Peer Specialist - Personal Recovery Oriented Services (PROS)

Learn how peer specialists can play a crucial role in Person Recovery Oriented Services (PROS)

Instructor: Joseph Woodward, CSAC, Executive Director Housing Options Made Easy, Inc.

Grading: S/U Noncredit Certification of Completion

Rationale:

With the anticipated implementation of Personal Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) by New York State and the state-wide emphasis on person centered planning, there is a clear need for a training program that will effectively train peer specialists in the competencies they will require to function effectively within the system. The roles that the proposed training program is designed to support include:

Peer Case Managers/Peer Specialists
Peer Advocates
Self-Help Facilitator/Coordinator
Peer Trauma Specialist
Mental Health Court Advocate

This introductory course will be followed by an intermediate course and advanced course for working professionals in the behavior health care field. Students completing the introductory and/or immediate courses are eligible for an Internship Program arranged as an Independent Study program through UB MFD EOC.

Course Aims and Objectives:

Aims

The am of the introductory course is to prepare individuals with the history of mental illness with the skills to work effectively in the behavioral health system as consumers and as peer specialists.

Specific Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will learn how to:

1. Recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness, chemical dependency and co-occurring orders.
2. Learn appropriate person centered recovery responses to mental illness, chemical dependency and co-occurring orders.
3. Develop the skills need to function in the role of peers specialists in Person Recovery Oriented Services (PROS)
4. Navigate the behavior health service delivery systems and how to secure services
5. Understand concepts of Person Recovery Oriented Services (PROS)
6. Understand professional and consumer and responsibilities
7. Develop workplace skills and communication strategies

Format

This special topics course will be presented as a classroom presentation with interactive discussion. Five major core topics will be covered over a ten-week period. Students will be expected to complete a pre- and post-test of skills. Students will also complete a final paper on a mutually selected behavioral health topic relevant to Person Recovery Oriented Services (PROS).

Assumptions

Students are expected to have a high school degree or equivalent and to be able to read at the 6th grade level. Potential students unsure of their skills are encouraged to take the EOC Workforce Credentialing Program.

Course Materials:

Students will be provided with a course manual at no charge. This includes the Advocacy for Empowerment manual developed by Housing Options Made Easy, Inc as part of their peer training program, the New York State Office of Mental Health white paper, articles on person centered planning, and the WNY Care Coordination white paper called “Peer Roles in the Community.”

Completion Requirements:

Completion of the pre-test, post-test and final paper are all required for satisfactory completion. Students are expected to attend all classes either online or in person. Students will be expected to demonstrate respect for others. Students exhibiting inappropriate behavior will be asked to terminate the class.

Course Schedule [based on class once a week for three hours]

Topics Outline

Session 1
Peer specialist’s role in Person Recovery Oriented Services (PROS)- Introduction
1. Pre test
2. Overview of course
3. Course Manual
4. Presentation and discussion of mental illness chemical dependency and co-occurring disorders

Session 2
Peer specialist concepts
1. Understanding who is a peer and the role a peer plays in the mental health system.
2. Peer specialist roles and jobs
3. Foundations of peer work

Session 3
Understanding Behavioral Health System Services
1. Options of services available to consumers
2. Traditional verses Holistic
3. Individualized assessment and facilitation
4. Barriers

Session 4
Effective Strategies for Navigating the Behavioral Health Service System
1. Individual and system advocacy
2. Understanding how to follow policy and procedures, chain of commands and working with the system.
3. Knowledge of the system and process
4. Networking

Session 5
Person Centered Recovery Concepts
1. What are person-centered practices?
2. Learning to partner in treatment planning
3. Tools that are used in PCP
4. Community Integration

Session 6
Person Centered Planning
1. Developing a MAPS plan
2. Understanding an Individual Service/Recovery plan
3. Utilizing PCP tools in developing the ISP

Session 7
Roles And Responsibilities of Professionals and Consumers
1. The peer/ provider role
2. Common concerns
3. Values, ethics, boundaries
4. Peer sharing

Session 8
Effective Interfacing between Professionals and Consumers
1. Dealing with stigma
2. Trust issues
3. Healthy disclosure

Session 9
Workplace Communication
1. Conflict management
2. Mediation and negotiation
3. Different communication styles
4. Documentation

Session 10
Workplace skills
1. Employer expectations
2. Teamwork/building
3. Succeeding in a workplace environment
4. Peer as a professional

Session 11

1. Post-test
2. Next Steps