Utilizing Peers for Recovery in Your Area Mary

Utilizing Peers for Recovery in Your Area Mary Tolle, Virginia Smith, Paula Hendrix, Anna Gray, and Melanie Clark, Elsa Roman

Overview Introduction – Peer Support: What is Peer Support and Peer Support Services? What is a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS)? What do Peer Specialists Do? Where do CPSs Work? Creative Ways of Utilizing Peers: Peer Run Consumer Operated Service Program (COSP)– Virginia Smith and Paula Hendrix Prosumers – Anna Gray Bringing Peer Groups to Your Area – Melanie Clark Creating a Peer Led Drop-In Center – Mary Tolle Peer Warm Line – Elsa Roman Educating Legislators About Mental Health – Anna Gray Questions and Answers

What is Peer Support? Via Hope’s Definition: “The act of people who have had similar experiences with mental health challenges giving each other encouragement, hope, assistance, and understanding that aids in recovery. It can be done anytime or anywhere when two or more peers are in a mutual, supportive relationship”

What are Peer Support Services? Via Hope’s Definition: “Programs, discussions, events, groups, etc. within the mental health system that are led by people in recovery and based upon the philosophy of peer support. They typically take place within an agency or organization and are provided as a service by a trained peer specialist. ”

What is a Certified Peer Specialist? Via Hope’s Definition: “An individual who has progressed in their recovery, taken training, and passed a certification exam demonstrating that they have mastered a set of competencies related to peer support. A CPS has been trained in a number of skills and areas of knowledge in order to support the recovery of other individuals, including how to effectively share their lived experience.

What Do Peers Do? Tell their recovery story Advocate for individuals and system change Empower people Mentorship in recovery Meet people where they are Have a more equal relationship and less of a power differential Instill hope

What Can CPSs Do? Bill Medicaid for Individual and Group Services: Skills Training Psychosocial Rehabilitation Independent Living Coordination Some Psychosocial Rehab is beyond the CPS scope of practice, i. e. , med ed. Reimbursed at the same rate as a Qualified Mental Health Practitioner (QMHP)

Where do CPSs Work? Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) State Hospitals Consumer Operated Service Programs (COSPs) Managed Care Organizations

Peer Run Consumer Operated Service Program (COSP) Virginia Smith and Paula Hendrix Cornerstone Quarters

PEER RUN CONSUMER OPERATED SERVICE PROGRAM (COSP) Reaching people caught in the gap due to limited visits or waiting list

*COSP’s are evidence based, Peer-Run Service Programs that are administratively Controlled & Operated by Mental Health Consumers And Emphasize Self-Help as their Operational Approach. *COSP’s have a board that is composed of 51% Peers *A Place that provides Belonging, Friendship, Trust, Caring & Security in an atmosphere that Helps Support Recovery from Mental Health Issues and Addictions WHAT IS A CONSUMER OPERATED SERVICE PROGRAM (COSP)? -- AS DEFINED BY SAMHSA

2014 “THE YEAR OF CHANGE”

Three Year Grant “ADVANCING RECOVERY ACROSS TEXAS”

Expert Treatment Approach Peer Services Approach Collaboration & Education CHALLENGE: BRIDGING TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN ORDER TO CREATE A RECOVERY CULTURE.

COLLEGIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY HEALTHCORE Seeing services through the eyes of peers. Increasing resources through My. Strength for clients and staff. Created a Community Collaborative Opportunity to reach more participants for Cornerstone Management of Wait List Learning from Experts Provided My. Strength to Community Healthcore Opportunity to participate in Community Collaborative and offer perspective Provided Peer Services at the Integrated Health Clinic to help CHC meet their goals Provide additional resources for persons on Wait List

TEAM WORK E E T N M T A H E C R T OA T R R P E P P A X PE ER AP S PR ER OA VIC CH ES

Prosumers Anna Gray Prosumers

Prosumers Who is a Prosumer? A Prosumer is someone who gives back to the community and is proactive in their recovery!

Starting a Peer Group Melanie Clark Denton County MHMR

All We Needed was A Passion and a Venue

All YOU Need is A Passion and a Venue

Creating a Peer Led Drop-in Center – The Recovery Zone Mary Tolle Center for Health Care Services

Starting a Drop In Center Heard about Other Peer Led Drop In Centers Asked for Permission Approved – Much to my Surprise Submitted Ideas Open on Fridays from 11 am – 4 pm in small conference room Created “The Recovery Zone” name Invited all adults receiving services at our LMHA (CHCS) No referrals required

In the Beginning Opened in March 2016 Opening Ceremony - Approximately 30 attendees Advertised at outside organizations Had a ribbon cutting ceremony No budget – unable to purchase activity supplies Very Little advertising – created monthly calendar, put in clinic, and sent out to case managers at our clinic Created monthly calendar of activities Offered guitar lessons – guitar donated

Awarded Grant January 2017 - CHCS Foundation Grant – Applied – Awarded $2, 300 Two more guitars Beading and art supplies Coloring Books and supplies – crayons, markers, gel pens, map pencils Games Started having lite lunch – increased attendance Excited – Gained access to Amazon at work Had trouble spending all of the money in a year – Didn’t have much time to order supplies or plan

Activities Lite Lunch offered Arts and Crafts Games – including Bingo (a favorite) Coloring Guitar Lessons Have Had Three Different Guitar Instructors Invited Organizations Employment Connections (Supported Employment) – 2 nd Fridays – Started October 2016 Prosumers – 3 rd Fridays – Started November 2017

Success Stories Artist created artwork in Recovery Zone that won Art Contest at our Behavioral Health Conference Several people have sung original songs Participant Led Classes Guitar Teacher Art Instructor Beading instructor Knitting

Skills Required and Developed Peer Support Specialist Developing the skills below: Marketing Director Activities Instructor Beading Art Guitar Lessons – coworker led Host

Advertising Calendar sent out to all CHCS case managers - monthly Peer Presentation at NEO includes the Recovery Zone – Started in August 2016 All new employees learn about it Featured in our in house CHCS Newsletter (several times)

Recovery Zone

Peer Warm Line Elsa Roman Hope Family Health Center

WARM LINE RUN BY PEERS The Warm Line model is a resource manned by peers recovering from mental health challenges aimed to offer a point of comfort before crisis. It is not a crisis or suicide hotline- it is a line where a person may call to discuss their obstacles with another person who has the same lived experience. Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties

Educating Legislators About Mental Health Anna Gray Prosumers

Questions and Answers

Contact Information Mary Tolle - mtolle@chcsbc. org, marytolle@ymail. com, Mary. T@Prosumers. International. org Virginia Smith – virginia. smith@communityheatlhcore. com Paula Hendrix – paula. hendrix@communityhealthcore. com Anna Gray – AHGray 59@gmail. com Melanie Clark – Melanie. C@Denton. MHMR. org, Melanie. C@Prosumers. International. org Elsa Roman – Eroman. hfhc@gmail. com