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Peer Supports and SOAR
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Peer Supports and SOAR
Presented by:
SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Under contract to:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Agenda
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Peer Supports and SOAR
– Kristin Lupfer, SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
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Peer Specialists in the SOAR Process
– Heidi Lasser, Department of Health and Welfare, Boise, Idaho
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PEER (People with lived Experience and Expertise
in Recovery) Support and SOAR
– Stephanie Lane, Capital Clubhouse Recovery Center, Olympia,
Washington
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Peer Supports at the VA
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Tobbie Jackson, VA Medical Center, Hampton, Virginia
Peer Supports and SOAR
Kristin Lupfer
SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Who provides peer supports?
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Individuals with lived experience
– Trained to help develop skills for wellness and
recovery
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Certified Peer Specialists
Recovery Support Specialists
Peer Partners
Peer Support Workers
Where do you find peer supports?
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Naturally occurring peer support
groups
Consumer run services
Consumers as providers in clinical
and rehabilitative settings
At least 22 states have Medicaid
reimbursable peer services
What role do peer supports play?
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Peer Support
Encouragement of SelfDetermination and
Personal Responsibility
Support Health and
Wellness
Addressing
Hopelessness
Communication with
Providers
Illness Management
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Addressing Stigma in the
Community
Developing Friendships
Leisure and Recreation
Education, Employment
Transportation
Developing WRAP Plans
Access to benefits
Peer Supports and SOAR
Potential Roles:
 Improve engagement, rapport building
 Increase comfort through shared experience and
empathy
 Provide transportation
 Accompany applicant to appointments
 Collect medical records
 Support through the process
 Provide observations and functional information
Current Efforts
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Georgia- Certified Peer Specialists
– Training and Continuing Education
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Oklahoma- Recovery Support Specialists
Michigan- Training
California- Peer partners
Idaho- PATH and Idaho Hope
Washington- Certified Peer Specialists
Peer Specialists in the SOAR
Process
Heidi Lasser
Department of Health and Welfare
Boise, Idaho
Peer Specialists in Idaho
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Idaho Hope
– Boise Metropolitan area
– Critical Time Intervention (CTI) for 9 months
– Transition to independence and self-sufficiency
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PATH
– Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness
– 2 Peer Specialists in each of the 7 regions
– 75% of time in active outreach
Why We Planned it this Way
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All of the Peer Specialists have been
diagnosed with a mental illness
– Many have been homeless
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Relate well to SOAR clients
Clients feel comfortable and safe
Crucial, yet sensitive information
gathered in a timely manner
Idaho SOAR Project
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Began in March 2011
Peer Specialists:
– First to be trained
– Most success rates thus far
– Most dedicated staff to the SOAR
process
SOAR Success Stories
Peer Specialists:
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John McGavick- PATH
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Raelin Gibb- Idaho Hope
PEER (People with lived Experience and
Expertise in Recovery) Support and SOAR
Stephanie Lane, MSW, MH,P CPC
Capital Clubhouse Recovery Center
Thurston Mason Regional Support Network
Olympia, Washington
Capital Clubhouse Recovery Center
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Sue Allen, Executive Director
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Stephanie Lane, MSW, Program Director
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Consumer/peer run agency
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Medicaid and non-Medicaid service center
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Staffed by nine well trained employees
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Run by members, many of whom are certified by the
State of Washington to provide peer counseling
services
Employment Program
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In operation for 23 years
429 people have obtained permanent, competitive
employment
Many people have obtained part time jobs,
transitional employment, supported employment and
seasonal work
Our employment specialist works closely with our
benefits planner
Our SOAR program receives several referrals from
our employment department
Community Partnerships
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Key to CCRC SOAR success
Intentionally building both professional and informal
relationships has cut the wait time in half
– We receive return phone calls quickly
– We get medical records in respectful and responsive manners with
post it notes that say “Good luck” or “Great Work”
SSA office
Faith- based
HC providers
Housing/PAT
H
Vital Statistics
Work
source
Peer
Supports
Hospitals
Payees
AmeriCorps
Mail carriers
DDS
Family
Friends
TBD by client
Customer #1
“The medical records and medical summary were the
hardest for me to go through. Reading them made me
really emotional and I just wanted to quit. I was so
nervous and really glad my Peer Support was there to
walk me through the process. As soon as I sat down in
front of my social security worker for my appointment at
the office. I showed them all of the documentation I had
with a complete application… a slow happy smile
crossed his face and he said that I had the most
organized and complete application he had ever
seen….. Then I had to wait.. but I finally got benefits!”
