California Association Of Mental Health Peer Run Organizations

BUILDING PEER LEADERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA - THE OUTCOMES OF BUILDING PEER LEADERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA WILL BE: - CREATING TRAINING AND A HANDBOOK, A BLUEPRINT FOR BUILDING CAPACITY OF MENTAL HEALTH PEER-RUN ORGANIZATIONS, WHILE CATEGORIZING THE EXISTENCE AND NEEDS OF THOSE AGENCIES - EMPOWERING AND INCREASING THE LEVELS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN PEER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS - CONTINUING TO BRING THE VOICES OF CONSUMERS TO THE POLICY LEADERS, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW PEER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. THIS PROJECT WILL SEEK TO ACHIEVE THE OVER-ARCHING VISION OF TRANSFORMING THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM BY BUILDING PEER LEADERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF PEER-RUN PROGRAMS AND PEER SUPPORT. THIS IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH CAMHPRO’S MISSION, “TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES AND THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA TO EMPOWER, SUPPORT, AND ENSURE THE RIGHTS OF CONSUMERS, ELIMINATE STIGMA, AND ADVANCE SELF-DETERMINATION FOR ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BY CHAMPIONING THE WORK OF CONSUMERS AND CONSUMER-RUN ORGANIZATIONS.” THIS PROPOSAL RESPONDS TO HISTORIC AND UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA’S CURRENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LANDSCAPE. CALIFORNIA IS NEWLY IMPLEMENTING A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WHO WILL PROVIDE STATE-REIMBURSED SERVICES IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SETTINGS. THE STATE HAS MADE A LARGE MULTI-YEAR FUNDING COMMITMENT TO THE EXPANSION OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE, INCLUDING PEER SPECIALISTS. THE STATE HAS ALSO INVESTED IN THE EXPANSION OF PEER RUN PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AT THE SAME TIME, CALIFORNIA PEERS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT TO BRING PEERS OF ETHNIC, CULTURAL, AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN PEER RUN PROGRAMS AND IN THE PEER MOVEMENT. RESPONDING TO THIS UNIQUE LANDSCAPE AND TO CAMHPRO’S OVERARCHING VISION, BUILDING PEER LEADERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING GOALS: GOAL 1: TO IMPROVE ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGEMENT CAPACITY OF PEER-RUN ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING SERVICES IN CALIFORNIA. GOAL 2: TO BUILD PEER EMPOWERMENT BY EXPANDING THE PEER WORKFORCE TO IMPLEMENT PEER SUPPORT SERVICES ACROSS CALIFORNIA. GOAL 3: TO INCREASE LEADERSHIP REPRESENTATION IN THE PEER MOVEMENT BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS. BUILDING PEER LEADERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA WILL HOST 18 TRAINING WEBINARS THROUGHOUT THREE YEARS THAT PROVIDE TANGIBLE EDUCATION FOR BUILDING AND GROWING SUSTAINABLE PEER-RUN ORGANIZATIONS. THE CONTENT OF THE TRAINING WILL CULMINATE IN A PUBLISHED HANDBOOK. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WILL BE SIX IN-PERSON FORUMS THAT FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON GROWING THE REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE OF COLOR AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN PEER LEADERSHIP, EACH HOSTED BY PEER-RUN ORGANIZATIONS IN EACH OF THE FIVE REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA. FINALLY, THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES, THE CALIFORNIA MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY, AND COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONS TO UPLIFT AND EMPOWER THE VOICES OF CONSUMERS IN THE CREATION, PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT THE RECOVERY VALUES AND NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF CONSUMERS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THEM.

PEER ACTION LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA

CA CONSUMER LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT PROJECT

CA CONSUMER LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT PROJECT