6th Annual National Peer Specialist Conference Sponsored by the National Association of Peer Specialists The Recovery Revolution

Transcription

1 6th Annual National Peer Specialist Conference Sponsored by the National Association of Peer Specialists The Recovery Revolution Sept. 6-8, 2012 Sheraton Society Hill Hotel 1 Dock St. Philadelphia, PA Travel / Hotel Information: Hotel is located on the corner of 2nd and Walnut Streets - Across from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Phone: (212) , Toll-Free reservations (866) Fax: (215) Note: The hotel is located about 9 miles from the airport and 2 miles from the rail station. Taxi fare from the airport is ~$26.00 USD / Taxi fare from the rail station is ~$10 USD Reservations for transportation from the airport can be arranged through Lady Liberty Shuttle at hours in advance of arrival. Pre-Conference Institutes Note: Three pre-conference institutes will be offered in association with the conference, but registration and fee payment are separate from the conference. Sept 5: Recovery Leadership offered by Recover Resources Sept 5 and 6: Advanced Peer Support offered by the Recovery Opportunity Center Sept 5 and 6: Wellness Solutions 1.0 offered by The Hope Concept Wellness Center More information is available for each institute by visiting the websites listed above. Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012 Preliminary Program 1:00 1:25 p.m. Welcome, Gladys Christian, NAPS President, conference overview, Steve Harrington, Executive Director 1:25-2:05 p.m. Welcome and overview of peer support, Joseph Rogers, Executive Director, Mental Health America of Southeastern Pennsylvania. 2:05-2:45 p.m. Peer Support and U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Daniel O Brien- Mazza, National Director of Peer Support Services. 2:45-3:00 p.m. Refreshment Break (Complimentary for conference participants) 1

2 3:00-4:15 p.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops 1-3 4:15-4:30 p.m. Break Workshop 1: Loneliness and WRAP -- Everyone needs friends to talk to, pals to share activities and people we can depend on. This training is based on Mary Ellen Copeland s The Loneliness Workbook. We will explore how to defeat loneliness and write a plan to avoid it. Presenter: Sherri Rushman Workshop 2: Evidence-Based Practices: Why Should I care? Explore the usefulness and limitations of science in helping to reveal what works in mental health. Understand evidence-based practices (EBP) and where peer specialists fit in the picture. Discuss with peers how your work can reflect both scientific know-how and an appreciation of the mystery and grace of recovery. Presenter: Gareth Fenley Workshop 3: Seeing the Spiritual Opportunity in Mental Health Challenges While the integral place of spirituality in recovery from addiction has long been acknowledged, what has been less emphasized is that many people experience serious mental health challenges as part of their spiritual journeys. We will look at the need to set aside biological reductionism in an effort to focus on the spiritual aspects of mental health distress, spiritual aspect that many people experience as essential to their recovery process. Presenter: Mary Fala 4:30-5:45 p.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops 4-6 Workshop 4: Understanding the Consumer Movement This workshop explores persons in recovery as an oppressed class, discusses the consumer movement as a human rights movement, urges participants to self-assess around personal bias and encourages change. Presenters: Alison Emery & Steve Steinberg Workshop 5: Ending the Enduring Trauma: Reconnecting with Lost Children Many parents with mental health issues have had their children removed from their care, lost visitation and may have had their parental rights terminated, never to see their children again. This creates an enduring trauma for many of these parents as they wonder what has become of their children. In this workshop, we will share our experiences in working with parents with mental health issues and what it has meant for them to seek out and reconnect with children they thought were forever lost. Presenter: Linda Parrish 2

