Resource Library

Peer recovery support services (PRSS) have emerged as important resources for engaging and supporting individuals and families in their recovery. Contemporary PRSS are non-clinical, strength-based, and recovery-focused. They target recovery outcomes such as improved health and wellness, an increased sense of self-efficacy or empowerment, and increased success and satisfaction in a range of community settings such as work, home, and school, instead of merely focusing on symptom reduction.

This document builds on prior SAMHSA peer workforce efforts and covers the following:

1. Considering the Current Context of PRSS provides a snapshot of the field of peer recovery support at the time of the report, for those who may be unfamiliar. It also summarized observations from peer practitioners about contemporary experiences with supervision.

2. Framing Supervision considers some of the key question related to supervision of addiction peer supports, and presents a working framework for supervision.

3. Practicing the Principles looks at how the principles may be applied in a variety of PRSS settings.

Peer support services have expanded to a wide variety of behavioral health environments and within a range of program models. Because peer support services represent a relatively new service within behavioral health services, there may be too few supervisors who understand the peer role well enough to supervise peer workers. Primarily for practitioners who are supervising peer workers, this group of resources helps supervisors understand how to supervise peer workers in behavioral health services.

This webinar is from the Northeast & Caribbean ATTC. As peer advocates enter the work force in substance use treatment, many supervisors are not prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary to supervise their peers effectively and efficiently. This course will review many topics around supervision: what it is, how it is different for peers, and the challenges to supervising peers. Ways of supervision that have worked for people will also be discussed.

This Supervisor of Peer Workers Self-Assessment is designed to help you refect on your own supervision practice and identify areas you would like to develop to become a more efective supervisor of peer workers. For areas that are learning needs, speak to your supervisor about strategies for learning the needed competencies.

This slide deck highlights two articles and a blog about recovery benchmarks and differences in recovery regarding quality of life issues for individuals depending on drug of choice; gender; and race/ethnicity. Understanding the benchmarks of recovery and the differences in individuals’ recovery experiences can help both peer support specialists and behavioral health professionals’ normalize recovery experiences.

The slide deck is designed to be used by behavioral health academic faculty, trainers, and state agency staff members for a variety of audiences. Each slide has notes for the presenter to provide guidance if necessary. References are included on the slides and in the notes. If you require further information on this topic, please contact the Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center (MPATTC). You are free to use these slides and pictures but please give credit to the MPATTC when using them by keeping the branding and referencing the ATTC at the beginning of your presentation.

A list of different services and/or resources for peers when seeking information regarding person-centered care.

Learn how addiction and infectious disease interact: Dr. Ryan Westergaard presents clinical issues related to the management of patients with infectious diseases and addiction, including important drug interactions, adherence support, and care coordination strategies.

Read the transcript:

Transcript_Syndemics Part 2- What Infectious Disease Providers Need to Know About Addiction Treatment.pdf

At the beginning of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support providers had to shift service delivery from a mostly in-person structure to virtual. This swift uptake in the use of telebehavioral-health may be transformative not only for the healthcare system but for the behavioral health field as well. This webinar series will highlight online group counseling services and will demonstrate its viability as an alternative to traditional in-person groups requiring new facilitative, alliance building, and administrative skills for both counselors and peers.

Your story should make your work stand out among similar organizations and be so memorable that people pay attention and remember you after the story ends. These seven guidelines from Mission Minded will help your organization brand itself in a way that sets you apart from the rest, attracting the support you need to achieve your goals.

This guidance document provides information about how the ADA can protect individuals with OUD from discrimination—an important part of combating the opioid epidemic across American communities. While this document focuses on individuals with OUD, the legal principles discussed also apply to individuals with other types of substance use disorders.

The Better Days - Sometimes We Struggle Worksheet

Gregorio* “Craig” Lewis believes in recovery with all his heart. Sometimes, life happens and things change. This author walked his talk straight into the gutter —living a fairly desperate and upsetting, yet transformative life while homeless— until a mere 4 years and 6 months ago. Now, he is living a new life, truly alive and well in the heart of Mexico. He is the evidence that if you want to get better, do the work, experience the improvements.  Gregorio’s workbooks are for people like him: the poor, the unwanted, the blamed, the hurt, the labeled, the outcast, and the rejected. Gregorio’s workbooks are for people like you: the carers, the lovers, the educators, the agents-of-change and the healers. Everything you read in his books was learned and earned the hard way. Recovery is some of the hardest work possible. Do it, and keep doing it and maybe, just maybe, your dreams will also come true.

*Gregorio has given his permission for the PR CoE to share these three coping skills packets on their website. The public is free to download and use these packets.

Obtain full workbooks here: survivingtheimpossible@gmail.com

The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible book- This is your captain speaking worksheet

Gregorio* “Craig” Lewis believes in recovery with all his heart. Sometimes, life happens and things change. This author walked his talk straight into the gutter —living a fairly desperate and upsetting, yet transformative life while homeless— until a mere 4 years and 6 months ago. Now, he is living a new life, truly alive and well in the heart of Mexico. He is the evidence that if you want to get better, do the work, experience the improvements.  Gregorio’s workbooks are for people like him: the poor, the unwanted, the blamed, the hurt, the labeled, the outcast, and the rejected. Gregorio’s workbooks are for people like you: the carers, the lovers, the educators, the agents-of-change and the healers. Everything you read in his books was learned and earned the hard way. Recovery is some of the hardest work possible. Do it, and keep doing it and maybe, just maybe, your dreams will also come true.

*Gregorio has given his permission for the PR CoE to share these three coping skills packets on their website. The public is free to download and use these packets.

Obtain full workbooks here: survivingtheimpossible@gmail.com