Impact of Being a Peer Recovery Specialist on Work and Personal Life: Implications for Training and Supervision

Tate, Marie C.; Roy, Arunima; Pinchinat, Meinca; Lund, Emma; Fox, Judith; Cottrill, Sara D.; Vaccaro, Annemarie; Stein, L. A. R.

doi:10.1007/s10597-021-00811-y

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In addition to improving quality of care, proper supervision may facilitate peer recovery specialist practice. In recent peer recovery specialist literature, it was expressed in focus groups that consistent supervision that emphasizes self-care and principles learned in training may lead to greater worker retention and job satisfaction [ 21 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction to the Coproduction of Supervision Standards for Digital Peer Support: Qualitative Study

Collins-Pisano¹,

Rivera²,

Johnson³

et al. 2023

JMIR Hum Factors

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Background Digital peer support enhances engagement in mental and physical health services despite barriers such as location, transportation, and other accessibility constraints. Digital peer support involves live or automated peer support services delivered through technology media such as peer-to-peer networks, smartphone apps, and asynchronous and synchronous technologies. Supervision standards for digital peer support can determine important administrative, educative, and supportive guidelines for supervisors to maintain the practice of competent digital peer support, develop knowledgeable and skilled digital peer support specialists, clarify the role and responsibility of digital peer support specialists, and support specialists in both an emotional and developmental capacity. Objective Although digital peer support has expanded recently, there are no formal digital supervision standards. The aim of this study is to inform the development of supervision standards for digital peer support and introduce guidelines that supervisors can use to support, guide, and develop competencies in digital peer support specialists. Methods Peer support specialists that currently offer digital peer support services were recruited via an international email listserv of 1500 peer support specialists. Four 1-hour focus groups, with a total of 59 participants, took place in October 2020. Researchers used Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Data Analysis methods. Researchers presented data transcripts to focus group participants for feedback and to determine if the researcher’s interpretation of the data match their intended meanings. Results We identified 51 codes and 11 themes related to the development of supervision standards for digital peer support. Themes included (1) education on technology competency (43/197, 21.8%), (2) education on privacy, security, and confidentiality in digital devices and platforms (33/197, 16.8%), (3) education on peer support competencies and how they relate to digital peer support (25/197, 12.7%), (4) administrative guidelines (21/197, 10.7%), (5) education on the digital delivery of peer support (18/197, 9.1%), (6) education on technology access (17/197, 8.6%), (7) supervisor support of work-life balance (17/197, 8.6%), (8) emotional support (9/197, 4.6%), (9) administrative documentation (6/197, 3%), (10) education on suicide and crisis intervention (5/197, 2.5%), and (11) feedback (3/197, 1.5%). Conclusions Currently, supervision standards from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for in-person peer support include administrative, educative, and supportive functions. However, digital peer support has necessitated supervision standard subthemes such as education on technology and privacy, support of work-life balance, and emotional support. Lack of digital supervision standards may lead to a breach in ethics and confidentiality, workforce stress, loss of productivity, loss of boundaries, and ineffectively serving users who participate in digital peer support services. Digital peer support specialists require specific knowledge and skills to communicate with service users and deliver peer support effectively, while supervisors require new knowledge and skills to effectively develop, support, and manage the digital peer support role.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction to the Coproduction of Supervision Standards for Digital Peer Support: Qualitative Study

Collins-Pisano¹,

Rivera²,

Johnson³

et al. 2023

JMIR Hum Factors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Currently, there is a dearth of studies available surrounding the subject. There is some evidence of a greater emphasis on supervision during training rather than afterwards (Tate et al 2021), like in some professions [nursing for example]. However, due to the vulnerabilities created as a result of sharing lived experiences, this notion has been rejected in an Irish context.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Autoethnography to Reflect on Peer Support Supervision in an Irish Context

