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Adjabeng BK, de Saxe Zerden L. Assessing the Training for Certified Peer Support Specialists Who Provide Mental Health and Substance Use Services. J Behav Health Serv Res 2024; 51:338-354. [PMID: 38847957 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-024-09879-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The behavioral health system's peer support workforce must be adequately trained to perform peer support services, but evidence of the adequacy of their training needs to be improved. With survey data from 667 certified peer support specialists (CPSS) from North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, this study used (a) binomial probability test to assess perceptions about the adequacy of the workforce's training, (b) latent profile analysis to identify patterns and predictors of perceptions about the SAMHSA core competencies covered in their training, and (c) thematic analysis to identify additional training needs. Most respondents identified as White (72%), female (73%), and had some college education (83%). Most of the workforce (> 90%) felt prepared to provide services, regardless of their state. Highly and moderately sufficient coverage emerged as two distinct response patterns regarding coverage of the SAMSHA core competencies, with respondents' years of experience, state of residence, education level, race, and sense of preparedness predicting the probability of fitting into either profile. Participants desired additional training in trauma-informed practices, motivational interviewing, and new treatment approaches. Peers' experiences and perspectives were similar across different states. The findings suggest booster training sessions or continuing education opportunities are needed to maintain a robust and well-prepared peer support workforce. States should consider reciprocity agreements to enable the trained workforce to practice across states. A key implication for the training content is the need to incorporate contemporary issues relating to mental health and substance use disorders to better meet behavioral health needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernice K Adjabeng
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work, 325 Pittsboro Street, CB#3550, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3550, USA
- Behavioral Health Springboard, 325 Pittsboro Street, CB #3550, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3550, USA
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC-Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, 725 MLK Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27616, USA
| | - Lisa de Saxe Zerden
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work, 325 Pittsboro Street, CB#3550, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3550, USA.
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC-Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, 725 MLK Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27616, USA.
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Collier KM, Halvorsen CJ, Fortuna KL. Assessing Mental Healthcare Worker Experiences of Workplace Fairness and Organizational Value: A National Survey of Peer-Support Specialists. Workplace Health Saf 2024; 72:14-20. [PMID: 37842958 DOI: 10.1177/21650799231200028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer-support specialists-individuals with diagnosed mental illnesses who provide support services to other adults with diagnosed mental health issues-often feel stigmatized and undervalued at work, leading to negative personal- and job-related outcomes. Given their important link to positive service user outcomes, this study assessed how peer-support specialists perceive fairness and feel valued in the workplace. METHODS Peer-support specialists (N = 274) were recruited online from peer-support specialist listservs, social media groups, and patient-run organizations to take a cross-sectional survey that included a 14-item scale on how workplace fairness relates to job satisfaction and four questions on how valued they felt by administrators, clinicians, the people they serve, and fellow peer-support specialists. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to assess total scores and differences by gender and race. FINDINGS Ranging in age from 20 to 77 years and identifying predominantly as White (81.0%) and female (62.9%), respondents noted that fair practices in the workplace would increase their job satisfaction, with no significant differences observed by gender or race. Most peer-support specialists felt valued by the people they serve (97.1%) and fellow peer-support specialists (92.7%). However, fewer reported feeling valued by administrators (64.6%) and clinicians (60.6%). CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE Peer-support specialists value fairness at the workplace and feel undervalued by some staff. This study highlights peer-support specialists' important role in behavioral health services and suggests that healthcare professionals, including occupational health specialists, are important stakeholders in creating fairer workplaces and increasing peer-support specialists' sense of being valued, leading to improved personal and organizational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cal J Halvorsen
- Boston College School of Social Work
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Work, Health, & Well-being
