What does bodily autonomy mean in peer work? How can harm reduction approaches in both substance use and mental health peer support policy empower peer specialists to uphold peer ethics, avoid moral injury and burnout, and honor the choices of the people they serve? Hear from recovery services peer leader Daniel Hatcher and suicidologist Kirill […]
Nze Okoronta is the Peer Services Manager for Solstice House, a peer run respite and Warmline operated by SOAR Case Management, a small nonprofit organization in Madison, WI with the mission of serving individuals who have experienced mental health and/or substance use challenges. Nze became a Certified Peer Specialist in Wisconsin in April of 2021, and […]
Following the listening session, How do we support and grow the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Recovery Community?, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence, in partnership with Communities for Recovery, is hosting monthly virtual networking space to continue the conversation. Our hope is to gather community stakeholders - members of the DHH community in or seeking recovery, […]
Session Description: Every nonprofit organization works from a budget, but some are more efficient than others. In these sessions, participants will acquire skills to apply in their management role to successfully budget. Learning Objectives: Identify the importance of effective budgeting Discuss various ways nonprofits cover administrative expenses Explore tips in budgeting quickly and easily Apply […]
In this community dialogue we’ll host a roundtable of movement leaders who have played historic roles in the peer movement alongside those who are currently making their mark. We’ll discuss the importance of understanding and honoring movement history, intentionally making space for and inviting in new voices, and how we can build coalitions in order […]
Session Description: Grant writing is essential to survival in the nonprofit world. In session 1, participants will learn techniques for acquiring funding while they peer review grant products as a practice to critically reflect on their own grants. Participants will also learn the basics of federal grant writing, including the process of writing a grant, […]
Following the listening session, How do we support and grow the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Recovery Community?, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence, in partnership with Communities for Recovery, is hosting monthly virtual networking space to continue the conversation. Our hope is to gather community stakeholders - members of the DHH community in or seeking recovery, […]
In this community of practice, we’ll explore how the language we use to discuss our own recoveries impacts the people that we provide services to. We’ll also discuss how this language impacts how we’re viewed as PRSS, the importance of language in supporting peer values, and staying up to date with the most current recovery […]
Mx. Yaffa AS is an award-winning disabled, mad, trans, queer, Muslim, indigenous Palestinian. Mx. Yaffa conducts transformative work around displacement, decolonization, equity, and centering lived experiences of individuals most impacted by injustice. Mx. Yaffa is a storyteller and an equity and transformation consultant, having shared their story with over 100,000 audience members at speaking events […]
Session Description: Grant writing is essential to survival in the nonprofit world. In session 1, participants will learn techniques for acquiring funding while they peer review grant products as a practice to critically reflect on their own grants. Participants will also learn the basics of federal grant writing, including the process of writing a grant, […]
In this community of practice, we’ll explore how to engage with and support PRSS staff who experience a return to use, as defined by them. We’ll discuss best practices concerning boundaries and explore how to provide work-related support without overstepping into monitoring staff recovery. Facilitator: Janie Ocejo
In this plenary session we’ll explore the importance of implementing power structures beyond hierarchical models. We’ll look at consensus-based decision-making processes, horizontal organizational structures, and ways in which to elevate the voices of staff most impacted by decision that are being made. We’ll also explore accountability structures for those in positions of power within organizations. […]
The purpose of this training series is to provide peer recovery support specialist employers in a variety of settings with the opportunity to learn more about how their policies and procedures, organizational structures, partners, and systems in which they’re embedded play a role in retaining their PRSS staff. Historically, workforce retention has been focused on building workplaces that support wellness, centered on burnout and compassion fatigue. However, there has been a large gap regarding the role that employers and systems play in contributing to staff turnover and PRSS leaving the profession. Through small and large group trainings, as well as organization-specific TA, employers will be able to work with uniquely qualified experts from diverse professional backgrounds to build tools and skills to reshape their relationships with systems and adjust organizational policy in order to better retain their PRSS staff.
