Volume 3 | Nov/Dec 2019
The Recovery INSPIRER
Welcome to Peer Voice NC's Monthly Newsletter!
North Carolina has joined 26 other states that have received federal funding from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to build a unified, vocal, and influential statewide peer and "consumer" movement, Peer Voice NC (PVNC)! 

This monthly update, along with weekly updates on PVNC's facebook page, will share progress, challenges and opportunities as PVNC evolves.

In this edition:
Mental Health Recovery: What is it?
Recovery-Based Supports
8 Dimensions of Wellness
WHO: Rights-Based Mental Health
Peer Specialists are NOT Clinicians
PVNC Coalition Updates
Peer Wellness Center Pilot
Recovery Alternatives to Forced Tx
Peer Justice Initiative
Peer Support Standards
Let's Talk About Suicide
Peer Support and Housing First
What's Next for PVNC?
Peer Voice NC Is....


A Grassroots MOVEMENT that is by Us, for Us

to challenge illness based systems and services

and have a valued voice and leadership

to impact social justice issues

and advance recovery and peer support policy, standards and practices

Guided by the WISDOM that can only be gained from being directly impacted

Mental Health Recovery

The long held belief that people with substance use disorders can recover, however people labeled with "mental illness" cannot, has pervaded the behavioral health system, its practices, professional and educational training, and funding. The illness-based paradigm that has relegated people to stabilization, functioning and maintenance as the only aspiration, began being challenged in the 1970's with the emergence of the Consumer/Survivor/Ex-Patient Movement (C/S/X). During this time, people that had been historically labeled with the most "severe" mental health conditions, began uniting, talking, and sharing their experiences of recovery, often in spite of the treatments they had been provided.

In response, researchers, policy makers, clinicians, and educators began taking notice and studying the notion that people with mental health diagnoses could actually recover. This research included examinations of:

Recovery Definitions: What is Recovery?
Recovery Outcomes: Do People Actually Recover?
Models of Recovery: What Helps and What Hinders?

In her groundbreaking article, Recovery: The Lived Experience of Rehabilitation (1988), recovery pioneer Dr. Pat Deegan utilized her own experience with a psychiatric label of schizophrenia to illustrate that recovery is a process of self-discovery and claiming an identity beyond consumer, client and patient. Deegan boldly shared that recovery requires more than "good services," rather involves deep courage, responsible action, and a significant dose of hope to move beyond the despair, anguish, self-pity, and illness messages that surround people diagnosed with "mental illness" (Deegan, 1988).

In future editions of The Recovery INSPIRER, we will explore and share recovery related research, definitions, outcomes and models!
What is Recovery?

Moving beyond an identity of "mental patient, client, and consumer"

Having a life, getting a life, and living a life not simply surrounded by services and treatment

A process, a journey, an evolution

Self-discovery, self-direction and self-determination

Healing from labels, trauma, symptoms, stigma, and marginalization

A Superpower
4 Dimensions of Recovery are (SAMHSA):
Home
Health
Purpose
Community

10 Fundamental Recovery Components:

Hope
Person-Driven
Many Pathways
Holistic
Peer Support
Relational
Culture
Addresses Trauma
Strengths/Responsibility
Respect



The Scottish Recovery Network, describes recovery as being supported by 5 Things (CHIME):

C- Connection
H- Hope
I- Identity
M- Meaning and Purpose
E- Empowerment

Recovery-Based Supports

Focus on quality of life, not stabilization, functioning, maintenance or simply reduction of symptoms

Set the expectation of recovery rather than viewing it as an exception

Do not use illness-based and stigmatizing language such as "compliance, high/low functioning, cutter, schizophrenic, frequent flyer, service resistant, chronic, criminogenic..."

Understand the connection between trauma, emotional distress and labels of mental illness

Intentionally strive to NOT re-traumatize people through their culture, space, language, approaches, policies, processes and procedures

Focus on whole person health, healing and wellness

Promote employment and financial health as vital pathways to recovery

Provide supports, access to resources, information, and skills in all 8 Dimensions of Wellness (i.e. social determinants of health):

Environmental
Emotional
Financial
Social
Intellectual
Physical
Spiritual
Occupational
Why NC, Why Now?
Goal 1: Establish an independent, statewide mental health peer and "consumer" organization through coalition building and investing in peer leadership

Goal 2 : Develop and operate a NC Peer and Recovery Technical Assistance Center to incubate, launch and disseminate innovative recovery and peer support related tools, resources, models and training

Goal 3: Enhance NCCPSS skills, knowledge and competencies by providing peer and recovery related continuing education and advanced education

Goal 4: Enhance peer support supervisor skills, knowledge and competencies by providing peer and recovery related continuing education

Peer Specialists are NOT Clinicians
Peer Supporters challenge illness based systems and services to facilitate wellness, healing and recovery.

