Peer Support 101: Foundations of Peer Support

These half-to-full day interactive and situation-based trainings cover the basic philosophical tenants of peer support and recovery-based care. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• Recovery 101/Intro to Recovery

• MSHA 101/Historical Roots of the Consumer Movement

• Roles, Duties and Core Competencies for Peer Support Workers

• Navigating Conflicts Between the Medical & Recovery Models of Care

• Non-Violent/Needs-Based COmmunication

• Effective Advocacy Skills

• Using Lived Experience to Help Others

• Creating a WRAP and the Importance of Maintaining Personal Wellness

• Self-Help Support Principles: Doing WITH, Not FOR Active Listening

 

Peer Support and Advocacy for Target Groups and Populations

These half-to-full day interactive and situation-based trainings address in-depth issues related to the representation of specific client populations and core competencies for peers working with these groups. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• LGBTQ Mental Health Awareness & Advocacy

• TAY/Youth Peer Mentorship & Advocacy

• Adult Family Member Peer Mentorship & Advocacy

• Parent/Caregiver Peer Mentorship & Advocacy

• Older Adult Peer Mentorship & Advocacy

 

Peer Support 201: Advanced Peer Support Skills

These half-to-full day interactive and situation-based trainings offer advanced skills building for peers who have already been working or volunteering in the PMHS for at least six months. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• ​Motivational Interviewing

• Principle Guided Decision Making (client interactions, role dynamics, clinical concerns, etc.)

• Recovery-Oriented Systems,Services and Outcomes

• Tracking & Measuring Client Outcomes

• Effective Goal Setting with Clients

• Understanding Co-Occurring Disorders

• Effective Resource Linkage/Building Strong Provider Relationships

• Peer Advocacy & Leadrship Skills: Attitudes, Behaviors and Relationships For Workplace Success

• Avoiding Cooptation When Working in Clinical Settings

 

Workplace Survival Skills for TAY, Volunteers and New Additions to the Workforce

These half-to-full day interactive and situation-based trainings teach basic work skills to peers who are just beginning their professional careers or who are entering the workforce after a break in employment. These trainings are ideally suited to youth advocates, TAY, volunteers, caregivers and others with limited work experience who need to learn or brush up on basic workplace skills. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• Appropriate Behaviors and Communication At Work

• Basic Workplace Expectations For Employees

• Functioning As Part Of A Team

• Documentation and Recordkeeping

• Common Workplace Policies and Procedures

• Avoiding and Resolving Conflicts with Clients and Coworkers

 

Ethics, Boundaries, Confidentiality & Compliance

These half-to-full day interactive and situation-based trainings cover basic principles for peer support workers related to interpersonal boundaries, disclosure of information, ethical relationships with clients, navigating ethical dilemmas, reporting requirements for specific populations. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• Peer Support Ethics & Conflicts of Interest

• Setting & Maintaining Appropriate Interpersonal Boundaries

• Client Confidentiality: HIPAA Basics & Beyond

• Sexual Harassment & Workplace Bullying Basics

 

Peer Mentoring and Job Coaching

Job coaching and mentoring activities for PMHS peer staff/volunteers. These activities include:

• One-on-One Peer Mentoring

  • ​Seasoned peer professional swill provide individualized consultations and career support sessions for up to 55 PMHS peer staff and volunteers via telephone, email and in-person meetings, as needed. If a PMHS peer worker/volunteer needs career counseling, job coaching, mentoring or advice, he/she can submit a request for assistance to the WISE program via email, and staff will respond within two business days to set an appointment for personal coaching.

• ​Peer Personnel Career Pathways Roundtable

  • ​Regional roundtable discussions of Certified Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialist, Peer Support Specialists, Peer Advocate, Family Advocate, Youth Advocate and othe rcareer pathways; and will explain and provide recent developments in the statewide peer certification process. Attendees can learn more about various peer roles and discuss their workplace experiences and career goals with Tina Wooton, CEO of Hope 365, MHSOAC co-chair and advocate for over 20 years.

 

Wellness Tools Trainings

These multiple day interactive and situation-based trainings cover important wellness principles PMHS peers can use in caring for themselves, people they are close to and with clients. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• WRAP Seminar 1/Intro to WRAP

  • Wellness Recovery Action Plan is an evidence-based practice that is used worldwide by people who are dealing with mental health challenges. WRAP can also be used as a framework to guide relationships in peer support, recovery groups, agencies and organizations. 

• Trauma Informed WRAP Seminar 1

  • For PMHS peers working with populations experiencing high rates of trauma, this introductory WRAP training focuses on the impacts of trauma and teaches participants how to apply WRAP concepts to appropriately help those impacted by traumatic events, including: refugees, abuse survivors, individuals who have been institutionalized, crime victims, individuals experiencing serious illness, formerly-incarcerated individuals, current/former foster care youth, etc.​

• Whole Health Action Management

  • Whole Health Action Management (WHAM) is a training program and peer support group model developed by CIHS to encourage increased resilience, wellness, and self-management of health and behavioral helath among people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders. A powerful program intended to strengthen the peer workforce's role in healthcare settings.

 

Self-Help Trainings and Support Groups

These half-to-full day interactive and situation-based trainings cover various aspects of self-care and support for PMHS peers. The subject matter is customizable by participants and topics to choose from include:

• Managing Up

  • Helping peers have effective conversations with supervisors around important workplace issues and advocate for their work-related needs. This training is aimed at assisting peer staff take a proactive approach in addressing challenges with supervisors and management staff.

• ​​Social Support at Work

  • This training teaches peer staff strategies and tools for supporting one another in the workplace and ensuring psychological safety is modeled in the workplace culture.

• Self-Help/Group Facilitation 101

  • Teaches group facilitation skills to peers in the PMHS. Aimed at those interested in developing new support groups or assuming responsibility for existing community support groups.

• Group Facilitation 201

  • Teaches advanced facilitation skills to peers who are already proficient in facilitating support groups so they can begin facilitating stakeholder and community meetings.

• Self-Care and Stress Management for Peers

  • This training examines the causes of stress and lack of balance for individuals working in the helping professions and how to effectively cope with workplace pressures in healthy and productive ways.