Tennessee has a long history in the recovery movement. Countless people have contributed in so many ways. I would try to list some of the people from the last years but am afraid of the many names I would miss. Peer support has come eons in terms of being part of the mental health system. This past fall the first annual peer specialist conference was held. 175 people attended a conference that many told us could not happen. My primary perception of the conference was of a community ready to find and use its voice.
We are now at a crossroads though. For peer specialists to do more than work in peer support centers we need a professional presence that will help define the vision and possibilities of what people with lived experience can contribute to the mental health system and to the lives of so many people in such great distress. An organizational committee has been formed to bring this about. Our hope is to establish the Tennessee Association of Peer Specialists as a chapter of the National Association of Peer Specialists. Our hope is to found an organization that goes across the bounds of any one program or one area of the state. Our goal is to help peer specialists find a seat at the table instead of waiting patiently at the door to be let in. If you are interested please contact me and I can help you to find a way to become involved.
There is an even more pressing threat right now. The current budget as suggested would cut spending on peer support. With the possibility of tenn care cuts for mental health providers the net affect may be deadly to the future of peer support in Tennessee. Our hope is also that TAPS would also join the many other voices trying to advocate for a more sane spending policy.
We are on the verge of something very important in Tennessee. If peer support can become an integral part of the mental health delivery system so many will be affected.
Please you in your efforts. We hope to hear from you soon.
January 28, 2012 at 7:24 pm |
I have just started taking the Peer Support Training. Keep me posted on the latest with this. I would hate to know that I couldn’t do anything with the training once I worked so hard to get it.
January 30, 2012 at 3:56 pm |
I think it would benifit the Peer Specialist so much to have places like Centerstone Mental Health speak about the benifits they have seen in using Peer Specialist in their facilities. They have shown that it works and the fear factor has been dealth with in a reasonable way for all concerned. I’m sure there are other agancies that have seen this success and could bring their input to the table. This could give the weight and merit to the issue that some are yet to see in the Peer Specialist…I believe it’s coming though!