Peer Support

An Evidence Based Look into the Importance of Peer Support

What is a Peer Supporter?

Peer Support According to SAMHSA

Peer Recovery Supporters are people who are trained to use their recovery experiences to help guide others who are not as far along in their own journeys towards wellness.

• A person who uses his or her lived experience of recovery from mental illness and/or addiction, plus skills learned in formal training, to deliver services in behavioral health settings to promote mind-body recovery and resiliency.”

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• Not free from all symptoms or problems. Rather, their symptoms do not significantly impact their daily functioning

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• Markers of recovery that suggest an individual is appropriate for a peer support position include:

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• Independent living
• Engagement in meaningful relationships
• Effective management of health and mental health conditions
• Maintenance of sobriety
• Participation in practices that support self-care, health, and overall well-being

Peer Support as a Profession

Ohio requires peer supporters to engage in ongoing training or education (CEU’s) to maintain certification

Peer Supporters are required to abide by ethics and core values (code of conduct)

The “Faces” of Peer Support

How Peer Support Works

Provide Support and Advocacy

Role Model Recovery

Peer Support Brings Diversity

Facilitate Positive Change

Working with peers to connect them to resources in the community

Peer supporters have a wealth of experience navigating their own recovery journeys.

Peer supporters can work in many settings and serve an array of needs which means peer supporters can bring diversity

The spirit of recovery and resilience is grounded in hope and optimism

Provide Support and Advocacy

Working with peers to connect them to resources in the community

They coach their peers around how to independently identify needs and access resources. In addition, peer specialists advocate for their peers in treatment settings and within the community.

Role Model Recovery

Wealth of experience navigating their own recovery

By sharing their stories and modeling healthy, effective decision-making in peer relationships, they can inspire others to do the same.

Peer Support Brings Diversity

Peer supporters come from all walks of life

Significant interpersonal relationships and a shared sense of community lay the foundation for the process of healing. Peers come from all backgrounds and can represent unique parts of our community bringing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to the table.

Facilitate Positive Change

Recovery and resilience is grounded in hope and optimism

Peer specialists work to motivate their peers through positive means, highlighting strengths and resources. They can facilitate change through goal setting, education, and skills building.

How Does Peer Support Benefit Anyone?

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Facilitate and enhance a person’s recovery

Provides increased meaning and purpose in the life of a peer specialist

Actively works to reduce stigma and inspire others in their process of recovery

What is Stigma?

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Stigma

Stigma

Public

Self

Stigma involves implicit and explicit stereotypes that people hold toward individuals. These stereotypes can lead to prejudice and ultimately, discrimination. There are two types of stigma for people in recovery, public stigma and self-stigma.

Public Stigma

Public Stigma is:

Stigma held by the general public towards people in recovery, or public stigma, is associated with avoidance, discriminatory practices, withholding help, coercive treatment, and segregated institutions. 6

Self - Stigma

Self Stigma involves:

Self-stigma involves the internalized belief of a negative stereotype related to one’s condition. The effect of self-stigma on a person’s identity and self-image can lead to hopelessness that is often more disabling than the original condition. It can also negatively affect self-esteem, empowerment, and relationships, as well as an individual’s ability to pursue meaningful life goals and/or engage in effective treatment.

How Do We Reduce Stigma?

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Reducing Stigma

Reducing involves:

The most effective way to reduce stigma is through direct, personal contact with the stigmatized group. As such, peer supporters can effectively reduce self-stigma through their peer support role. At the same time, they can reduce public stigma through advocacy and outreach efforts.

How Does Peer Support Work?

Upholding the values of recovery and resiliency, and serving as role models for wellness, responsibility, and empowerment.

Peer supporters communicate warmth, empathy, and a nonjudgmental stance. They provide support and guidance without telling their peers what they should do.

• A unique relationship considered as a system of receiving and giving founded on key principles:
• Respect
• Shared Responsibility
• Mutual Agreement

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• Peer Supporters focus heavily on:
• The identification of strengths
• Skill building
• Effective symptom management
• Goal setting among those with whom they work

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• In addition they are trained to provide:
• Outreach
• Advocacy
• Social and logistical support
• Education.

National Guidelines for Peer Supporters

Voluntary

Authentic

Change Agents

Making it mutual and reciprocal, equally shared power, strengths-focused, transparent, and person-driven

Open minded, empathetic, respectful, honest, and direct

They are ethically bound to keep recovery first, which facilitates change

http://inaops.org/national-standards/

Guiding Principles of Peer Support

1. Confidentiality
1. All peer specialists must adhere to strict confidentiality in their work. While the relationship between a peer specialist and client is open, honest, and transparent, it also falls under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This law mandates that the peer relationship is private and information cannot be shared with individuals outside of the system or organization without a signed release of information form.

2. Recovery

1. For recovery to be fully realized, we must be considerate of the “social context and cultural systems of value and meaning,” as well as pay close attention to “local contexts and values that define healthy and fulfilling life goals, roles, and trajectories

Guiding Principles of Peer Support cont.

3. Social Connection

1. The need to belong and engage in healthy interpersonal relationships is important for all individuals. The lack of meaningful attachments can be linked to a variety of problems in health and well-being. Evidence clearly suggests that social relationships and integration impact physical health, health habits, and mortality. A peer relationship is often considered a safe place to begin this process, as there is typically a level of acceptance, understanding, and validation not found in many other relationships.

4. Resilience

1. Resilience is the ability to adapt to life-changing situations and stressful conditions. Studies show that there is nothing extraordinary about those who demonstrate resilience. In fact, resilience does not come from rare and special qualities, but from the everyday magic of ordinary, normative human resources. By definition, peer supporters embody the spirit of resiliency. In turn, they work to identify and enhance resilient traits in their peers.

