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In this Ask the Expert Series from National Council for Mental Wellbeing, attendees heard from experts and seasoned CCBHC organizations about options to establish successful peer-run/recovery community organization partnerships with fidelity to both the peer-run and CCBHC models.

Attendees heard from experts and seasoned CCBHC organizations about options to establish successful peer-run/recovery community organization partnerships with fidelity to both the peer-run and CCBHC models.

Expert Facilitators: Harvey Rosenthal, executive director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS), and Tom Hill, senior advisor with the National Council, will be joined during this session by CCBHC Spotlighted Providers, Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling Services (N.Y.) and the Center for Health Care Services (Texas).

Topics Included: CCBHCs will have the opportunity to consider best-practice recommendations for exploring partnership arrangements delivering peer-support services.

This document is a collaborative project between the VISN 1 New England MIRECC Peer Education Center, and the VISN 4 MIRECC Peer Resource Center focused on Implementing Peer Support Services in VHA.

The development of culturally responsive clinical skills is vital to the effectiveness of behavioral health services. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), cultural competence “refers to the ability to honor and respect the beliefs, languages, interpersonal styles, and behaviors of individuals and families receiving services, as well as staff members who are providing such services. Cultural competence is a dynamic, ongoing developmental process that requires a long-term commitment and is achieved over time” (HHS 2003a, p. 12). It has also been called “a set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that . . . enable a system, agency, or group of professionals to work effectively in cross cultural situations” (Cross et al. 1989, p. 13).

It is widely understood that addiction affects more than just the individual; it affects the family system and community, as well.  But less is understood about how to include the family and community in the recovery process.  This free webinar will explain theories of recovery that are inclusive of family and community, the role of personal characteristics, community culture and community recovery capital in predicting long-term recovery outcomes and various cultures of recovery.  The presenters will also discuss recovery capital, family adaptations during active addiction and family adaptations across stages of long-term recovery.

This infographic was put together by MIMH and based on the research findings of Dr. John Kelly from the Recovery Research Institute. This 2023 document packs in a ton of information about recovery support services and the impact that these services have on individuals achieving remission from substance use and sustaining long-term recovery.

SAMHSA / BRSS TACS two-sided infographic depicting the values of peers and peer support.

To respond to issues around the growing opioid epidemic, the NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) has developed training, resources, and tools on opioids and the workplace. Sharing information about initiatives to prevent opioid misuse and promote recovery friendly workplace programs is part of the WTP’s commitment to propagating this important work.

The impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the behavioral health system of care is still unfolding. In this current time, our addiction treatment and recovery systems face unprecedented economic challenges, combined with an anticipated increase in the demand for services. It is a time of disruption and change. Recovery Communities have experience with successfully responding to change with innovation. We utilize local participatory processes to build pathways to recovery grounded in natural communities that offer safety and shelter, build financial and Human Resources, nourish wellness, and sustain long-term recovery.

The six part series is now available for viewing, including five one hour sessions with guest speakers and the final, full panel discussion.

This virtual panel was hosted by C4 Innovations, a partner of the SAMHSA Opioid Response Network, on April 27, 2021, to discuss barriers and successes to integrating recovery supports into serives for those experiencing homelessness. Presenters included Ashley Blum, Sheered Finch and Shannon Knox, with Steven Samra moderating.

Intentional peer support (IPS) is a way of thinking about and being in purposeful relationships. In IPS, we use the relationship to look at things from new angles, develop a better awareness of personal and relational patterns, and to support and challenge each other in trying new things. IPS is different from traditional service relationships because it doesn’t start with the assumption of “a problem.” Instead, people are taught to listen for how and why each of us has learned to make sense of our experiences, then use the relationship to create new ways of seeing, thinking, and doing. At the end of the day, it is really about building stronger, healthier communities.

This tool focuses on the role of stigma at the intersection of HIV and OUD systems, and introduces opportunities for intervention at the systems level. The information provided in this tool can support ongoing discussions, strategic planning, needs assessment, policy development, and training as states collaborate across HIV and OUD systems of care. The tool introduces a framework that states can follow in their local planning or training efforts by providing background and facilitating conversations about how stigma affects people with HIV and OUD as they seek care and have to navigate multiple systems. It outlines a framework for identifying opportunities to interrupt stigma by targeting its causes at multiple levels, beginning with systems. This approach differs from many stigma resources that focus on training for frontline staff and providers and emphasize individual-level interventions. Rather, this framework is intended to help states identify opportunities to institutionalize policies and practices that promote access to care across HIV and OUD services and prevent discrimination. Systems-level interventions accelerate implementation of organizational interventions, which promote implementation of interpersonal and individual interventions.

The aim of this study was to describe the social circumstances, patterns of substance abuse and related harmful behaviors in prisoners with ID who were scheduled for release from the Australian criminal justice system. The study compared prisoners with ID and who were scheduled to be released with a population of prisoners without ID in order to understand how the needs of this group compare with a mainstream prison population.