Peers Envisioning & Engaging In Recovery Services

PEERS IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES. OUR MISSIONIS TO PROMOTE INNOVATIVE PEER-BASED WELLNESS STRATEGIES. WE CREATE CULTURALLY-RICH,COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT HONOR DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND ELIMINATESTIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION.WE ENVISION A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE CAN FREELY CHOOSE AMONG MANY MENTAL HEALTH OPTIONSTHAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE PERSON. WE SEE A FUTURE WHERE PEOPLE WITH MENTALHEALTH EXPERIENCES ARE VALUED FOR THEIR ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY.HOPE, COLLABORATION, STRENGTHS-BASED, CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS, LIVED EXPERIENCE, PEER SUPPORT, SOCIAL INCLUSION, SELF-DETERMINATION, EMPOWERMENT, AND PERSONALRESPONSIBILITY.

PEERS PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTSFY 2021/2022FROM JULY 2021 THROUGH JUNE 2022, PEERS SERVED A DIVERSE GROUP OF 657 UNDUPLICATED PARTICIPANTS ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 1,429 PEOPLE REACHED THROUGH ONE-TIME WEBINARS AND OUTREACH EVENTS, WHOSE NAMES WE DID NOT CAPTURE. IN RESPONSE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE CONTINUED TO OFFER MOST OF OUR PROGRAMMING REMOTELY.PEER SUPPORT GROUPS ARE THE CORE OF OUR WORK. IN 2021-22, WE OFFERED 319 PEER SUPPORT GROUP SESSIONS, INCLUDING:WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION PLAN (WRAP): PEERS SHARE STORIES, IDEAS AND INSIGHTS AND COME UP WITH A PERSONAL PLAN FOR GETTING WELL AND STAYING WELL.TRANSITION-AGE YOUTH LEADERSHIP CLUB: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND WELLNESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.BURIED IN TREASURES: SUPPORT AND SKILL-BUILDING TO GIVE PARTICIPANTS TOOLS TO MANAGE MODERATE TO SEVERE LEVELS OF CLUTTER.SPECIAL MESSAGES: PEER SUPPORT AROUND HEARING VOICES AND RECEIVING OTHER MESSAGES THAT OTHERS DONT.HOPE & FAITH: PEER SUPPORT AROUND WELLNESS AMONG MEMBERS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FAITH COMMUNITIES.HEALING OUR PAST AND EXPECTATIONS (HOPE): PEER SUPPORT WELLNESS GROUPS ADAPTED BY AND FOR ASIAN AMERICANS.IMPACT EXAMPLE: 95% OF PEERS PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THE GROUP OR WORKSHOP HELPED THEM HAVE HOPE.PARTICIPANTS GAIN NEW INFORMATION, SKILLS, AND TOOLS TO SUPPORT THEIR WELLNESS THROUGH PEERS PROGRAMS. IN 2021-22, WE OFFERED 36 WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS, AND REACHED 1,140 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH ANTI-STIGMA SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, INCLUDING:TRANSITION-AGE YOUTH WELLNESS WORKSHOPS: YOUTH-DEVELOPED WORKSHOPS ON MULTIPLE TOPICS.OTHER WELLNESS WORKSHOPS: PRESENTED WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS GATHER; TOPICS INCLUDED YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, SPIRITUALITY AND PEER SUPPORT, AND MORE.LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SPEAK: SPEAKERS BUREAU MEMBERS TELL THEIR STORIES IN THE COMMUNITY.IMPACT EXAMPLE: 96% OF PARTICIPANTS SEE THEMSELVES USING WHAT THEY LEARNED FROM PEERS IN THE FUTURE AND 94% UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AMONG PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES COMBATS INTERNALIZED STIGMA. IN 2021-22, PEERS OFFERED THE FOLLOWING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES:LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SPEAK: SPEAKERS BUREAU MEMBERS DEVELOP PUBLIC SPEAKING AND ADVOCACY SKILLS AND TELL THEIR STORIES IN THE COMMUNITY.WRAP FACILITATOR TRAINING AND MENTORING: CERTIFICATION AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR PEERS LEADING WRAP GROUPS.EVERYONE COUNTS CAMPAIGN: ASIAN AMERICAN HOPE STIGMA REDUCTION COMMITTEE PLANS AND LEADS ANTI-STIGMA EFFORTS.IMPACT EXAMPLE: 92% REPORTED THAT THEY FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES AS A RESULT OF PEERS SERVICES.POSITIVE IMAGES AND STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES HELP CHANGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTITUDES. IN 2021-22, PEERS REACHED 685 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH ANTI-STIGMA SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SPEAK: SPEAKERS BUREAU MEMBERS TELL THEIR STORIES IN THE COMMUNITY.MEDIA: EMAIL BLASTS, BLOG POSTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA STORIES COUNTERING STIGMA.COMMUNITY OUTREACH: DISSEMINATING ANTI-STIGMA MESSAGES THROUGH VISIBILITY AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.IMPACT EXAMPLE: 100% OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS IN SPEAKERS BUREAU PRESENTATIONS REPORTED THAT AFTER THE PRESENTATION, THEY FEEL PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES CAN GROW, CHANGE, AND RECOVER.POOL OF CONSUMER CHAMPIONS (POCC)THE POOL OF CONSUMERS CHAMPIONS IS A GROUP OF MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER ADVOCATES. PEERS PROVIDED FISCAL AND ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT THAT INCLUDED LOGISTICS FOR POCC MEMBERS TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES AND PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO COORDINATE POCC MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER EVENTS.