/OR ADDICTION RELATED DISORDER 4

WHAT IS A CHW/CRS? THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER/CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST (CHW/CRS) ASSISTS THEIR PEER TO REACH SELFDETERMINED RECOVERY GOALS. 5

FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS OF CHW/CRS LISTENING VALIDATING MENTORING ADVOCATING EMPATHIZING 6

TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PEER WORK 1. PEER WORKERS ARE JUST ‘MINI MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS,’ AND A LOGICAL STEP IN THEIR CAREER PATH WOULD BE TO AIM TO BECOME A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR OR CLINICIAN. 2. PEER WORK IS A TYPE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR SOMEONE WORKING ON THEIR OWN RECOVERY. 3. ANYONE WHO HAS RECEIVED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES CAN MAKE A GOOD PEER WORKER. 7

TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PEER WORK 4. ONE OF THE PRIMARY USES FOR A PEER WORKER IS TO GET THEM TO UNCOVER INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING SERVICES TO BRING BACK TO THE REST OF THE TEAM. 5. PEER WORKERS SHOULD NEVER ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION ABOUT TRICKY TOPICS LIKE SUICIDE, MEDICATION, ETC. 6. THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES IN PEER WORK. 8

TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PEER WORK 7. THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PEER WORKER AND A PROVIDER IS THAT THE PEER WORKER HAS ‘LIVED EXPERIENCE’ AND CAN SHARE THEIR STORY. 8. ANTI-PSYCHIATRY IS REALLY COMMON IN THE PEER MOVEMENT, AND MANY PEER WORKERS ARE LIKELY TO TELL INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVE SERVICES TO GET OFF THEIR MEDS OR GO AGAINST WHAT THEIR TREATMENT PROVIDERS WANT THEM TO DO. 9

TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PEER WORK 9. AN ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO DEVELOP SPECIAL POLICIES FOR PEER WORKERS AND LEARN HOW TO EVALUATE WHO IS AND ISN’T STABLE ENOUGH DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. 10.AS LONG AS WE’RE ALL INVESTED IN INTEGRATING PEER ROLES, AND TAKE ALL THE RIGHT STEPS, THIS SHOULD BE EASY RIGHT? 10

WHAT PEER SUPPORT INCLUDES? LEARNING MUTUAL TRUST RESPECTING OTHERS’ DIFFERENCES FOLLOWING RULES AND PROCEDURES OF AGENCY RESPECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THOSE THEY SERVE 11

WHAT PEER SUPPORT DOES NOT INCLUDE? OFFERING MEDICAL ADVICE - INCLUDING RECOMMENDING MEDICATIONS AND TREATMENT TRYING TO BE A CASE MANAGER TRYING TO PROVIDE THERAPY BEING AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY TREATING THE CONSUMER LIKE A CHILD 12

NATIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR PEER SUPPORTERS 1) PEER SUPPORT IS VOLUNTARY 2) PEER SUPPORTERS ARE HOPEFUL 3) PEER SUPPORTERS ARE OPEN MINDED 4) PEER SUPPORTERS ARE EMPATHETIC 13

NATIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR PEER SUPPORTERS 5) PEER SUPPORTERS ARE RESPECTFUL 6) PEER SUPPORTERS FACILITATE CHANGE 7) PEER SUPPORTERS ARE HONEST AND DIRECT 8) PEER SUPPORT IS MUTUAL AND RECIPROCAL 14

NATIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR PEER SUPPORTERS 9) PEER SUPPORT IS EQUALLY SHARED POWER 10)PEER SUPPORT IS STRENGTHS-FOCUSED 11)PEER SUPPORT IS TRANSPARENT 12)PEER SUPPORT IS PERSON-DRIVEN 15

WHERE CHW/CRSS MIGHT BE EMPLOYED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER (CMHC) TEAM MEMBER ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT TEAM (ACT) MEMBER STATE HOSPITAL STAFF VETERANS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS PEER EDUCATORS IN HEALTH SUPPORT SETTINGS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS 16

WHERE CHW/CRSS MIGHT BE EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS PART OF A CRISIS TEAM PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE PEER RESPITE CENTERS INPATIENT HOSPITAL SETTINGS HOUSING AGENCIES 17

