MODULE 19

ROLE OF PEER SUPPORT

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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

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

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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

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WHAT IS A CHW/CRS?

THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER/CERTIFIED RECOVERY

SPECIALIST (CHW/CRS) ASSISTS THEIR PEER TO REACH SELF-
DETERMINED RECOVERY GOALS.

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FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS OF CHW/CRS

• LISTENING

• VALIDATING

• MENTORING

• ADVOCATING

• EMPATHIZING

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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WHAT PEER SUPPORT INCLUDES?

• LEARNING

• MUTUAL TRUST

• RESPECTING OTHERS’ DIFFERENCES

• FOLLOWING RULES AND PROCEDURES OF AGENCY

• RESPECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THOSE THEY SERVE

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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

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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

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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

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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

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 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
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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
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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
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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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?

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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?

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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

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EVALUATION

PLEASE COMPLETE THE MODULE EVALUATION.

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 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_HANDBOOK_
ON_DEVELOPING__
IMPLEMENTING_PEER_ROLES.PDF

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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-ASK-
FOR-PEER-SUPPORT-5/ 29

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