The role of Peer Specialists is to shape services toward recovery, not to be shaped by services to become clinical.

If your role is to "manage, monitor, or convince" people, you are using peer pressure, NOT providing peer support. Power over re-traumatizes people... know your role and stand in authentic peer support!
Peer Specialists Are Not Clinicians

Peer Specialists are an emerging workforce in behavioral health. Many Peer Specialists work side-by-side with clinicians on ACT teams, psychiatric rehabilitation programs, CommonGround Decision Support Centers, inpatient units, first episode...

Read more
www.commongroundprogram.com
Peer Voice NC (PVNC)
Meet the Strategic Planning Council

Dana Cea
Toya Hooper
Damie Jackson-Diop
Karen Gross
Ed Rothstein
Faith Rhyne
Melissa Lewis
Elliot Palmer Jr.
Laurie Coker
PVNC Coalitions
Currently, PVNC is organizing through topic based coalitions. These coalitions are led by people directly impacted by the issue(s) being addressed and are OPEN to anyone with expressed interest, including allies and family members. If you are interested in joining a PVNC coalition, make a request on the PVNC facebook page. Be sure check in weekly for updates from each coalition at: www.facebook.com/pvncprn/

Current PVNC Coalitions:
  • Peer Justice Initiative (PJI)
  • Peer Wellness Centers Pilot
  • Recovery Alternatives to Forced Treatment (RAFT)
  • Peer Support Standards
  • Coming soon: Youth and Collegiate Recovery Coalition and Peer Policy and Advocacy Coalition (PPAC)

Peer Wellness Center Pilot
In its effort to create peer-run alternatives and enhancements to traditional treatments, the Peer Wellness Center workgroup reviewed national standards for peer and "consumer"-operated organizations, fidelity tools, and examples of peer wellness centers and research. A written report and recommendation was submitted to NC DHHS to fund two (2) Peer Wellness Centers in a rural and urban area, networked and supported by an existing NC peer/"consumer"-run organization that can provide mentoring, training/TA, and administrative support to build capacity. 


Update: NC DHHS has informed PVNC that they are developing a funding announcement to solicit applications for Peer Wellness Center pilots. Once released, it will be posted on PVNC facebook site: www.facebook.com/pvncprn/
Recovery Alternatives to Forced Treatment (RAFT) Coalition
PVNC's RAFT coalition is comprised of people impacted by involuntary hospitalization, family members, clinicians and lawyers that are gathering data and examining the use of involuntary commitment (IVC) in NC including:

  1. Volume of IVC across each region
  2. Reasons for IVC (policies, legal, beliefs, liability, community gaps)
  3. Alternatives to IVC (national and international models and policies)
  4. Impact of IVC (trauma, cost, service engagement, human rights, etc.)
  5. Strategies to expand community-based recovery alternatives  
World Health Organization:
Rights-Based Mental Health

Are you passionate about advancing the rights of people labeled with “mental illnesses”? If so, you are not alone!

The World Health Organization (WHO), in its commitment to transform behavioral health services and systems to be oriented to a recovery and human rights-based approach, has established the WHO QualityRights team that has designed a series of rights-based curricula, resources and tools and can be accessed through its portal.

QualityRights Core training includes (click on each title):


Specialized training includes:


Guidance includes:


Let's Talk About Suicide

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. This monthly column will offer information, resources, and research dedicated to the topic.

Survivors of suicide have an expertise that cannot be replicated and they are using their voices to dispel myths, examine the complexity of suicide, and create alternatives to traditional treatments. Unfortunately, as the following Washington Post article states " The field of suicide research and prevention is only four to five decades old. For most of that span, those who survived suicides were considered too ill or too disturbed to contribute. "

But now, that is changing...
Deadly Serious: Talking Openly About Suicide - Mad In...

Editor's note: A list of warmlines, peer support groups, discussions about suicide and other resources can be found at the bottom of this post. Not long ago, a friend of mine called the National Suicide Hotline. He was having a hard day and...

Read more
www.madinamerica.com
Once they hid their stories. But now, survivors of...

For many years, Gregg Loomis hid the attempts from others. He worried about the effect on his insurance business. He had seen people's view of him change once they found out. He had lost friends that way. So two days before his trip to Capitol...

