Create Improved Curriculum for Each of Type of Peer Support

Action Plan:

Part I:

Subtask

Create and submit definitions for family peer support and Youth peer support

Create improved curriculum for each of type of peer support

Receive endorsement of both of the above from the advisory groups that have a stake in these services.

Push for State Agencies BHSD, CYFD, HSD/Medicaid to accept and support recommended changes.

Ultimate Goal: Government Agencies will follow, support and implement recommended endorsed changes.

Overall Goal of the Action Plan

What I would like to accomplish is a unified vision and plan for the expansion of Peer Supports. Many groups are having conversations separate from one another and feel “ownership” of the service and yet we still do not have concrete definitions, improved and sustainable training plans or long term commitment from government agencies for the full continuum of peer services. I would like to see a training plan that could be supported beyond a short-term grant or temporary funding source.

Action Plan Objectives

Objective 1: Create a service definition for Family Peer Support and Youth Peer Support

Objective 2: Make a decision as to whether a shared foundational training approach for Peer Support workers (adult, family and youth) or keep trainings and process the same or similar to how they are now and just make some improvements.

Objective 3: Get buy-in and support from the Government Agencies that have stake in the various Certifications

Objective 4: Create a marketing presentation for New Mexico providers that will explain the continuum of Peer Supports and their effectiveness.

I have chosen these objectives as these are the discussions and objectives that the Advisory bodies have already been working on separately. I am in a unique position to facilitate communication as I am on The OPRE Advisory Board, The Child and Adolescent Sub-Committee and the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals and as an employee of the Statewide Family Organization have had working relationships and contracts with key personnel within the state agencies that focus on mental health services. Peer services within New Mexico have been limping along for years without significant improvements to training and without understanding and education for potential employers. None of the current Peer –run organizations bill Medicaid and only a few provider organizations throughout the state utilize peer support services. So essentially trainings have continued over the last 10 years, but jobs have been limited.

Marketing/Outreach Plan

Enlist those providers that utilize peer support to help create testimonials for providers. Create a presentation about peer support benefits and costs and explain that a supervisor training will be in the making to help support potential employers. Present to the New Mexico Provider Association, hopefully using Carol Luna-Anderson Executive Director of The LifeLink who is the largest employer of Peer Support Providers in New Mexico and a current member of the New Mexico Provider Alliance.

Notifications for trainings and opportunities will be announced at the various advisory boards and sent out through their email networks.

Ongoing Communication Plan

A monthly workgroup meeting will be scheduled for the core team. The team will communicate primarily via group emails and google docs. The OPRE Peer Advisory Board and The CASC will be given updates on progress and consulted regularly for feedback and direction.

Plans for Celebrating Success

Progress will be part of the reporting that we will do when we present to the advisory board and the CASC. I will be emphasizing the completion of subtasks by turning on my celebratory mini-disco ball.

PART II

Objective 1: Create a service definition for Family Peer Support and Youth Peer Support

1.1 Create Service Definitions – Monica Miura, CYFD Kristin Jones, Michael Ruble, CASC

1.2 Receive endorsement from Child and Adolescent Sub-committee (CASC) – Monica Miura, Michael Ruble

1.3 Receive endorsement from the Office of Peer Recovery and Engagement Peer Advisory Board (OPRE Advisory) Mark Garnand, Russ Liles, Monica Miura

1.4 Receive endorsement from the Medicaid and Adult SubCommittee – Mark Garnand, Carol Luna-Anderson and Russ Liles

1.5 Send endorsed definitions to the Medicaid Services Division with request that they utilize and incorporate in their current efforts.

Timeline: All three definitions completed and endorsed by August 31.

1.1Receive TA on whether we should we utilize the OPRE Advisory Board and the CASC and Adult Medicaid Subcommittee to create and/or endorse recommended training curriculum and Certification process for Adult Peer, Family Peer and Youth Peer that they recommend and endorse to the Behavioral Health Services Division, the Children Youth and Families Department and the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals. Proposal to include utilizing a foundation of trainings to create the SEE ME approach: Strengths, Engagement, Empowerment, Maintaining wellness and Ethics and boundaries (this could include strength-based lens training, Emotional CPR, Wrap, Mental Health First Aid, and Ethics and Boundaries for peers).

1.2Utilize this work group with representatives from each of the government agencies and advisory bodies to create a recommended foundational training for each of the Peer Certifications or utilize the work group to make recommended changes for the current requirements and training. The entire work group identified for this TA

1.3Submit recommendations to Advisory Groups for endorsement – Monica Miura, Mark Ruble, Carol Luna Anderson, Russ Liles and Mark Garnand.

1.4Give endorsements to CYFD and BHSD and request a meeting to discuss and request consideration – Mark Garnand, Carol Luna Anderson and Mark Ruble.

Timeline: December 31, 2017?

Objective 3: Get buy-in and support from the Government Agencies that have stake in the various Certifications with each Government agency agreeing to commit training funds and possible support staff to expand the peer workforce.

1.1Include Government Agency representatives in this TA and work process – Monica Miura

1.2Include Advisory bodies that represent Peer, Families and Youth in this process including the chairs of each group in the TA workgroup.– Monica Miura, Carol Luna Anderson, Mark Ruble, and Russ Liles

1.3Present to Bryce Pittenger Director of the Office of Behavioral Health Programs at CYFD-Monica Miura and advisory group Chairs

1.4Present to Wayne Lindstrom Executive Director of BHSD- Monica Miura and Advisory Group Chairs

December 31, 2017