Southeast MHTTC

About this Event: The National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification” is the first substantive document on peer support published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration since the 2015 landmark publication of “SAMHSA’s Core Competencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral Health Services.” A lot has changed (as evidenced by the depth and breadth of the content areas packed into the 35 pages of the Standards); and all but one state now have state-run or state-endorsed peer certification programs. For those without an extensive formal training in behavioral health or experience reading federal policy, the Standards, while exciting as movement forward, can be nonetheless confusing, intimidating, and challenging. In this 3-part series we plan to make the Standards more understandable to the people and organizations providing peer support on both the macro level (What is a national standard, and does it impact me and my work?) and the micro level (What are the five Pillars of Peer Support Supervision and what happens if my state only adopts four of them as certification requirements?). Subject knowledge experts will be joining us throughout the series, but the focus will remain on the peer perspective. The first session, held on July 29 (1-2:30pm ET), will be an overview of the 11 standards and introduction to a matrix that groups can use to determine their compliance with the standards and whether or not the standards apply to their state/organization. Then we will do a deep dive into the two standards that have generated the most discussion among the stakeholders we have been in contact with since the release of the standards in 2023. The second session, held on August 5 (1-2:30pm ET), will review Standard 7: Recovery. For the third session, held on August 12 (1-2:30pm ET) facilitators will discuss Standard 11: Peer Supervision. At the end of Session 1, participants will be able to: Define what National Model Standards are generally, including whether they are mandated under federal law, can states tie funding to them, is there a timeline for their implementation, etc. Describe the purpose and/or goal of each of the 11 standards Describe the purpose of the matrix, and when and how it should be used. To learn more or register for additional sessions in the series, please visit here.

About this Event: Session Two: Model Standard 7, What is Recovery? This is a deep dive into Standard 7 of “The National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification,” and how organizations and communities with different understandings of what “abstinent recovery” is can thrive while aligning themselves with the national standards. At the end of this session, participants will be able to: Define what “recovery” means according to Standard 7. Describe how the standards address Medication Assisted Recovery, and the purpose and/or goal of each of the 11 standards Explain the role of recovery-pathway-specific requirements in state-level certification requirements. To learn more or register for additional sessions in this series, please visit here.

About this Event:  Model Standard 11, What is Supervision? Discussions around peer supervision can be especially confusing because of the different backgrounds and lived experience of peer support stakeholders. In this deep dive into Standard 11 of “The National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification,” we will share basic definitions of the terminology used in this model standard, and how that language fits into the larger concepts addressed directly and indirectly in this standard, including ensuring that the emerging profession of peer support thrives as part of the continuum of care in behavioral health without eliminating the unique characteristics of peer support, such as the active use of lived experience, that are essential to its success. At the end of this session, participants will be able to: Define what “supervision” means according to Standard 11. List and describe the five Pillars of Peer Support Supervision. Explain how other model standards (especially including 2, 4, 8, and 9) are incorporated into this standard.

About this Resource: The Southeast MHTTC Newsletter highlights upcoming events and recently released products as well as shares information on available resources from SAMHSA and the MHTTC network. The July 2024 issue promotes Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This issue also highlights our upcoming events and recently developed products, celebrates efforts being done by Region IV states, and provides resources available through the MHTTC Network and SAMHSA to connect individuals to needed treatment and support.

About this Resource: Have you ever wondered about the role of the Certified Peer Specialist in the new 988 Crisis System? This product, which accompanies a webinar that the Southeast MHTTC hosted along with the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, explains the role of peers in answering calls, crisis coordination, support services teams, and respite centers.

About this Resource: As mental health care providers work to address the needs of individuals in their day-to-day work, it can be difficult to treat mental health challenges without also treating the underlying contributors to those challenges. The Social Determinants of Mental Health (SDOMH) are the non-medical societal factors that influence the mental health outcomes of patients, peers, and clients. These intersecting conditions in which a person is born, in which they age, live, and work, all factor into that person’s health. In this on-demand recording, clinicians learn how these factors impact engagement in care and how to measure these factors’ effect on patients’ outcomes in an effort to utilize more comprehensive and effective treatment strategies to address mental health needs.