Team Effort
“…I know this was a team effort and I could not have gotten half the
work I needed to get done with out my peer specialist. They talked
me through my anxiety and were able to draw on their own
experience in order to help me get over the terror of asking for all
those emotional old records from therapist after therapist. I did not
have to do all the work. I was so confused I could not remember
when I got divorced or married. They had me sign what seemed like
a hundred forms but we got it done. They even went with me to
DOH. It must have been the tenth time my peer support specialist
had to talk me into continuing the process!”
Critical Components for Success
1.
Peer Specialists (PS) are trained in
the SOAR process.
2.
Peer Specialists are able to meet
with applicant and gather general
records which saves time and
agency money.
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We recommend that the PS be
there as an advocate for applicant
on a more personal level. They do
not serve as the representative.
PS can assist applicant in
processing any feelings that rereading old medical records may
bring up. We recommend creating
a Wellness Recovery Action Plan
(WRAP) to refer to during this
process.
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Establish clear communication and
roles between the primary case
worker and peer support specialist.
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Create a comfortable environment
for BOTH the PS and applicant.
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The more eyes on the application
the better to ensure quality.
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The PS can assist the applicant
identify a local payees.
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If it is within the PS skill set they
can help track outcomes.
10.
Make sure all releases of
information include PS when
appropriate.
Why Include a Peer Support Specialist?
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Peer Supports assist in community building as SOAR applicants have
frequently isolated themselves and they can now understand that they
are not alone
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They go in person with the applicant to gather data
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This frees up time for the case worker to do other research and work on
other parts of the application
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They provide peer counseling and can assess when an applicant may
need more intensive assistance when the process becomes too much
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Peer Supports are able to introduce the applicant to the community if
they are new to town
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Peer Support Specialists are culturally and linguistically matched in
order to facilitate comfort and overcome possible language barriers
NWSeedsofchange.org
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Sowing the seeds for mental
health recovery
Online social
networking
group for
SOAR
Ideas and Next Steps
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Hold a national training for Certified Peer
Specialists to assist in the SOAR process
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Gather success stories
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Outline pros and cons of including Peer
Support Specialists in process
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A refresher course on ethics and
confidentiality would be advised
Resources
Mary Ellen Copeland Wellness Recovery Action
Plan: http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/
National Association of Peer Support Specialists:
http://naops.org/
Consensus statement on Mental Health Recovery:
Ten Fundamental Components of Recovery National
Census Statement:
http://www.samhsa.gov/news/newsreleases/060215
_consumer.htm
Stephanie Kay Lane, MSW, MHP, CPC
[email protected]
360-464-3880
360-464-3688
Capitalclubhouse.org
NWSEEDSOFCHANGE.org
Peer Supports at the VA
Tobbie Jackson, Certified Peer Specialist
VA Medical Center
Hampton, Virginia
Getting Started
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Understand the process
Take your time
Don’t let anyone push you to do
something you’re not sure about
Overcoming Challenges
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Educating supervisors about
SOAR
Getting the Medical Summary
Report signed
Questions and Answers
Facilitators:
SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
For More Information on SOAR
Visit the SOAR website at www.prainc.com/soar
Or contact:
SAMHSA SOAR TA Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Delmar, NY
518-439-7415
[email protected]