The Great Lakes MHTTC, in partnership with People Incorporated Training Institute, offers this training for behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. This training is offered in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Peer Support Specialist, as a profession, is relatively new to most people in the behavioral health field, but the concept is as old as time. Peer Support Specialists serve as role models, proving by their example that recovery is possible. As anyone traverses their life journey, having a role model who understands you and accepts you like a friend, but also teaches and supports you like a professional is a key ingredient to success. This is no different in the case of recovery from mental health or substance use disorders. The tools used by a professional Peer Support Specialist are rooted in research and then brought to life with hope from practical life experience. Research shows that people stay in treatment programs longer, reach further stages of recovery, and sustain positive change better when working with a Peer Support Specialist.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Explore the history of the Peer Support Specialist and the current role of the peer profession
• Review the primary values that guide Peer Support Specialists in their work
• Define the scope of a Peer Support Specialist as a professional role in a care team
• Identify the special skills and tools of a successful Peer Support Specialist

CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Participants are eligible to receive 2 CEUs from the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

SPEAKER INFO

Raymond Young, CPS, BA has 15 years of experience training diverse groups of adult, youth, and adolescent learners prior to joining the Training Institute at People Incorporated Mental Health Services. He has trained mental health workers, police officers, transportation professionals, business partners, and clients. Ray received his certification as a Certified Peer Specialist from the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 2017 and has since worked with individuals with various mental health conditions and behavioral health concerns. He has also studied drug and alcohol counseling. Ray has a passion for working with youth in youth leadership programs and as a mentor in the community.