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Mirbahaeddin E, Chreim S. Work-life boundary management of peer support workers when engaging in virtual mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative case study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1623. [PMID: 37620816 PMCID: PMC10463757 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16488-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health care needs have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Peer support workers (PSWs) and the organizations that employ them have strived to provide services to meet increasing needs. During pandemic lockdowns in Ontario, Canada, these services moved online and were provided by PSWs from their homes. There is paucity of research that examines how providing mental health support by employees working from home influences their work-life boundaries. This research closes the gap by examining experiences of work-life boundary challenges and boundary management strategies of PSWs. METHODS A qualitative case study approach was adopted. Interviews with PSWs who held formal, paid positions in a peer support organization were conducted. Data was analyzed thematically using both inductive and deductive approaches. Descriptive coding that closely utilized participants' words was followed by inferential coding that grouped related themes into conceptual categories informed by boundary theory. Member checking was conducted. RESULTS PSWs provided accounts of work-life boundary challenges that we grouped into three categories: temporal (work schedule encroachments, continuous online presence), physical (minimal workspace segregation, co-presence of household members and pets) and task-related (intersecting work-home activities). Strategies used by PSWs to manage the boundaries consisted of segmenting the work-life domains by creating separate timescapes, spaces and tasks; and integrating domains by allowing some permeability between the areas of work and life. CONCLUSION The findings from this study can help inform management, practices, future research and policy on health care workforce. The study highlights the need to attend to the consequences of greater work-life integration for mental health workers since their successful practice is largely dependent on maintaining self-care. Training regarding work-life boundary management is highlighted as one of the ways to approach situations where work from home is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Mirbahaeddin
- Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 Canada
| | - Samia Chreim
- Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 Canada
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Crocker KM, Gnatt I, Haywood D, Butterfield I, Bhat R, Lalitha ARN, Jenkins ZM, Castle DJ. The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health workforce: A rapid review. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2023; 32:420-445. [PMID: 36461629 PMCID: PMC9878253 DOI: 10.1111/inm.13097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant adaptations to healthcare. Provision of mental healthcare in a changing environment presented healthcare workers with unique challenges and demands, including changes in workload and expectations. To inform current and future healthcare service responses, and adaptations, the current review aimed to collate and examine the impact of the pandemic on mental healthcare workers (MHWs). We conducted a rapid systematic review to examine the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MHWs. Searches were conducted in Ovid Medline and PsycInfo and restricted to articles published from 2020. Inclusion criteria specified articles written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, and that examined any outcome of the impact of COVID-19 on MHWs; 55 articles fulfilled these criteria. Outcomes were categorized into 'work-related outcomes' and 'personal outcomes'. Mental healthcare workers worldwide experienced a range of work-related and personal adversities during the pandemic. Key work-related outcomes included increased workload, changed roles, burnout, decreased job satisfaction, telehealth challenges, difficulties with work-life balance, altered job performance, vicarious trauma and increased workplace violence. Personal outcomes included decreased well-being, increased psychological distress and psychosocial difficulties. These outcomes differed between inpatient, outpatient and remote settings. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the delivery of mental healthcare and MHWs experienced both work-related and personal adversities during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the continuation of changes introduced to healthcare in the initial stages of the pandemic, it will be important to maintain efforts to monitor negative outcomes and ensure supports for MHWs, going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Crocker
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Inge Gnatt
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts & Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | - Darren Haywood
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ingrid Butterfield
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ravi Bhat
- Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Zoe M Jenkins
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David J Castle
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Complex Interventions, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Adams WE, Rogers ES, Lord EM, Edwards JP, Barbone M. Peer Support Specialist Work and Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Longitudinal Study. Psychiatr Serv 2022; 73:1405-1408. [PMID: 35895840 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202100718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study followed up with peer support specialists (PSSs) responding to an earlier survey to assess the pandemic's continued employment and personal effects. METHODS A December 2020 online survey was conducted with respondents to a May 2020 survey. Items on employment status, work tasks, challenges, support, and benefits were included. Responses were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS A total of 496 PSSs completed both surveys. Unemployment remained at 7%. The proportion with full-time employment increased by December, but financial instability also increased. Tasks involving individual support and group facilitation, which had decreased significantly, rebounded somewhat by December, when nearly all PSSs (86%) reported having some new tasks. Job satisfaction remained stable and high. In both surveys, about 75% reported pandemic-related benefits. Symptoms and housing instability among clients increased. CONCLUSIONS Pandemic-related PSS unemployment was relatively stable, and work tasks evolved. Respondents reported increasing needs among clients, as well as pandemic-related work benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallis E Adams