Please be aware that this training and TA series is not intended for individual PRSS. Rather, it is designed for programs or organizations that are committed to implementing concrete changes, including changes in policy and practices, over the next six months, designed to improve the retention of their PRSS staff. This training and TA series is designed for the facilitators to work with groups of staff from each organization, such as leadership staff, a program manager and administrator, etc.
Please note that this series is currently full and no longer accepting registrations. We will be running the series again, so keep an eye out for the application later this fall!
In 2021, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence conducted an extensive national needs assessment regarding capacity building needs for Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs). The study found that a common barrier to sustainability is the absence of solid organizational infrastructure, often driven by a lack of funding and understaffing.
This learning series focuses on key tools and resources RCOs, RCCs, and other peer-run organizations need to develop a solid foundation from which to grow.
Series Learning Objectives:
Each topic will have two consecutive sessions. In order to participate in the second session, attendance at the first is required.
Upcoming Session Topics:
Following the listening session, How do we support and grow the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Recovery Community?, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence, in partnership with Communities for Recovery, is hosting monthly virtual networking space to continue the conversation. Our hope is to gather community stakeholders - members of the DHH community in or seeking recovery, DHH peer recovery support workers, professionals serving the DHH recovery community, and leaders interested in growing the infrastructure and support for the DHH peer recovery specialist workforce - to discuss what is working and identifying potential solutions to the barriers the DHH peer workforce is facing.
Learning Objectives:
Each session occurs on the third Monday of each month from 1p - 2p ET (12p CT/11a MT/10a PT). Register once to attend any or all sessions!
Dates:
Registration Link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqcOurpzgjHdMUyfNOD4LDFTqWXsSm8-0b#/registration
The Peer Recovery Center of Excellence hosts monthly communities of practice, a type of affinity call, as spaces for peer recovery support specialists and those who supervise them to network, learn, share, practice, and grow together. The goal of these calls is to bring together a variety of diverse perspectives from across the country to share in mutual learning that is centered on topics relevant to the peer workforce.
Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) and supervisors who attend and participate in these communities of practice will receive a certificate of attendance. Due to the varying ways in which peer recovery support specialist recertification works, it is the responsibility of individual peer recovery support specialists to ensure these communities of practice meet their state’s recertification requirements.
Previous PRSS topics include:
Previous Supervisors of PRSS topics include:
The purpose of this training series is to provide recurring opportunities for peer recovery support specialists from across the country to build foundational skills that are necessary for effective peer support service provision. Each of the 6 topics are being offered again beginning in January in order to accommodate PRSS who are new to the field and those who would like to brush up on their basics. Additionally, these trainings may serve as an option for TA requesters looking to build their skills as PRSS.
In complement to the Communities of Practice, these training sessions will be structured in such a way as to support concrete skill development including group discussion, presentation, facilitated activities, and more. Through this training series we aim to better equip the PRSS workforce with the skills necessary for the effective, professional, and intentional provision of peer support services.
Intended Audience: This training series is for Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS). Participants may register for one or all six trainings in this series!
Participants will receive certificates of participation for each training they have attended. Please remember to enter your name in registration the exact way you would like it to appear on your certificate.
Did you know that poor processes account for 85% of the problems organizations have in serving customers? The NIATx Change Leader Academy helps organizations answer 5 key questions:
If you are interested in learning more about this process improvement model, register for the NIATx Change Leader Academy. Space is limited and attendance of all four sessions is required to register. Sessions are highly interactive- part of the benefit is learning from your peers.
Recovery Community Organizations, as well as any organization that employs or wants to employ Peer Recovery Support Services
This training is broken into four sessions and attendance is required for each.
For questions about the Virtual Change Leader Academy, please contact Kris Kelly at kris.kelly@wisc.edu
For questions about registration, please contact Cindy Christy at christyc@umkc.edu
Funding for this initiative was made possible by grant no. 1H79TI083022 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
