Meaningful Peer Involvement in Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Collaboratives LaVerne D. Miller, GAINS Center Lena Franklin, Recovery in Community, Inc.

Overview of Presentation Challenges Reaching Some Common Ground Roles for Peers Overcoming Systems and Organizational Challenges Impact of Peer Advisors/Peer Staff Peers in Action: Recovery Community, Inc. Recommended Resources Q and A

Challenges Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Collaboratives face unique but surmountable challenges in integrating Peers into joint projects. Some of these challenges are: History Different definitions Varying strategies to integrate peers Varying policies, practices and customs regarding the recruitment, hiring and supervision of peers

Reaching Some Common Ground Essential that collaborative partners reach a formal consensus on some of the following issues: What constitutes meaningful involvement? Who is a peer? What constitutes recovery? Is recovery an expected outcome of behavioral health and criminal justice collaboratives? Qualifications/Requirements for Peer Advisors and Staff Recruitment, Hiring and Supervision of Peer Staff Staff Training

What is Meaningful Involvement? You Know It When You See It Peers are involved in a variety of roles including leadership roles and have responsibility for project planning, implementation, service delivery and evaluation

How Do You Achieve Meaningful Involvement? Clear understanding of impact that the involvement of Peers can have across all project domains Leadership and will Assess Identify and eliminate or mitigate barriers Deep commitment to transforming organizational/collaborative culture Set clear goals, objectives and timetables Evaluate Like recovery, meaningful involvement is a journey and not the destination

Who is a Peer? A person with lived experience in both the behavioral health and criminal justice systems

Qualifications and Requirements Qualifications and other requirements should ensure that the Peer can perform the essential job/volunteer functions. Partners are encouraged to reach a consensus on qualifications and other requirements. However the following minimum “objective qualifications” are suggested: High School/GED Graduation from a Peer Specialist or similar training program Experience paid/unpaid Not currently on parole/probation (some exceptions may apply)

A Word About Hiring Policies Most Behavioral Health Organizations and Criminal Justice Organizations have formal “restrictions” or “limitations” on hiring individuals with certain types of convictions or involvement with the criminal justice system Custom may play an even greater role with CJ organizations May be great differences in policies, practices and customs of partners

Developing Common Policies Creates an opportunity to examine policies, practices and customs regarding recruitment, screening, hiring, supervision, career ladders and discipline Early identification and resolution of real or potential conflicts Transparent Gives peers greatest opportunity to become involved in a wider range of activities Continuous opportunity to reexamine rationales and reasonableness of policies, practices and customs

Potential Roles for Peers Advisory Peer Specialists Peer Mentors Advisor Consultants (frequently in areas other than peer support) Case Managers Benefits Advisement Employment Counselors Wellness Coaches Advocates

Potential Settings Prisons Jails Court Where else?

What Constitutes Recovery? SAMHSA /CMHS Definition:

Most Commonly Self-Reported Cause for Relapse Unresolved trauma Loss of hope Grief over losses Family reunification Lack of “community” and feelings of “connectedness” Lack self-directed crisis planning Absence of role models Low expectations Lack of meaningful activity Financial matters (credit, student loans and child support) Undisclosed or unresolved criminal/civil matters

Helpful Tips Collaborate with existing peer operated programs Develop job/task descriptions Reasonable Accommodations In House Training (include partners) Develop MOU with partners addressing the issue of confidentiality and “privilege”

Resources

Peer Recovery Coach Definition of “Peer Recovery Coach”

Peer Recovery Coach Care coordination Community integration Recovery goal development and planning Promoter of self advocacy Liaison to traditional and nontraditional community supports