Developing an Older Adult Peer Support Workforce – Knowledge Speaks but Wisdom Listens

An overview of older adult peer support, highlighting the vital role of lived experience in promoting recovery throughout the lifespan. Guest Speakers: Robert Walker and Cassie Cramer Robert Walker, MS, CPS, COAPS – Rob Walker serves with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health’s Office of Recovery and Empowerment, where he advances peer support for older […]

Community Mental Health Center Attitudes About Employment Among Those With Serious Mental Illness

As a research associate professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, Dr. Debra Brucker studies the economic, health, and social well-being of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. She has over 20 years of applied policy research experience and has held social and health policy research positions at academic institutions, research […]

Supporting the Young Adult Peer Support Workforce: Insights from a Survey Study

This webinar presents findings from a survey study examining the workplace experiences of Young Adult Peer Support Workers (YPSWs) across the United States. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data, we explore key domains including job satisfaction, supervision, intergenerational workplace climate, and experiences of stigma. We also highlight important differences by certification status, including disparities […]

The Value of Peer Support Specialists on IPS Employment Teams

Lyn Legere, MS, CPS has more than 25 years of experience in the mental health field and has been deeply involved in advancing recovery-oriented and peer-led services. She is a Senior Training Associate at Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, where she develops and delivers training in psychiatric rehabilitation, recovery, and peer support. Crystal Page […]

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Individual Placement and Support Services for Young Adults

Individual placement and support (IPS) is an evidence-based model designed to help individuals with mental health conditions secure and maintain competitive employment. Young adults are a particularly vulnerable group in need of these services. The COVID-19 pandemic led many public institutions to curtail face-to-contacts, which affected IPS service delivery. This webinar describes a qualitative descriptive […]

People Living with Serious Mental Health Conditions in Nursing Homes

The federal Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) program was enacted in the 1980s amid concerns surrounding the quality of nursing home care. This program is meant to serve as a tool to assist with level of care determinations for nursing home applicants with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) and was intended to limit the […]

Critical Elements of Using Virtual Reality Job Interviewing in IPS Supported Employment

In 2020 researchers from the University of Michigan School of Social Work interviewed IPS staff across several Illinois communities who had used Virtual Reality-Job Interviewing Training (VR-JIT) in their work with clients receiving IPS. This presentation will describe the feasibility of using VR-JIT as an additional “tool” in IPS, particularly with clients who were seeking […]