Integrating Peer Workers
A peer worker is a person in recovery who has been trained to provide non-clinical, strengths-based supports to people experiencing similar challenges. Peer workers offer direct social and emotional support, help forge connections to clinical care and community resources, and share hope that recovery is possible.
A growing body of research shows the support provided by peer workers benefits people in or seeking recovery in many ways. People report improvements in social support and social functioning, self-esteem and confidence, sense of control and ability to bring about changes in their lives, and engagement in self-care and healthy behaviors. Peer support also leads to reduced hospital admission rates and longer community tenure. Families connected with peer support experience an increased sense of collaboration, decreased internalized blame, increased empowerment to take action, and decreased family isolation.
Peer workers also help behavioral health organizations get better at what they do. Whether organizations employ peers or partner with peer-run organizations, they improve their own capacity to effectively engage and support people living with behavioral health conditions–ultimately improving outcomes.
By preparing and supporting peer workers to participate fully in all aspects of planning, delivering, and evaluating services, organizations demonstrate commitment to recovery. Building an infrastructure to engage peers in this way is important ensure the wisdom of lived experience informs all their work.
We Can Help You
- Share the value and benefits of recovery supports and peer workers
- Increase knowledge and skills, capacity, and infrastructure to integrate peers and peer-run organizations into behavioral health and health care services and systems
- Develop strategies to hire, support, and retain peer workers
- Train peer workers in specific work-related competencies and leadership development
- Train people who are supervising peer workers
Learn more about partnering with us.
“[C4-operated] Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) has been instrumental in raising awareness of the need for peer support services. BRSS TACS has done tremendous work to strengthen the infrastructure for peer support services by building the capacity of peer-run organizations, states, tribes, and territories.” -C4 community partner
Our Experts
Learn More
- Providing Peer Support in Crisis Services—webinar recording hosted by Cheryl Gagne (61:39 minutes)
- Integration and Supervision of Peer Workers—webinar recording hosted by Cheryl Gagne (60:07 minutes)
- Core Competencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral Health Services—prepared by C4 staff with funding from SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) project
- Self-Assessment Tools
- Engages peers in collaborative & caring relationships
- Provides support
- Shares lived experiences of recovery
- Personalizes peer support
- Supports recovery planning
- Links to resources, services & support
- Provides information about skills related to health, wellness & recovery
- Helps peers to manage crises
- Values communication
- Supports collaboration & teamwork
- Promotes leadership & advocacy
- Promotes growth and development
- Self-Assessment Tools
- Value of Peers—prepared by C4 staff with funding from SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) project
- Peer Support
- Spanish version: Apoyo entre compañeros
- Family, Parent, and Caregiver Peer Support in Behavioral Health
- Peers Supporting Recovery from Mental Health Conditions
- Spanish version: Recuperación de problemas de salud mental con el apoyo de campañeros
- Peers Supporting Recovery from Substance Use Disorders
- Peer Support
- Peers Supporting Youth and Young Adult Recovery—prepared by C4 staff with funding from SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) project
- Integrating Peer Support Workers in Interdisciplinary Care Teams—prepared by C4 staff with funding from SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) project
- My Recovery Journey: Steven Samra—video (4:35 minutes)
- Supervising Peer Workers
- Substance Use and Mental Health Recovery Support
- Opioid Overdose Prevention and Support
- Medication-Assisted Treatment/Medication-Assisted Recovery
- Recovery Housing
- Stigma and Recovery
More about our expertise and our training and technical assistance approaches and offerings.