- Department of Sociology, California State University East Bay, Hayward (Adams); Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston (Adams, Rogers); Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston (Lord); Columbia University School of Social Work, New York City, and National Association of Peer Supporters, Washington D.C. (Edwards); private practice, Norton, Massachusetts (Barbone)
| | - E Sally Rogers
- Department of Sociology, California State University East Bay, Hayward (Adams); Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston (Adams, Rogers); Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston (Lord); Columbia University School of Social Work, New York City, and National Association of Peer Supporters, Washington D.C. (Edwards); private practice, Norton, Massachusetts (Barbone)
| | - Emily M Lord
- Department of Sociology, California State University East Bay, Hayward (Adams); Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston (Adams, Rogers); Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston (Lord); Columbia University School of Social Work, New York City, and National Association of Peer Supporters, Washington D.C. (Edwards); private practice, Norton, Massachusetts (Barbone)
| | - Jonathan P Edwards
- Department of Sociology, California State University East Bay, Hayward (Adams); Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston (Adams, Rogers); Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston (Lord); Columbia University School of Social Work, New York City, and National Association of Peer Supporters, Washington D.C. (Edwards); private practice, Norton, Massachusetts (Barbone)
| | - Martha Barbone
- Department of Sociology, California State University East Bay, Hayward (Adams); Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston (Adams, Rogers); Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston (Lord); Columbia University School of Social Work, New York City, and National Association of Peer Supporters, Washington D.C. (Edwards); private practice, Norton, Massachusetts (Barbone)
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Ostrow L, Cook JA, Salzer MS, Pelot M, Burke-Miller JK. Employment Outcomes After Certification as a Behavioral Health Peer Specialist in Four U.S. States. Psychiatr Serv 2022; 73:1239-1247. [PMID: 35734863 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202100651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A 3-year study explores employment outcomes of certified peer specialists (CPSs). Analyses reported here identified relationships between demographic, clinical, work history, and geographic characteristics and employment status and current employment in peer services jobs versus other jobs. METHODS The study recruited adults who recently became a CPS, regardless of current employment status, in four states. Online survey data were collected from March to October 2020 and included demographic information, health status and diagnoses, mental health service use, motivations for becoming certified, employment history, and job characteristics, including job satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to compare groups. RESULTS Of 681 respondents, 591 provided data on current employment and were included. Participants who received Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income, veterans, those who used outpatient counseling or therapy, and those who did not disclose their mental health status in the workplace were less likely to report current employment. Lack of disclosure and higher local unemployment rates contributed to a lower likelihood of working in peer services jobs, whereas individuals reporting depressive disorders were more likely to hold such jobs. Compared with those in other jobs, those in peer services jobs reported longer job tenure, and a larger proportion received employee benefits. Job satisfaction was significantly higher among those with peer services jobs. CONCLUSIONS Workers with a CPS credential had higher employment rates, compared with adults with psychiatric disabilities, and the quality of peer specialist jobs was equal to or higher than the quality of other jobs held by study participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laysha Ostrow
- Live & Learn, Inc., Morro Bay, California (Ostrow, Pelot); School of Global and Community Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California (Ostrow); Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago (Cook, Burke-Miller); Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia (Salzer)
| | - Judith A Cook
- Live & Learn, Inc., Morro Bay, California (Ostrow, Pelot); School of Global and Community Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California (Ostrow); Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago (Cook, Burke-Miller); Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia (Salzer)
| | - Mark S Salzer
- Live & Learn, Inc., Morro Bay, California (Ostrow, Pelot); School of Global and Community Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California (Ostrow); Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago (Cook, Burke-Miller); Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia (Salzer)
