Have you overcome addiction or a mental disorder personally or been very close to someone who has? When you understand first-hand how important it is to have a good support system, it's natural to want to help others facing the same problems. The Peer Support Specialist course will provide you with the education and training you need to appropriately help others and use your experiences for positive outcomes.
Whether you've experienced recovery from addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring substance and mental disorders becoming a Peer Support Specialist may be a great option for you. You will gain an understanding of the roles of Peer Specialists and Peer Supporters relative to advocacy, addressing stigma and discrimination, interpersonal communication, an overview of mental health and substance use disorders, cultural competence, ethical responsibilities and legal issues, including HIPAA. You'll learn to empower and help others through videos portraying stories of peers in recovery from mental illness and/or addiction throughout the coursework, and become a role model for others and show them that it is possible to achieve recovery.
This course includes content and standards that are promoted by INAOPS, the International Association of Peer Supporters and may be accepted by State Certification Boards that provide credentials for Recovery Peer Specialists or Peer Supporters. You should check with your State Certification Boards for more information on Certification.
I.
Lesson
1: Peer Specialist Overview
A.
Learn
definitions and tasks performed by peer specialists
B.
Learn
the value of inspiring hope and contributing to the development of a
recovery
culture
C.
Be
introduced to appropriate roles in the workplace
D.
Understand
how their own values are formed and how understanding themselves
effects the
way in which they understand others
E.
Be
introduced to concepts such as conflict resolution, cultural competency
and
tolerance
F.
Understand
the importance of self-care and design a self-care plan
II.
Lesson 2:
Recovery and Resiliency
A.
Recognize
that recovery is unique to the individual
B.
Develop
their own personal recovery definition
C.
Understand
recovery principles so that they can be applied to those they serve
D.
Define
and identify strengths based treatment, attitudes and communication
E.
Be
able to identify their own strengths and values and learn how to
identify the
strengths and values of others.
F.
Understand
the concept of Resiliency as used in prevention and recovery.
III.
Lesson
3: Legal Issues and HIPAA Overview
A.
Learn
the ability to identify barriers to recovery, and use a resource
strengths-based approach in all aspects of communication with peers and
staff
B.
Learn
how to use a peer's person-centered plan as a basis to create a plan of
action
C.
Learn
to create accurate, peer-contact documentation with appropriate details
D.
Understand
the importance of administrative requirements and the timeliness of
events
IV.
Lesson 4:
Stigma Issues
A.
Learn
the ability to identify labels and stereotypes
B.
Learn
the meaning of stigma
C.
Learn
how stigma can affect them and others
D.
Understand
the importance of "person-first" language
E.
Learn
ways they can fight stigma as a PS
V.
Lesson 5:
Interpersonal Communication
A.
Learn
the role of effective verbal and non-verbal communication
B.
Explore
various communication styles and examine their own skills
C.
Learn
how to perform reflective listening
D.
Be
introduced to motivational interviewing
E.
Learn
how values can affect communication
F.
Identify
roadblocks to effective communication
VI.
Lesson 6:
Mental Health Disorders
A.
Understand
how societal values have affected how mental illness is perceived and
treated
B.
Understand
how and why the recovery model has developed
C.
Recognize
the symptoms of clinical depression
D.
Explore
coping and recovery strategies for depression
E.
Understand
the basic components of the DSM-V and how and why it is used by mental
health
professionals
F.
Develop
skills to deal with peers exhibiting difficult behavior or presenting a
crisis
G.
Learn
to ensure the safety of peers while building trust and identifying
barriers to
recovery
VII.
Lesson 7:
Substance Abuse Disorders
A.
Understand
the difference between substance use, abuse, dependence and addiction
B.
Recognize
the "disease concept" of addiction and its key elements
C.
Describe
the concept of co-occurring disorders
D.
List
five similarities that substance and psychiatric disorders have in
common
E.
List
six major guiding principles in treating people who have co-occurring
disorders
F.
Identify
relapse prevention plans suitable for peers and/or veterans with
co-occurring
disorders
VIII.
Lesson 8:
Cultural Competence
A.
Gain
understanding of what cultures are
B.
Learn
why it is important to recognize cultural differences and preferences
C.
Understand
stereotyping, stigma and personal values related to culture
D.
Explore
the concept of holistic recovery which may include clinical practices,
medicine
and personal spirituality as valued components that support people in
healthy
recovery
IX.
