Peer Support
March 2019
Lisa B. Dixon, M.D., M.P.H.
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Peer support services, a primary component of a recovery-based model of care, are services in which individuals with lived experience of mental illness aid others in their recovery (Chinman et al., 2017). Peer support services are provided across a variety of settings and include a wide range of work activities, such as education, mentoring, case management, research support, and vocational support (Hendrix-Brown & Bourdeau, 2019; Lapidos et al., 2018; Becker, 2015; Salzer et al., 2010). In 2001, states began developing certification programs for peer support specialists, and starting in 2007, Medicaid began to reimburse for peer support services (Wolf, 2018). As of 2016, all but three states had or were creating peer support certification programs, and across the country there were 25,317 certified peer support specialists (Wolf, 2018). This collection provides an overview of current research pertaining to peer support services, including descriptions of various forms of peer work and its impact on peer support workers, intervention evaluations, systematic reviews of the evidence base, and an Open Forum that provides the groundwork for creating a further research agenda on peer support work.
Rachel Robitz, M.D.Lisa B. Dixon, M.D., M.P.H.
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Description of Peer Services and Impact on Peer Support Workers
Personal Accounts
Creating the Conditions for Successful Integration of Peer Support Specialists Into Research StudiesRegina M. Hendrix-Brown, M.A., and Gary R. Bourdeau
2019, Volume 70, Issue 4, pp. 344–345
2019, Volume 70, Issue 4, pp. 344–345
Brief Reports
Survey of Peer Support Specialists: Professional Activities, Self-Rated Skills, Job Satisfaction, and Financial Well-beingAdrienne Lapidos, Ph.D., Jennie Jester, Ph.D., Monica Ortquist, C.P.S.S., Pamela Werner, M.A., L.L.P., Mary C. Ruffolo, Ph.D., M.S.W., Matthew Smith, Ph.D., M.S.W.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 12, pp. 1264–1267
2018, Volume 69, Issue 12, pp. 1264–1267
Datapoints
National Trends in Peer Specialist CertificationJessica Wolf, Ph.D.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 10, p. 1049
2018, Volume 69, Issue 10, p. 1049
Open Forum
Defining Peer Roles and Status Among Community Health Workers and Peer Support Specialists in Integrated Systems of CareAllen S. Daniels, Ed.D., Sue Bergeson, Keris Jän Myrick, M.B.A., M.S.
2017, Volume 68, Issue 12, pp. 1296–1298
Also featured in Integrated Care collection.
2017, Volume 68, Issue 12, pp. 1296–1298
Taking Issue
Hiring Peers as Vocational SpecialistsDeborah R. Becker, M.Ed.
2015, Volume 66, Issue 4, p. 337
2015, Volume 66, Issue 4, p. 337
Article
Mental Health and Quality of Life Among Veterans Employed as Peer and Vocational Rehabilitation SpecialistsSusan V. Eisen, Ph.D., Lisa N. Mueller, Ph.D., Bei Hung Chang, Ph.D., Sandra G. Resnick, Ph.D., Mark R. Schultz, Ph.D., Jack A. Clark, Ph.D.
2015, Volume 66, Issue 4, pp. 381–388
2015, Volume 66, Issue 4, pp. 381–388
Brief Reports
Leadership and Characteristics of Nonprofit Mental Health Peer-Run Organizations NationwideLaysha Ostrow, Ph.D., M.P.P., and Stephania L. Hayes, M.A., O.T.R.
2015, Volume 66, Issue 4, pp. 421–425
2015, Volume 66, Issue 4, pp. 421–425
Brief Reports
Personal and Societal Benefits of Providing Peer Support: A Survey of Peer Support SpecialistsGene Johnson, M.S.W., Chris Magee, B.S., Mihoko Maru, M.A., Kathleen Furlong-Norman, M.Ed., M.S.W., E. Sally Rogers, Sc.D., and Kenneth Thompson, M.D.
2014, Volume 65, Issue 5, pp. 678–680
2014, Volume 65, Issue 5, pp. 678–680
Brief Reports
Certified Peer Specialist Roles and Activities: Results From a National SurveyMark S. Salzer, Ph.D., Edward Schwenk, B.A., C.P.S., Eugene Brusilovskiy, B.A.