| | - Morgan Pelot
- Live & Learn, Inc., Morro Bay, California (Ostrow, Pelot); School of Global and Community Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California (Ostrow); Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago (Cook, Burke-Miller); Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia (Salzer)
| | - Jane K Burke-Miller
- Live & Learn, Inc., Morro Bay, California (Ostrow, Pelot); School of Global and Community Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California (Ostrow); Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago (Cook, Burke-Miller); Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia (Salzer)
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Walker ER, Gonzalez T, Howard L, Nguyen JK, Tucker SJ, Hayes R, Johnson C, Moore E, Druss BG. Qualitative Study of Certified Peer Specialists' Experiences Delivering Peer Support Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psychiatr Serv 2022; 74:539-542. [PMID: 36128695 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202100662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of certified peer specialists (CPSs) in delivering telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Fourteen semistructured interviews with CPSs were conducted from August to November 2020. Data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. RESULTS Helpful support from employers during the transition to telehealth included clear communication and access to training on telehealth technologies. Main barriers and facilitators were related to interpersonal relationships and logistical factors. CPSs reported that telehealth allowed them to continue to support the peers they serve but that the quality of interactions was not as good as with in-person services. Logistical challenges included inadequate equipment and Internet access. CONCLUSIONS To support CPSs in delivering telehealth, employers can engage them in open and transparent communication about guidelines for service delivery, provide training and equipment, and allow them the flexibility to tailor service delivery modalities to the peers they serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Reisinger Walker
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Tatiana Gonzalez
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Leah Howard
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Julie K Nguyen
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Sharon Jenkins Tucker
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Roslind Hayes
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Chris Johnson
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Emily Moore
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
| | - Benjamin G Druss
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (Walker, Howard), Hubert Department of Global Health (Gonzalez), and Department of Health Policy and Management (Nguyen, Moore, Druss), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta; Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Tucker, Georgia (Tucker, Hayes, Johnson)
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Fruitman K, Knight RN, Avery J. Virtual Engagement with Peer Recovery Specialists for Patients with Substance Use Disorders Hospitalized during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Report. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry 2022; 63:292-293. [PMID: 35033730 PMCID: PMC8755552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaclp.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel N Knight
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Avery
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Providing peer navigation services to women with a history of opioid misuse pre- and post-release from jail: A program description. J Clin Transl Sci 2022; 6:e106. [PMID: 36128341 PMCID: PMC9453575 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2022.441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Justice system-involved women with opioid use disorder (OUD) experience layered health risks and stigma, yet peer navigation services during reentry may support positive outcomes. This manuscript offers a program description of a women’s peer navigation intervention delivered pre- and post-release from jail to remove barriers to women’s access to OUD treatment, including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Methods: All data were collected as part of a NIH/NIDA-funded national cooperative, the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) project. Through the larger study’s intervention, women in jail with OUD are connected via videoconference to a peer navigator, who provides an initial reentry recovery assessment and 12+ weeks of recovery support sessions post-release. Qualitative analyses examined peers’ notes from initial sessions with women (N = 50) and in-depth interviews with peers (N = 3). Results: Peers’ notes from initial sessions suggest that women anticipate challenges to successful recovery and community reentry. More than half of women (51.9%) chose OUD treatment as their primary goal, while others selected more basic needs (e.g. housing, transportation). In qualitative interviews, peers described women’s transitions to the community as unpredictable, creating difficulties for reentry planning, particularly for rural women. Peers also described challenges with stigma against MOUD and establishing relationships via telehealth, but ultimately believed their role was valuable in providing resource referrals, support, and hope for recovery. Conclusions: For women with OUD, peer navigation can offer critical linkages to services at release from jail, in addition to hope, encouragement, and solidarity. Findings provide important insights for future peer-based interventions.
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