黑料正能量 Note: Read the article and access the links below to learn more about how initiatives sparked at ACHMA are advancing peer support as a best-practice model with accessible resources for peers and providers to enhance activation and outreach and engagement.
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ACMHA Project Involves Peer Support of At-Risk Individuals
Mental Health Weekly; Vol 25 Num 20, 5/18/2015
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Determining how peers are using their skills and tools to empower, engage and work with at-risk individuals with limited resources is at the heart of a new project launched by the ACMHA (American College of听听 Mental 听Health 听Administration) College for Behavioral Health Leadership. The new project will 听allow peers to help others reach recovery and 听build 听efficiency, 听say 听ACMHA officials.
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The project commenced with a call for applicants (with a February 3 deadline) who would eventually become part of a workgroup to create a 听then-undetermined 听program 听or project about how 听peers are supporting 听at-risk听 听individuals 听(ARIs). ACMHA would leave it to the workgroup 听to 听determine the final 听outcome of the initiative (i.e., a learning collaborative, a toolkit, a white paper or an e-book).
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ARIs for the purpose of the project are defined as:
- Individuals in rural and frontier areas where resources are geographically hard to access.
- Justice-involved individuals.
- Individuals experiencing multiple ongoing hospitalizations.
- Individuals with multiple physical and behavioral health issues.
- Homeless individuals.
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The new project will 听focus on outcomes and the search for 听best practices, Marianne Burdison, senior director 听for 听strategic alliances and development at Cenpatico, one of two 听funders 听of 听the 听project, 听told MHW. 听The听 听peer-involved 听project 鈥渨as an area of interest even before we became aware of a sponsorship opportunity,鈥澨 听said听 听Burdison. 听鈥淲e were 听exploring 听a 听program within our network for increasing peer support. From a business 听perspective, it鈥檚 听also cost-effective. We鈥檙e stewards of public dollars; we want the best functional outcomes.鈥
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鈥淎s a funder, Optum really values highlighting what peers can do,鈥 Sue Bergeson, vice president of consumer and family affairs at Optum Behavioral Health, told MHW. 鈥淎CMHA is committed to leadership and really focusing on peer leaders.鈥
鈥淭he applicants [for the work- groups] were asked about their experience within 听each of 听the 听five ARI areas and were scored zero for no, x (number) for good and xx for great,鈥 听explained听 听Bergeson. 听The scores were totaled, and those with the听 听highest 听scores, 听representing the 听most 听experience 听within听 听the five 听specified project 听areas, 听were offered a position with the At Risk Peer Leadership Interest Group, she noted.
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Members 听of听 听the 听workgroups were asked to commit to attending the听 听2015 听ACMHA 听Summit 听held March 听24鈥26 in St. Louis, Mo., and participate in a post-summit 听session where they shared summit findings, best practices 听and insights and determined what deliverable would be created to support the field.
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E-book development
Bergeson noted that a Web-delivered 听model 听such as 听an e-book was determined to be the product that 听would collect and share information 听and听 outcomes about 听how peers are supporting ARIs. ACMHA is developing an activation e-book, considered an 听ongoing 听tool 听鈥渢hat will 听likely 听not ever be 鈥榙one,鈥欌 said Bergeson. 鈥淲e will 听add to it 听over time.鈥
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As the health care system is increasing its focus on 听engagement, activation and active participation in personal听 听health, 听there 听are 听many more 听resources available 听in听 听this area, according to a flyer introducing the 2015 听ACMHA Healthy Behavior Change E-Book Prototype.
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Activation is considered an important first step in the promotion of health 听and 听self-care management, noted Bergeson, who led a presentation, 鈥淎ctivation: The 鈥楽ecret Sauce鈥 To Promote Recovery and Wellness,鈥 at the National 听Council for Behavioral Health conference, held April 20鈥22 in Orlando, Fla.
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Many individuals who regularly receive both primary and specialty care fail 听to 听actively modify 听health behaviors 听to improve their well-being, according to Bergeson鈥檚 presentation. Activation of healthy behaviors 听and 听actions听 听is听 听the 听link听 听to self-care and improved health out- comes, she noted.
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鈥淭hink of the activation e-book as a website that contains many re- sources,鈥 said Bergeson. In addition to providing research on activation, the e-book will 听include videos of consumers talking about activation, and links to tools and resources that support activation, she said. 鈥淭he e- book is for everyone, especially providers and consumers who are seeking innovative 听solutions to support members who fall into the five ARI categories,鈥 she said.
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Toolkit
In 听another 听effort 听to 听improve health care outcomes and qualities, ACMHA released a comprehensive toolkit for increasing the role of peer support in 听behavioral health. The creation of the toolkit began at the 2014 ACMHA Summit. 鈥淭he 听Peer Services Toolkit: A Guide to Advancing听 听and听 听Implementing听 听Peer-run Behavioral Health Services鈥 looks at the nature of peer support and its origins, 听core 听values, training 听and certification, providing services with- in peer-run and traditional agencies, and 听working 听with 听managed care companies.
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鈥淭he 听toolkit听 听is 听a 听stand-alone project available at no charge from our website to anyone interested,鈥 Kris 听Ericson, ACMHA executive di- rector, told MHW. The ARI Project will 听develop out of its workgroups another toolkit, said Ericson.
Ericson added, 鈥淭his new toolkit will 听have a听 dual 听purpose: It 听can stand alone to provide the specific information the group is working on and it 听will 听become part of 听the e- book because the issues the project is addressing are tied to the e-book.鈥 The ARI toolkit will be completed in March 2016, she said. t
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To view a copy of the Peer Services Toolkit, visit
A 听prototype 听of 听the 听e-book 听is available at
For more information about the ACMHA program supporting at-risk individuals, contact Kris Ericson at kericson@acmha.org.
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