Advancing Peer Support
Peer support seems to have risen to stardom in the mental health care field and is finally receiving the recognition it deserves. The Action Agenda for the Future of Peer Support from the Temple University Collaborative appears to be a grand plan to intensify and extend peer support services. I can’t help but wonder if the authors and their agenda are actually hindering rather than helping the movement. It feels like the agenda is simply a reading list for a select group of peers, raising doubts about its broader impact.
A Holistic Vision for Peer Support
One of the most commendable aspects of the Action Agenda is its holistic approach. The document does not limit its scope to simply expanding peer support services. Instead, it emphasizes the development of peer workers, organizational readiness, and policy changes necessary to fully integrate peer support into mental health systems. This broad focus reflects a deep understanding of the complexities involved in transforming the mental health field.
Additionally, the agenda highlights the need for peer support services to be culturally competent and inclusive. This is especially important as mental health care must cater to the varied experiences of individuals from diverse backgrounds. The recognition that peer support should reflect these differences is a step in the right direction for building equitable mental health services.
Clear, Actionable Steps
Another strength of the Action Agenda lies in its clear and actionable recommendations. It provides stakeholders—including policymakers, service providers, and peer organizations—with a roadmap to advance peer support. These specific steps offer a practical guide for turning the vision into reality, which helps stakeholders visualize how to implement these changes effectively.
Moreover, the emphasis on research and evidence-based practices is critical. By encouraging further research, the agenda seeks to professionalize the role of peer workers and solidify their contributions to mental health care. This focus on legitimizing peer support through evidence is essential for its integration into more traditional mental health systems.
Areas for Growth: Barriers, Metrics, and Technology
While the agenda lays out an ambitious plan, it does not fully address some of the practical barriers to implementing peer support services. Challenges such as funding limitations, resistance from traditional mental health professionals, and systemic biases are real obstacles that must be overcome. A deeper exploration of these issues would make the plan more realistic and grounded in the current landscape.
Additionally, while the agenda provides clear action steps, it lacks detailed metrics for measuring progress. Without specific benchmarks or ways to measure success, it is difficult to ensure accountability or assess the impact of these initiatives. The inclusion of concrete metrics would offer clearer guidance for evaluating progress.
The agenda also misses an opportunity to discuss the role of technology in peer support. In today’s digital age, technology is revolutionizing mental health care. Telehealth, apps, and online support groups are all tools that can expand access to peer support, particularly for individuals in rural or underserved areas. By integrating discussions on how to harness these digital tools, the agenda could further enhance its relevance and reach.
The Role of the Prosumer
One notable area that could have been expanded is the role of prosumers—individuals with both lived experience and professional training. Prosumers have a unique ability to bridge the gap between traditional mental health professionals and peer support workers. Their dual perspective allows them to address the needs of individuals in ways that may not be possible from a single vantage point. Focusing more on the prosumer identity could offer valuable insight into how peer support can evolve and grow within the broader mental health system.
Moving Forward: A Call for a More Inclusive Vision
The Action Agenda for the Future of Peer Support presents an inspiring and comprehensive vision for the next phase of peer support services. Its focus on diversity, actionable steps, and research is commendable. However, by addressing practical barriers, introducing measurable outcomes, leveraging technology, and emphasizing the prosumer identity, this agenda could become an even more powerful tool for change.
As the mental health field continues to evolve, it is crucial that peer support is given the attention and resources it deserves. The future of mental health care must include the voices and contributions of peers, professionals, and prosumers alike. Together, we can advance peer support into the next era—ensuring that every individual receives the care and understanding they need to thrive.
Author Info:
Max E. Guttman
Max E. Guttman is the owner of Mindful Living LCSW, PLLC, a private mental health practice in Yonkers, New York.
0 thoughts on “Advancing Peer Support: A Critical Look at the Action Agenda for the Future of Peer Support”
This is a very good analysis of the evolution of peer support in America. All this talk about “diversity” has developed into the creation of more buzz words aimed to create an appearance of diversity, equity, and inclusion without the actual substance. To the untrained and insensitive eye, the ideas and concepts presented in the Action Agenda for the Future of Peer Support paper may very well support and validate diversity in the peer movement. However, the focus of this agenda, to me, is very narrow-minded with a small target audience (the peer workforce) and the push for peer support professionals to provide peer support services to peers in in-person settings only as the vehicle to promote community engagement. Choosing to ignore or diminish the impact that telehealth and other forms of technology that have entered the mainstream because of the arrival of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which forced millions of people around the world to reevaluate their lives in dozens of ways (e.g. work, school, medical and behavioral health care, social interaction, shopping, bill-pay). To ignore technology as a vital part of delivering behavioral health services is to alienate and de-validate several groups of individuals. This level is blatant disrespect and disregard, as outlined in the Action Agenda for the Future of Peer Support paper, suggest to me another argument for why the peer/prosumer movement has been hijacked, who wants control of the movement, and who is being purposely left out of the movement or whose role has been diminished.
Peer support it is important and fundamental society should invest in programs socially alined with the idea to support Peers in all levels in the work place.
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