2010, Volume 61, Issue 5, pp. 520–523
2010, Volume 61, Issue 5, pp. 520–523
Intervention Evaluations
Article
The Effectiveness of a Peer-Staffed Crisis Respite Program as an Alternative to HospitalizationEllen E. Bouchery, M.S., Michael Barna, M.A., Elizabeth Babalola, M.P.H., Daniel Friend, M.S., Jonathan D. Brown, Ph.D., Crystal Blyler, Ph.D., Henry T. Ireys, Ph.D.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 10, pp. 1069–1074
Also featured in Community-Based Mental Health Crisis Services collection.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 10, pp. 1069–1074
Article
Peer-Led Self-Management of General Medical Conditions for Patients With Serious Mental Illnesses: A Randomized TrialBenjamin G. Druss, M.D., M.P.H., Manasvini Singh, M.S.P.H., Silke A. von Esenwein, Ph.D., Gretl E. Glick, M.P.H., Stephanie Tapscott, M.S.W., Sherry Jenkins Tucker, M.A., Cathy A. Lally, M.S.P.H., Evelina W. Sterling, Ph.D.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 5, pp. 529–535
Also featured in Health Disparities Among People With Serious Mental Illness collection.2018, Volume 69, Issue 5, pp. 529–535
Article
Outcomes of a Peer Mentor Intervention for Persons With Recurrent Psychiatric HospitalizationMaria J. O'Connell, Ph.D., William H. Sledge, M.D., Martha Staeheli, Ph.D., David Sells, Ph.D., Mark Costa, M.D., M.P.H., Melissa Wieland, Ph.D., Larry Davidson, Ph.D.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 7, pp. 760–767
2018, Volume 69, Issue 7, pp. 760–767
Featured in Psychiatric Services From Pages to Practice.
Brief Reports
Augmenting Ongoing Depression Care With a Mutual Peer Support Intervention Versus Self-Help Materials Alone: A Randomized TrialMarcia Valenstein, M.D., M.S., Paul N. Pfeiffer, M.D., Samantha Brandfon, L.M.S.W., Heather Walters, M.S., Dara Ganoczy, M.P.H., Hyungjin Myra Kim, Sc.D., Jay L. Cohen, Ph.D., Winnetha Benn-Burton, Ph.D., Elaine Carroll, M.D., Jennifer Henry, L.M.S.W., Elizabeth Garcia, B.A., Brittany Risk, L.M.S.W., Helen C. Kales, M.D., John D. Piette, Ph.D., Michele Heisler, M.D.
2016, Volume 67, Issue 2, pp. 236–239
2016, Volume 67, Issue 2, pp. 236–239
Brief Reports
Impact of Consumer-Operated Services on Empowerment and Recovery of People With Psychiatric DisabilitiesPatrick W. Corrigan, Psy.D.
2006, Volume 57, Issue 10, pp. 1493–1496
2006, Volume 57, Issue 10, pp. 1493–1496
Systematic Reviews
Reviews & Overviews
A Systematic Review of the Attributes and Outcomes of Peer Work and Guidelines for Reporting Studies of Peer InterventionsAlicia Jean King, B.Occ.Thy., and Magenta Bender Simmons, Ph.D.
2018, Volume 69, Issue 9, pp. 961–977
2018, Volume 69, Issue 9, pp. 961–977
Assessing the Evidence Base Series
Peer Recovery Support for Individuals With Substance Use Disorders: Assessing the EvidenceSharon Reif, Ph.D., Lisa Braude, Ph.D., D. Russell Lyman, Ph.D., Richard H. Dougherty, Ph.D., Allen S. Daniels, Ed.D., Sushmita Shoma Ghose, Ph.D., Onaje Salim, Ed.D., L.P.C., and Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D.
2014, Volume 65, Issue 7, pp. 853–861
Also featured in Substance Use Disorders collection.
2014, Volume 65, Issue 7, pp. 853–861
Creating a Research Agenda
Open Forum
Establishing a Research Agenda for Understanding the Role and Impact of Mental Health Peer SpecialistsMatthew Chinman, Ph.D., D. Keith McInnes, Sc.D., M.Sc., Susan Eisen, Ph.D., Marsha Ellison, Ph.D., Marianne Farkas, Sc.D., Moe Armstrong, M.B.A., M.A., Sandra G. Resnick, Ph.D.
2017, Volume 68, Issue 9, pp. 955–957
2017, Volume 68, Issue 9, pp. 955–957
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