What is a Peer Support Specialist?
What is a Peer Support Specialist?
Author James Flynn, BS. NCPRSS, NYCPS, NCPT3, CRPA, CARC, CASAC-T
An Authentic Peer Support Specialist is someone who has achieved a successful, meaningful, and lasting recovery from substance misuse, mental illness, and /or criminal justice involvement. Authentic peers' endeavor to share ideas, personal strategies, and community-based resources, in an effort to encourage and assist participants in developing and implementing their own personal recovery plans.?Peers also share their lived experience as people who have achieved a stable recovery and provide inspiration and guidance to others by demonstrating that recovery is possible. Peers can act as role models to those who seek to live a life free from active addiction, and to those who want to better manage the symptoms of an underlying mental health disorder. Through the power of example, and through sharing what has worked for us, peers teach coping skills, and help participants to identify their own personal wellness tools.
Exactly What Services Do Peer Support Specialists Offer Their Participants?
·????????Peer Support Specialists will collaborate with you on the development of a Personal Wellness or Recovery Plan.
·????????Peers will work with you to establish specific, measurable, and achievable goals, and will suggest community-based resources that can help you to overcome barriers to your recovery and will offer you concrete and instrumental support in helping you to build a solid foundation from which you can rebuild your life.
·????????We will introduce you to various pathways to recovery and explain the differences between one pathway and another.
·????????We will respect your right to choose your own pathway, as well as your right to learn through trial and error.
·????????We will honor your choices to utilize or disregard any suggestions that we may offer you.
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·????????To be helpful is our sole intention.
·????????Peers can accompany you to Mutual Aid Support Groups or the HRA Office. We can answer questions about treatment and recovery or help you to apply for housing. We can take you to your appointments, or we can show up with you for your day in court.
·????????Peers are frequently involved in outreach efforts; that is we try to re-engage those who may have fallen off track. From time to time we make home visits, or we may ask to meet with you out in the community.
·????????Most importantly, peers provide participants with a friendly guide that you can lean on while you go through a difficult transitional period in your life.
·????????Peers know from our own experience that recovery is attainable and manageable, and we can suggest some ways for you to achieve both.
·????????Authentic Peers will believe in you until you can believe in yourself, and will act as your cheerleader or mentor, while you blaze your own trail towards greater wellness and self-actualization.
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