3 Workshop 6: A County in Recovery Learn how the County of Riverside, California has used peer support specialists in leadership roles, as mentors and trainers for clinicians to change the way the county conducts business to serve persons in recovery. Presenters: Shannon McCleerey- Hooper, Lisa Jackson & Denise Walker. Friday, Sept. 7 8:00-9:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast (complimentary for conference participants) 9:00-10:15 a.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops 7-9 Workshop 7: Stepping Back to Bring Hope Sharing personal stories of struggle and growth enhances one s chances of recovery. This can be especially true when survivors of mental illness revisit a mental health unit in a hospital or jail, establish a wellness group and bring messages of hope and recovery to those incarcerated. Presenters: Judy Banes & Richard Faison. Workshop 8: Veteran Awareness and Recovery Practices 101 Participants will learn the best practice strategies to engage veterans and their families. The session will also further cultural competency of this emerging service group. Emphasis will be on culture, customs and recovery practices for success. Presenters: Douglas Tavira & Antonio Harris. Workshop 9: Customizing the Role of Peers in the Workplace As more peers enter the workplace, it is important for program administrators to use the talents/skills peers possess in shaping their roles. This session will use the experience of the Peer Wellness Program at Pathway to Housing in New York City, to show how peers have become involved in employment, education, finance, parenting, nutrition and other services. The presenters will explain the interface between administrators and peer staff in creating a dynamic collaboration resulting in programs that serve everyone. Presenter: Albert Wilson 10:15-10:30 a.m. Refreshment Break (Complimentary for conference participants) 10:30-11:45 a.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops Workshop 10: Coping with Difficult People Because relationships be they good or bad affect recovery, we must learn to deal with difficult people. This session will help participants identify difficult relationships (in the community, at home and within ourselves) and provide coping skills to manage them. Presenters: Goeff McCombe & Lisa Summerhayes Workshop 11: Let My Time Help You Do Yours: Peer Support and 3

4 Mentoring in a State Prison Using peer support and mentoring, a weekly group brought together seasoned inmates with new arrivals to help the newbies cope more effectively with prison life. The program also prepares inmates with potential helping opportunities after release. This session will explore the nature and effectiveness of this application of peer support. Presenter: Andy Bernstein Workshop 12: Being Trauma Aware in Peer Support Without an understanding of the effects of trauma, there can be no integration in treatment systems. This session will help participants avoid the physical, emotional, spiritual and behavioral effects of trauma and that awareness is the first recovery step. Presenter: Trish Bleth. 11:45 1:00 p.m. Lunch On your own 1:00-1:30 National Association of Peer Specialists (NAPS), future goals and vision. Overview of Recovery to Practice, website, affiliates. Steve Harrington, Gladys Christian & Rita Cronise. Special award presentation. 1:30-2:15 Copeland Center and Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP ): Where we are, where we are headed, Matthew Federici (invited). 2:15-2:45 The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): An overview and vision for the future, Allen Doederlein, DBSA President (invited). 2:45-3:00 p.m. Refreshment Break (Complimentary for conference participants) 3:00-4:15 p.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops Workshop 13: The Peer Specialist as Supervisor: Moving Toward a More Peer-Driven System of Care Strong evidence proves that peer specialists are effective in working in mental health systems. As we move towards a more peer-driven system of care, it is time for peer specialists to become leaders in those systems. A peer specialist as a supervisor is crucial to erasing stigma and changing the climate of mental health care. This session will address these issues and provide strategies for peer specialists to become and work as supervisors. Presenter: Tara N. Miller Workshop 14: Recovery Inside: Bringing Peer Support into Correctional Facilities This engaging, interactive workshop provides participants with key skills, insights and tools for adapting peer support in correctional systems. Participants will experience the journey of introducing mutuality, empowerment and recovery as tools to support people in the transformation from offender to contributing member of a recovery community. PresenTerrence J-R Smithers & Gloriana Hunter 4

