Peer Support Vancouver Mental Health & Addiction Services
Session objectives: What is peer support? National strategy Vancouver Programs Voice of Lived Experience
What is Peer Support? Peer Support is based on a relationship between people who have a lived experience in common. In the case of Peer Support the experience that individual or groups have in common is in relation to a mental health challenge or illness. This common experience might be relative to their own mental health or that of a loved one. Peer Support Accreditation and Certification Canada s National Certification Handbook (2014)
History From A Brief History of Peer Support: Origins by Patrick Tang, peersforprogress.org/pfp_blog/a-brief-history-of-peer-support-origins/ Bicetre Hospital, Paris 1830
History in Canada
What does science say about the value of peer support? Much evidence supports that peer support is a critical and effective strategy for ongoing health care and sustained behavior change for people with chronic diseases and other conditions, and its benefits can be extended to community, organizational and societal levels. http://peersforprogress.org/learn-about-peer-support/science-behind-peer-support/
Promising practice A robust and growing research evidence base shows peer support is associated with: Reductions in hospitalizations for mental health problems, Reductions in symptom distress, Improvements in social support, and Improvements in people s quality of life. Mental Health Commission of Canada, Making the Case for Peer Support, 2010
Peer Support Structures Who holds the Power? Clients or not? Self help Peer run organizations Peer support Programs in mainstream agencies Peer support workers employed or contracted by mainstream services
Modes of Peer Support Group 1:1 Relationships
Philosophy of Peer Support Peer Support is based on relationships in which each person is considered equal within the relationship and self-determination is highly respected. Peer Support is focused on health and recovery rather than on illness and disability. In the case of family peer support, each person can benefit from Peer Support as they discern the right path for themselves in relation to their loved one.
Peer Support in BC Mutual support - Informal Structure Trained Peer Support - Moderate Structure Trained Peer Support - Formal Structure Trained Peer support - Complementary to Clinical Team
Peer Services: a Vancouver Lens People with lived experience have clear and central roles in the recovery of others. Peers are trained and professionally valued in formal and informal health care, housing and support environment Caring for All, City of Vancouver, September 2014
Benefits of Peer Support
Benefits of Peer Support
Improving Lives We found that the development of personal resourcefulness and self-belief, which is the foundation of peer support, can not only improve people s lives but can also reduce the use of formal mental health, medical and social services. By doing so, peer support can save money. - Mental Health Commission of Canada, Making the Case for Peer Support
Vancouver 1:1 Peer Support Program
Image by Bryn Ditmars, PSW Training Alumnus and Peer Support Worker
Training
Research Last year, we hired a Peer Researcher, Seema Shah, to design and conduct surveys with our Peer Support Training Alumni who graduated between 2007 and 2012. Of the potential 104 survey respondents, almost half (47) completed the survey.
A Few Key Statistics 65% reported working as a PSW post-training 78% reported doing some type of paid mental health work (PSW or other) post-training. 89% reported that the PSW Training added to their personal recovery journey.
PSW Training Alumni Said: It [gave] me faith & hope to move further on my journey I look back and found that I am now onward striving forward to a more successful stage, it all resulted from having the Peer Support Worker Training...
PSW Training Alumni Said: the energy I received from the support worker training program has been useful in everything, not just finding work but also in the way I approach things now I m much more engaged in what I do, I feel there is hope for the future, and I m enjoying my life a lot more than I was when I was in these years of unemployment and depression.
Consumer Involvement and Initiatives Peer Support Program Peer-led Workshops Peer-led Projects
Peer Facilitated Workshops Talking with Your doctor and other health care professionals workshop Learn communication skills and how to make the most out of your appointments A program developed by W. Godolphin and A. Towle, UBC Division of Healthcare Communication http://www.dhcc.chd.ubc.ca/ttyd
Peer Facilitated Workshops WRAP : Wellness Recovery Action Plan WRAP is a self-designed plan for staying well and for helping you to feel better when you are not feeling well, to increase personal responsibility, and to improve your quality of life. www.mentalhealthrecovery.com
Peer Facilitated Workshops BRIDGES Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support: Helps a person gain knowledge and skills to empower their recovery Topics include emotional stages of recovery, psychiatric diagnoses. treatment, self help and communication skills and problem management
Peer Facilitated Workshops BRIDGES Footsteps A 5 week drop in program, people can join at any week Topics Include: Recovery and Support Mood & Thought Disorders Anxiety & Personality Disorders : Mental Health Treatments & Medications Mental Health Services & Advocacy
Peer Facilitated Workshops Your Recovery Journey 5 week program using a mix of Power point slides, question and answer and video clips. Topics: What is recovery? Quality of life Self management Medication as a tool for recovery Moving forward: personal action planning
Support Groups WORKING OUR WRAP Meets monthly for people who have taken WRAP or are interested in learning more BRIDGES PEER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT Meets monthly for anyone with a mental health or addiction probllems
Consumer Initiative Fund The CIF is a fund that sponsors projects proposed, managed and run by people with lived experience with mental illness or addiction who live in Vancouver. http://spotlightonmentalhealth.com
Consumer Initiative Fund There are several standing projects that run from year to year: Unexpected Circumstance Grants Art Supplies Grants Education and Leisure Fund Program website
Consumer Initiative Fund Projects for 2014-2015: Evergreen Project SpiritOfRecovery.ca Highs & Lows Choir Creative Expression Art Project. Together We Cook Theatre Class
Peer Staff Positions Vancouver Coastal Health has established peer staff positions. Including: Coordinator roles in mental health and addiction and harm reduction programs Staff positions in tertiary programs and on ACT Teams
Lived Experience
A few years ago, my life fell apart and so did I.
I needed help. I needed answers. I needed to reach out.
. I turned to family and a clinical team
She has her own lived experience, so she understood me in a way that my family and clinical team couldn t.
Realizing that I was capable to learn.
It s now my turn to give back.
Questions?