Lesson 9:
Ethics: Peer Specialist
A.
Put
into practice appropriate self-disclosure
B.
Understand
the personal dynamics of conflict
C.
Develop
methods for resolving conflicts
D.
Understand
why ethical and boundary issues are important for peer specialists
E.
Realize
the importance of confidentiality and how it applies to peer specialists
F.
Explore
situations that may cause ethical and boundary issues to arise
X.
Lesson
10: Adult Education
A.
Learn
the difference between leading a group and facilitating a group
B.
Learn
how to facilitate a group
C.
Become
familiar with the types and purposes of groups
D.
Review
adult learning principles
E.
Gain
insight into how adults are motivated to learn
XI.
Lesson
11: Community Reintegration
A.
Gain
a basic understanding of the six steps of WRAP
B.
Learn
how they can help a peer deal with life's challenges
C.
Understand
the role person-centered planning plays in recovery
D.
Appreciate
the importance of psychiatric advance directives
E.
Gain
an understanding of the federal laws that promote self-determination
F.
Have
the information they need to be able to advocate on the behalf of peers
XII.
Lesson 12:
Wellness
A.
Define
wellness
B.
Identify
the essentials of good health
C.
Communicate
the body's need for water as a simple essential of wellness
D.
Implement
simple steps to improve mood
E.
Explain
the purpose of sleep and its role in reducing daily stress
F.
Identify
personal habits through self-assessment
G.
List
stress management tips to reduce tension
H.
Identify
the effects of smoking
I.
Explain
the importance of getting organized and setting goals
J.
Identify
their personality profile and how it can affect financial decision
making
1. Can I
register
for programs if I am an international student?
Yes, because ed2go programs are online you never
have to
actually travel to the school. Most schools offer telephone or online
registration.
2. How long
does it
take to complete a program?
All of our programs are self-paced and open
enrollment, so
you can start them when you want and finish them at your own pace. When
you
register, you'll receive three (3) months to complete the program.
3. What if I
don't
have enough time to complete my program within the time frame provided?
The time allotted to complete your program has
been
calculated based on the number of hours for each program, so don't
worry too
much about not completing in time. If, after a concerted effort, you
are still
unable to complete, your Student Advisor will help you work out a
suitable
completion date. Please note that a fee may be charged for an extension.
4. Do I have to
buy
additional materials?
No
5. Can I get
financial assistance?
ed2go courses are non-credit courses, so they do
not qualify
for federal aid. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce
development
boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses.
Additionally, some
students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they
meet
certain requirements.
6. What happens
when
I complete the program?
Upon successful completion of the program, you
will be
awarded a certificate of completion.
7. Am I
guaranteed a
job?
ed2go programs will provide you with the skills
you need to
obtain an entry-level position in most cases. We don't provide direct
job
placement services, but our facilitators and career counselors will
help you
build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your
first job. Facilitators will also be
available to use as
a professional reference upon completion of the program. Potential
students
should always do research on the job market in their area before
registering.
8. Who will be
my
instructor?
Each student is paired with a facilitator for
one-on-one
interaction. The facilitator will be available (via e-mail) to answer
any
questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All
of our
facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in
which they
teach.
9. What
software or
hardware do I need in order to take online programs and what are the
system
requirements?
In order to take our online programs, you must
have access
to a computer and the Internet. You can access the program contents
from any
Web-enabled computer. You don't have to use the same computer to log-in
to the
program every time. We recommend that you have a word-processing
program
(Microsoft Word is the best) and the latest version of Internet
Explorer.
10. Can I use a Mac?
Yes
11. How can I get
more information about this program?
If you have questions that are not answered on our
website,
please feel free to contact us via LIVE chat (click the button above). If you are visiting us during non-business
hours,
please feel free to send us a question using the
"Contact
Us" form to the right. You may also
call us at 1-877-221-5151.
We will answer your questions promptly.
12. When can I start
the program?
Our programs are all open enrollment. You can
register and
start the program as soon as you are ready.
Please note: Once the program curriculum is
accessed online
or through submission of a material shipment confirmation, refunds
cannot be
issued.
13. Does this program
prepare for a certification?
This 40-hour training program includes content and standards that are promoted by INAOPS, the International Association of Peer Supporters and may be accepted by State Certification Boards that provide credentials for Recovery Peer Specialists or Peer Supporters. Students should check with their State Certification Boards for more information on Certification.