5 4:15-4:30 Break Workshop 15: Thinking Outside the Box: How Peer Specialists Integrate with the Mental Health Workforce Peer specialists will discover ways to break down the stigma shown by the workforce. They will also discover how to work with the workforce contributing their talents while gaining personal rewards. When facing workforce cutbacks, peer specialists can assume new responsibilities partnering equally with that workforce. This session will cover these workforce development issues and more. Presenters: Elizabeth Freed & Jill Robinson 4:30-5:45 Breakout sessions, Workshops Workshop 16: Collaborating with Psychiatrists Misunderstanding and frustration are all too common between psychiatrists, the people they serve and colleagues including peer specialists. Through two interactive role-plays, participants will develop skills that will empower them to accelerate progress toward collaboration. Presenters: Gareth Fenley and a psychiatrist to be determined Workshop 17: Affiliation with the National Association of Peer Specialists and Building Local Organizations Participants will explore the benefits of become a state or local peer support affiliate with the National Association of Peer Specialists. Information about building local support organizations will also be presented. Presenters: Gladys Christian and Ingrid Deetz (invited) Workshop 18: Unique Issues When Engaging Veterans Veterans pose unique challenges to peer support workers and this is especially true as an increasing number of military personnel return from Mideast conflicts. This workshop will help peer specialists learn how to understand the veteran culture and build trusting relationships. The session will also cover readjustment issues. Presenter: Charles Wuth 8-9 p.m. Documentary, Open Spaces. This production was created with support from the National Association of Peer Specialists and features recovery in action through the stories and activities of five people in recovery. The production is a powerful resource and tool for anyone in recovery from serious life challenges. It has won several national awards and has been distributed through Public Broadcasting System and is used extensively in the United Kingdom as well as the U.S. and Canada. Come, enjoy the film, and feel welcome to discuss it afterward. Documentary run time: 40 minutes. 5

6 Saturday, Sept a.m. Continental Breakfast (Complimentary for conference participants) 9-10:15 a.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops Workshop 19: Support for Peer Supporters: Finding Your Way Through personal experience, this presenter discovered the challenges of finding peer support for her, a peer supporter. In this session, she shares what she has learned and how she connected with resources to avoid burn out and provide the best peer support services. Presenter: Georgette Evans Workshop 20: Intentional Peer Support: What is Unique about IPS in Crisis Alternatives This workshop examines Intentional Peer Support as not only an opportunity for change from the traditional mental health paradigm but as an opportunity to define and claim our place as valued and respected citizens. Peer-run crisis respites are beginning to be seen as a viable option in many states and countries. This workshop will provide an overview of IPS, a relationship-based practice chosen by many peer-run crisis respite centers, offering the opportunity for people to examine their experience and made new meaning beyond the traditional medical paradigm. Presenters: Chris Hansen & Daniel Hazen Workshop 21: Blending the Wisdom of Lived Experience with Professional Training: Peers in Social Work School Peer providers bring a unique perspective to professional education and frequently make excellent clinical and macro-level social workers. However, their presence is not always welcomed or supported by social work training programs. Tips will be provided on the pros and cons of self-disclosure; applications; linkage to disability services, and selecting internships. Presenter: Melissa Hensley 10:15-10:30 a.m. Refreshment Break (Complimentary for conference participants) 10:30-11:45 a.m. Breakout sessions, Workshops Workshop 22: Meeting the Challenges of the Workplace: Conflict Management Techniques for Peer Specialists This workshop will support employed peer specialists with using peer support as well as effective communication techniques to resolve workplace conflicts. Participants will complete an individual strengths and needs assessment to determine their success with resolving workplace conflicts and through small and larger group exercises, develop skills. Presenters: Crystal L. Edwards & Yvette P. Pate. 6

7 11:45 a.m.-noon Break Workshop 23: The Power of Peer Support and a Wellness Approach to Assisting People with mental Health and Addiction Challenges Two leaders who have overcome their own co-occurring challenges facilitate an interactive workshop as an opportunity to share wisdom about maintaining authenticity, personal wellness, healthy boundaries and personal space for themselves and those they support. Presenters will share information and opportunities about the SAMHSA Wellness Initiative. Presenters: Linford Gayle & Charles Willis Noon-12:30 p.m. Wrap up, door prizes 7