Norton,

Griffin,

Collins

et al. 2023

JPTS

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Peer Support Workers and Family Peer Support Workers have been in place within an Irish context since the early 2000s. In February 2017, the Health Service Executive – the Irish health body - created a new grade of Peer Support Workers who were directly employed by the Health Service Executive to provide support for individuals with mental health challenges. To support this, specific training was co-produced and co-delivered by Dublin City University to these new students. Supervision at this time was provided by the Irish Advocacy Network to ensure the integrity of the supervision process. Despite the growth of the peer support movement both nationally and internationally in the past few years, there has yet to be a clear model of supervision for Peer Support Workers identified as suitable for implementation within an Irish context. A model of supervision for Peer Support Workers is imperative as these professionals specifically utilises their past lived experiences of mental health challenges to support others in their recovery. Additionally, supervision is also required to ensure fidelity to the values and ethos of the profession. This paper has gathered a wide variety of experts in peer support including former and current Peer Support Workers, educators of Peer Support Worker students and service management to begin conversations which will hopefully lead to a clear model of supervision for Peer Support Workers in an Irish context. This will be achieved using autoethnography – which is a methodology that puts the authors at the heart of the research process by allowing them to become participants in their own study. Resulting from this process, it is hoped that several key themes will be created to support further study that will lead to the creation of a clear model of supervision for Peer Support Workers that is applicable to community and statutory services within the Irish context.

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“…Recent review articles have noted a wide range of training and supervision applied to peer interventionists, from virtually no training for volunteer peer supports to formal training programs and state-level certification for professional peer recovery supports 8 – 10 . A recent study of PRSS interventionists revealed that supervision practices varied widely, and were perceived as insufficient to meet their needs 11 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a 2011 survey, peer mentors reported that serving as a mentor was beneficial to their own recovery 12 . Peer interventionists in a more recent study reported they were inspired by their work with patients but faced numerous challenges, such as maintaining personal boundaries, feeling emotionally drained, and struggling to maintain self-care 11 . Such challenges increase the risk of negative consequences for PRSS interventionists, potentially posing risk to the quality of their personal recovery and emotional well-being.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Feasibility and Safety of Training Patients in Opioid Treatment to Serve as Peer Recovery Support Service Interventionists

et al. 2022

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Background: The use of peer interventionists may be helpful in addressing problems associated with substance use disorders. However, implementation issues such as training, supervision, and the impact of delivering the intervention on the interventionists themselves require additional examination. This report describes the training methods and peer interventionist outcomes in a pilot study of a single-session Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) telephone intervention to facilitate enrollment in medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a pilot study testing a PRSS intervention in adults using illicit opioids who reported a recent non-fatal opioid overdose (N = 80, with 40 PRSS participants). Candidates recruited from MOUD treatment programs were trained to deliver the PRSS intervention. Assessments of adverse events, global health, and peer satisfaction were used to evaluate the effects of serving as an interventionist. Fidelity and proportion of cases enrolling in MOUD were calculated for each interventionist. Results: Four consented candidates were trained to deliver the PRSS intervention to thirty-six study participants (90% PRSS arm). All interventionists successfully maintained fidelity to the PRSS intervention and reported no negative effects. Interventionists experienced differential success in encouraging treatment enrollment ranging from 16%−60% of their cases. Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrates promise in utilizing peer interventionists to deliver a brief PRSS intervention with limited training and no reported negative effects on the interventionists themselves. Factors contributing to the differential success of the interventionists are unclear. Future research on the variable efficacy of peer interventionists is warranted to identify, quantify, and evaluate specific interactional elements associated with peer efficacy. Additionally, further evaluation of training, supervision practices, and the effects of serving as a PRSS interventionist, is needed. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Identifier: NCT02922959

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Impact of Being a Peer Recovery Specialist on Work and Personal Life: Implications for Training and Supervision

Cited by 12 publications

References 19 publications

Introduction to the Coproduction of Supervision Standards for Digital Peer Support: Qualitative Study

Introduction to the Coproduction of Supervision Standards for Digital Peer Support: Qualitative Study

Using Autoethnography to Reflect on Peer Support Supervision in an Irish Context

The Feasibility and Safety of Training Patients in Opioid Treatment to Serve as Peer Recovery Support Service Interventionists

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