The Peer Recovery Center of Excellence exists to enhance the field of peer recovery support services. Led by those with lived experience, peer voice is at the core of our work and guides our mission. Peers—people in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) or substance use challenges—serve a valuable role in helping persons with substance use challenges in achieving and maintaining long-term recovery. We are here to offer help from those who have done this work to those wanting to enhance or begin peer support services in their communities! Below is a library of reports, toolkits, previous trainings, and other products we have created for the field.
We are still in the midst of uploading the recordings of our previous trainings onto this page. If you're not finding what you are looking for here, check out our Vimeo page.
If you would like to check out other resources from the field, please see our Resource Library.
Podcast
This month, we are bringing you an episode hosted by my colleague, Steph Spitz. In it, she talks with Kasey Edwards Snider of Providence Project Nurture and Sarah Bovee of Legacy Midwifery Project Nurture about perinatal harm reduction and the vital role a doula with lived experience plays in the lives of pregnant people with substance use challenges.
You can reach our guests at their work numbers: Sarah at 503-347-3168 and Kasey at 971-808-6217.
Other
This poster was developed in collaboration with SAMHSA's Technology Transfer Centers and the Opioid Response Network to help reduce stigma around pregnant and postpartum people with substance use challenges by promoting the use of destigmatizing, person-first language. Person-first language maintains the integrity of individuals as whole human beings by removing language that has negative connotations or equates a person to their condition. This type of language can shift the way people who use substances or with substance use challenges are viewed.
Additional Resources:
Curriculum or Toolkit
This document was developed by our workforce development team in order to provide a brief overview of the role of a peer specialist. It is intended to serve as an introduction and summary to the role of a peer specialist for those who may be new and/or unfamiliar with the role.
Podcast
This month, our host spoke with Theresa M. Knorr of Friends of Recovery-New York about their upcoming 7th annual recovery conference. This year's theme is 'When We All Recovery: Holistic Recovery For Individuals, Families and Communities' and will feature a wide variety of workshops and keynote speeches designed to provide a holistic view of recovery. Find out more, including registration information, online at: https://for-ny.org/2022-nys-recovery-conference/.
Report
The Peer Recovery CoE is pleased to share an updated version of our Comparative Analysis of State Requirements for Peer Support Specialist Training and Certification in the United States. In recent decades, there has been increased recognition of the value of peer recovery support services in the behavioral health field. As recognition and evidence for best practices continue to emerge, each state is continually updating its training and certification requirements to improve the quality and practices of peer support in their communities. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of state peer recovery trainings and certifications as well as provide recommendations to better support those individuals seeking information about the peer support specialist certification application process. The information in this report reflects the current status of state approved training and certification for behavioral health peer support specialists in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas and Puerto Rico, as of January 2, 2023.
Multimedia
In 2023, our RCO capacity building team hosted a learning series on nonprofit basics. The series aimed to:
Session 1 focused on building a work plan. Learning objectives were:
You will find the recordings of the 2-part session below. You can download the slides and handouts by clicking the image to the left.
Multimedia
In 2023, our RCO capacity building team hosted a learning series on nonprofit basics. The series aimed to:
Session 2 focused on strategic planning using an appreciative inquiry approach. Learning objectives were:
You will find the recordings of the 2-part session below. You can download the slides and handouts by clicking the image to the left.
Multimedia
In 2023, our RCO capacity building team hosted a learning series on nonprofit basics. The series aimed to:
Session 3 focused on how to utilize the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Inventory. Learning objectives were:
You will find the recordings of the 2-part session below. You can download the slides and handouts by clicking the image to the left.
Report
In 2021, The National Council for Mental Wellbeing conducted a literature review (Peer Recovery Support: Evolving Roles and Settings, a Literature Review) to synthesize the current evidence related to the continued evolution of PRSS and the broader integration of peers into increasingly diversified community settings as well as to identify persisting gaps in the research. Since 2021, further research has been conducted on these topics with new and highly relevant themes, directions, and outcomes. In an effort to continue to highlight emerging literature and best practices in the field, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing has developed this document as an update to the previous Literature Review.
Multimedia
In 2023, our RCO capacity building team hosted a learning series on nonprofit basics. The series aimed to:
Session 4 focused on data management. Learning objectives were:
You will find the recordings of the 2-part session below. You can download the slides and handouts by clicking the image to the left.
Multimedia
In 2023, our RCO capacity building team hosted a learning series on nonprofit basics. The series aimed to:
Learning Objectives:
You will find the recordings of the 2-part session below. You can download the slides and handouts by clicking the image to the left.
Series
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. Check out the materials and recordings of each session below!
Series Learning Objectives:
Session Topics:
Series
The Peer Recovery Center of Excellence is excited to share this series of explainer videos on topics that are foundational to the recovery community; Recovery Community Organizations, Peer Support, Recovery Capital, and Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care. These concepts are familiar to the recovery community, but difficult to convey to the general, broader population in a succinct way. We are grateful to the PR CoE steering committee and peers partners for their input and support in the development of this series.
We hope that you use these videos to communicate core elements of your services, messaging, and marketing. They are a free resource, and do not require permission to use them; embed them in a presentation, in your newsletter, on your website, on your social media or email them directly to your audience. Our hope is to create dialogue on all these very important elements of the recovery community.
Haga clic aquí para videos explicativos en español
Report
The Peer Recovery CoE is pleased to share Comparative Analysis of State Requirements for Peer Support Specialist Training and Certification in the United States. In recent decades, there has been increased recognition of the value of peer recovery support services in the behavioral health field. As recognition and evidence for best practices continue to emerge, each state is continually updating its training and certification requirements to improve the quality and practices of peer support in their communities. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of state peer recovery trainings and certifications as well as provide recommendations to better support those individuals seeking information about the peer support specialist certification application process.
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.