COMMON ROLES OF CHW/CRSS OFFER EXPERTISE UTILIZING OWN EXPERIENCE ACT AS A ROLE MODEL - AN EXAMPLE OF SELF-DEFINED RECOVERY BE PART OF THE TEAM, DEVELOP REWARDING WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER STAFF UNDERSTAND EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYER AND WORK TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS PROVIDE HOPE AND INSPIRATION FOR ENTIRE AGENCY THROUGH YOUR OWN RECOVERY 18

ADVANTAGES OF THE CHW/CRS ROLE IMPROVED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CONTINUED RECOVERY OF SUPPORT SPECIALIST ENTIRE WORK TEAM BECOMES CONVINCED AND EXCITED ABOUT THE RECOVERY PROCESS EMPLOYER RECOGNIZES THE CONTINUED NEED FOR PEER SUPPORT 19

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES FOR THE CHW/CRS ROLE BEING THE NEW PERSON ANYWHERE IS STRESSFUL CHW/CRS JOB DESCRIPTION AND ROLE MAY NOT BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD BY ALL STAFF NOT BEING AWARE OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND 20

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES FOR THE CHW/CRS ROLE EXPECTATIONS - TOO HIGH, TOO LOW FROM SELF, TEAM, EMPLOYER, OR CLIENT CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN APPROPRIATE TRAINING DUAL ROLES - FRIEND AND PROFESSIONAL 21

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES USE POSITIVE FACILITATOR SKILLS WITH EVERYONE-PRACTICE GOOD LISTENING SKILLS, BE AWARE OF BODY LANGUAGE, REMAIN RESPECTFUL, CALM AND CONSTRUCTIVE FOLLOW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF AGENCY HAVE REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR 22

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES HAVE A MENTOR IN THE AGENCY LEARN AND USE THE CHAIN OF COMMAND HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY 23

COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE 1. WHO IS CURRENTLY WORKING IN A HUMAN SERVICE ROLE? 2. DO CLIENTS KNOW ABOUT YOUR RECOVERY EXPERIENCE? WHY/WHY NOT? 3. DO EMPLOYERS KNOW ABOUT YOUR RECOVERY STATUS? WHY/WHY NOT? 24

COMBINING CHW AND CRS ROLES 1. ARE CRSS A SUBSET OF CHWS OR IS THE DISTINCTION NECESSARY? 2. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE SKILLS LEARNED DURING THE LAST 3 DAYS (COMMUNICATION, LISTENING, MOTIVATING, QUESTIONING, GOAL-SETTING, ETC.) WILL ALSO BE NECESSARY IN PEER-BASED WORK? WHY/WHY NOT? 3. AS A CRS, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU MAY BE AT RISK FOR ADDITIONAL ETHICAL DILEMMAS? WHY/WHY NOT? EXAMPLES? 25

CONCLUSION IN THIS MODULE WE: DEFINED WHAT PEER SUPPORT IS EXPLORED THE VARIOUS SETTING IN WHICH PEERS WORK IDENTIFIED THE ROLES OF A PEER WORKER RECOGNIZED THE POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF PEER WORK 26

EVALUATION PLEASE COMPLETE THE MODULE EVALUATION. 27

REFERENCES ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES (2009) PEER WORKERS/RECOVERY SPECIALISTS WITHIN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.AZDHS.GOV/BHS/GUIDANCE/PEER.PDF GEORGIA CERTIFIED PEER SPECIALIST PROJECT (2003) CODE OF ETHICS. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.GACPS.ORG/CODEOFETHICS.HTML THE PROVIDER'S HANDBOOK ON DEVELOPING & IMPLEMENTING PEER ROLES RETRIEVED FROM HTTP ://WWW.PSRESOURCES.INFO/IMAGES/STORIES/A PROVIDERS HANDB OOK ON DEVELOPING IMPLEMENTING PEER ROLES.PDF 28

REFERENCES NATIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR PEER SUPPORTERS RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://INAOPS.ORG/NATIONAL-STANDARDS / HTTPS://WWW.THEINDEPENDENCECENTER.ORG/ INDEPENDENT-LIVING/PEER-SUPPORT-AND-SELF-ADVOCACY/ HTTPS://BCSOC.WORDPRESS.COM/PEER-ACADEMIC-ADVISOR/ HTTP://WWW.KEEPCALM-O-MATIC.CO.UK/P/KEEP-CALM-ASKFOR-PEER-SUPPORT-5/ WWW.CLKER.COM 29