Read more
www.washingtonpost.com
Peer Justice Initiative (PJI)
PJI is comprised of NCCPSS with lived criminal justice experience that are organizing to 1) establish a NC "Forensic Peer Support" (FPS) credential, 2) utilize nationally recognized FPS training to build the NC FPS workforce, 3) impact criminal justice reform efforts, and 4) advocate for FPS integrated into diversion, re-entry, and jail/prison efforts.

As reflected in PJI’s membership, NC CPSS’s with lived criminal justice experience are currently working in criminal justice and behavioral health settings throughout the state including Wellness and Recovery Courts, Felony Diversion, MAT within jails, jail and prison based classes, and supporting re-entry while incarcerated and upon release. These NCCPSS are also working in or with Stepping Up Initiatives, local, statewide and national Re-Entry Councils, FIT programs, returning citizen organizations, and housing, and are actively engaged in policy work such as “Ban the Box” and Second Chance policies. 
“Forensic Peer Specialists embody the potential for recovery for people who confront the dual stigmas associated with serious mental illness and criminal justice involvement” (Davidson and Rowe, 2008).
Forensic Peer Support Training

PJI members are committed to advancing the intentional and authentic use of forensically trained and credentialed Forensic Peer Support Specialists (FPSS) throughout all "intercepts" of the Sequential Intercept Model of criminal justice systems and has engaged the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumer Association (PMHA) and Drexel University to provide the 3-Day Forensic Peer Support Training in NC.

The first training occurred December 9-11th in Charlotte, NC for 25 CPSS from Western to Central NC. 

The second training will occur in March in Durham, NC for 25 CPSS from Eastern to Central NC. The link to the application will be posted in January.

Once each group has been trained, they will work together to formulate recommendations for the NC Forensic Peer Support professional and training standards and credentialing.

Peer supporters help fight drug addiction from inside...

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio (WKEF/ WRGT)- Scotty Mays is nearing four years of sobriety. It's a battle he never thought he'd face. "When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wanted to be a football player,” said Mays. “Not once did I ...

Read more
dayton247now.com
Sequential Intercept Model (SIM)
The Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) is a mapping that illustrates each of the points of contact that a person with mental health challenges can interface with law enforcement.

The SIM framework identifies 6 "intercepts", 0-5, and is used to guide community strategies to identify resources, supports and programs beneficial to prevent deeper criminal justice involvement. This is inclusive of prevention, peer-operated supports, recovery-based treatment, and re-entry services, among others.
Peer Support Standards

Peer Support Standards are inclusive of statewide training and continuing education, specialty credentialing, certification and re-certification, supervision, rates, service definitions/clinical coverage policies, selection, training and oversight of providers, opportunities for peer-run programs and organizations, development of a PSS trade association, and salary, employment and equity issues for the NCCPSS workforce. 

Updates:
  • NCDHHS has announced that they are scheduling listening and feedback sessions throughout NC, one specific to NCCPSS and one for providers. A PVNC session is currently being scheduled for the end of January in Charlotte, NC. Once confirmed, the meeting will be announced on the PVNC facebook page
  • NCCPSS on-line continuing education and supervisors training will be piloted in the Alliance Health catchment area to Peer Support Specialists and PSS Supervisors. In addition to the on-line curricula, selected pilot sites will receive coaching/mentoring to apply the information in practice. All feedback and "lessons learned" will be used to modify curricula and establish statewide recommendations for PS standards
  • PVNC's Peer Support White Paper will be published soon
Peer Support and Housing First
NC Peer Support Specialists (NCCPSS)throughout the state are saying "homelessness cannot be fully understood if you haven't experienced it yourself."

Most importantly... they are being heard!

Peer Voice NC, NCDHHS and UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health, has partnered to ensure that the voices and wisdom of NCCPSS that have experienced homelessness are utilized to co-facilitate a 2-day NC Permanent Supported Housing (PSH) curricula that will be offered throughout the state to Community Support Teams (CST) and other behavioral health and housing services providers.

This group of PSH contracted trainers are sharing their knowledge of resources, system navigation, experiences of homelessness, insight, and ways in which services and supports were and could have been more effective while living in tents, abandoned buildings and cars, group homes and transitional housing programs. Currently, approximately 15 NCCPSS with lived experience of homelessness from western through central NC have been trained and an additional 5 will be trained in January in eastern NC.

More information about the training, locations and costs will be shared as details become available!
What's Next for PVNC?
PVNC is currently working on the following:

  • PVNC Website (coming soon!)
  • NC Peer Support White Paper
  • Development of formal recommendations for the future of peer support
  • 2-Day Peer Leadership Forum for current and emerging leaders to learn about policy, legislative change, grassroots organizing and to develop a shared statewide agenda for peer support
  • Training of trainers for forensic peer support (end of 2020)
  • Peer support and supervisor CEU's