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School offers free, web-based training for Peer Support Specialists

By Ron Mangum

The Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program (BHRP) at the UNC School of Social Work recently launched a free, web-based training entitled “Supervising N.C. Certified Peer Support Specialists.”

Peer Support Specialists are people living in recovery with mental illness and/or substance abuse and who provide support to others who can benefit from their lived experiences.

Course evaluations for those completing the course indicate that participants are overwhelmingly favorable of their online course experience. They report in their evaluations that this course meets their educational objectives and the training increased their knowledge of the subject.

Here are just a few responses:

  • “I thoroughly enjoyed this online class. For anyone who desires to serve to their staff and clients with compassion and excellence, it is a much needed course. I am looking forward developing my professional skills.”
  • “The training was well done!  Very nice way to make this information available to those supervising PSS given the time constraints on providers to attend face to face trainings. Thank you for the wonderful work!”
  • “Thank you so much for the opportunity and the training. I feel much more informed and strengthened from this and I appreciate it.”
  • “Thank you, this was refreshing and just what I needed for myself and my job.”

This course although primarily designed to assist supervisors of peer support specialists; it is appropriate for anyone providing services to consumers. To date both supervisors and specialists have enrolled in and successfully competed this course.

The program was developed by the Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program for the NC Division MHDDSAS in collaboration with Peer Support Specialists from across the state and is presented through the Behavioral Healthcare Resource Program’s Springboard virtual learning community website.