Cultural competency in peer-run programs: results of a web survey and implications for future practice

Understanding Peerness in Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Care

Emotional and interpersonal support systems are fundamental to recovery-oriented support programs. Peerness represents the quality of shared lived experience that enhances such support programs. Through peerness, providers of formal peer support (FPS) strategically disclose their lived experience to help service recipients reach their goals. FPS disclosure is limited compared with the kind of free sharing in mutual support programs, with FPS focusing on information that specifically helps service recipients on their recovery journey. Peerness has additional value for shared experiences relevant for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. This Open Forum also considers where peerness conceptually fits into research of recovery-based services.

Peer navigators and integrated care to address ethnic health disparities of people with serious mental illness

People of color with serious mental illnesses experience high rates of morbidity and mortality. Patient navigators, developed for cancer care, may help this group benefit from integrated care. This review examined patient navigators' key ingredients for cancer care for relevance to patients of color for application of peer services to psychiatric goals. Among cancer patients, navigators lead to greater treatment engagement and improved health outcomes for ethnic minority groups. Research also suggests peers can improve integrated care by providing effective psychiatric services to individuals with mental illness. Ongoing research examines peer navigators' impact on integrated care for patients of color.