Guiding Principles of Peer Support cont.

5. Self Management

1. Self-management involves taking an active role in one’s recovery and wellness. Self-management programs for people with chronic medical conditions have been touted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as a critical component of patient-centered care, and these programs have been shown to lead to a host of positive changes. A primary function of peer specialists involves modeling and fostering self-management skills amongst their peers.

What is Recovery?

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Recovery

In order for us to understand the value of Peer Supporters, we must understand the importance of recovery

• Recovery is a unique and personal process of reestablishing and/or developing new meaning and purpose in one’s life after a period of illness or decompensation. It involves a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

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• For recovery to be fully realized, we must be considerate of the “social context and cultural systems of value and meaning,” as well as pay close attention to “local contexts and values that define healthy and fulfilling life goals, roles, and trajectories.

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• Five Dimensions that promote Recovery (Whitley and Drake 2010)
• Clinical
• Existential
• Functional
• Physical
• Social

Clinical

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reduction and/or control of symptoms

Existential

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hope, responsibility, self-direction, empowerment, spirituality

Functional

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effective participation in daily life domains, such as housing, employment, and education

Physical

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physical health and well-being

Social

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establishing and maintaining relationships, such as family, friends, peers, and co-workers

Why Should We Hire Peer Supporters?

Peer support programs are effective. Research reveals positive effects of these programs for both program participants and peer support providers. Furthermore, peer supporters are equally as effective as other healthcare providers at stabilizing clients and perhaps more effective at quickly engaging clients who are most resistant and/or alienated from the healthcare system.

Benefits of Working WITH a Peer Supporter

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Benefits of Working AS a Peer Supporter

1. Increased engagement and activation in treatment

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2. Increased empowerment and hope

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3. Increased satisfaction with and quality of life

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4. Decreased self-stigma

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5. Reduced use of inpatient services

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6. Increased social functioning

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7. Increased community engagement

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8. Decreased hospitalization.

1. Increased knowledge

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2. Increased sense of empowerment and self-worth

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3. General improved quality of life

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4. Increased stabilization and resilience

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5. Increased financial independence and less reliance on benefits.

Benefits of Peer Supporters

• The benefits of the peer relationship are reciprocal.

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• Peer supporters often facilitate their own recovery and deepen their sense of resiliency and self-efficacy as they pursue meaningful work and make a positive impact on others.

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• Peer supporter training alone has been linked to positive shifts in empowerment, attitudes toward recovery, and self-concept.

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• Working as a Peer supporter also increases the chances of continued work opportunities and enhanced personal recovery.

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• Quite simply, hiring peer supporters is a win-win: both the program participant and the peer support provider benefit from the relationship. (i.e; Grant Funds, Improved Services, Continuum Of Care, etc.)

MYTH BUSTERS

Myths about Peer Supporters

Myths about Peer Supporters

MYTH: Peer Supporters will relapse

Fact: Peer supporters are no different than any other employee who is managing a chronic condition. They are held to the same standards of professionalism and provided the same benefits and independence in managing their health. Thus, if a peer support experiences symptoms that interfere with their ability to perform job expectations, the person will be afforded leave to attend to health needs. All members of a treatment team will be ill or take leave at some point during their tenure, and it is expected that co-workers and clients will accept this and adjust accordingly. There is no evidence that the demands of work exacerbate health conditions or lead to relapses among peer supporters. In fact, meaningful, competitive work may serve to enhance recovery. Research indicates that employment is linked to beneficial effects on clinical and social functioning

Myths about Peer Supporters

MYTH: Peer Supporters are fragile

Fact: Peer supporters have typically overcome significant obstacles in their lives and shown incredible resilience. As Davidson and colleagues note, recovery is “hard, taxing, and ongoing work” and certainly not for the faint of heart. Those who qualify for the role of a peer supporter have demonstrated stability and a strong commitment to their recovery. Working in a helping profession can be difficult and emotionally draining for anyone. Close supervision coupled with education and support can act as a buffer against burnout for peer supporters and other staff alike.

Myths about Peer Supporters

MYTH: Peer Supporters are inappropriate additions to treatment teams

Fact: Peer supporters fulfill a unique role on a treatment team, one which is largely based out of lived experience and supplemented by didactic trainings. Peers are able to share distinctly different insights with the treatment team than other members. They also connect with clients on a different level, perhaps even forming deeper alliances with disengaged clients more quickly than other providers.

Myths about Peer Supporters

MYTH: Peer Supporters cannot work due to benefits

Fact: Many peer supporters receive benefits and employment may lead to a reduction in those benefits. Experts caution against making predetermined decisions about workload based on peer status and suggest that peers speak with a financial benefits counselor to make a fully informed decision prior to taking a job. Of note, for those who express a desire and ability to work full-time, salaries often bring in more money than disability benefits alone.

Myths about Peer Supporters

MYTH: Peer Supporters will not maintain appropriate boundaries

Fact: All members of a treatment team are susceptible to poor decision-making in their professional relationships. Peer supporters are no more likely to demonstrate a problem in this area than anyone else. Close supervision and training will help to ensure that all members of the team maintain appropriate boundaries in their working relationships. In the event that boundary expectations are violated, all staff should be held accountable and treated in the same way.

Thank You

Contact Information For Young Christian Professionals :

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Email : Ycpgodlyleadership@gmail.com

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Website : www.youngchristianprofessionals.org

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Phone Number : 234-214-3534