Supporting Trauma-Informed Peer Support in Traditional Provider Agencies

Darby Penney, M.L.S.

There has been a recent, rapid expansion of “peer support specialist” positions within traditional mental health programs.  These jobs are usually designed by professionals who are unfamiliar with the principles and practices of peer support. Research shows that this often places “peer” staff in untenable workplace situations and impedes clients'access to genuine peer support services. This workshop will provide concrete examples of how administrators, managers, supervisors and non-peer colleagues can facilitate the successful integration of trauma-informed peer support into their agencies' service offerings.

Goals and Objectives

Participants will understand:

  1. That peer support work is a unique specialty with its own history, values,  practices, and necessary experiential knowledge.

  2. The basic principles and practices of trauma-informed peer support.

  3. Challenges faced by organizations implementing trauma-informed peer support.

  4. Successes experienced faced by organizations implementing trauma-informed peer support.

Course materials:

Trauma-Informed Peer Support in Traditional Provider Agencies

Link to brief presenter bio:

Darby Penney