The Role of VA Peer Specialists in Supporting Physical Health and Wellness
Anjana Muralidharan, Ph.D.
Psychologist Clinician Investigator
VISN 5 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC)
April 13, 2021
12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
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Program Description:
While VA Peer Specialists have traditionally supported recovery from mental illness and substance use disorders, they are increasingly being deployed to support physical health and wellness among individuals with mental health conditions. The purpose of this live, virtual, knowledge-based webinar is to provide an overview of the research on how Peer Specialists can support physical health and wellness outcomes such as illness self-management, smoking cessation, proactive use of health care, weight management, exercise and physical activity and others. This will be followed by a discussion of what is means to be a “peer” when the focus of the peer support is improving physical health. Finally, qualitative data from a recent randomized controlled trial of Living Well, a peer co-facilitated group intervention promoting illness self-management among individuals with serious mental illness, will be presented. This data sheds light on the role of the peer provider in the intervention and how the intervention led to health behavior change. This training applies to healthcare team members.
Program Information:
Location: Adobe Connect via registering in TMS
Audio through VANTS, dial 1(800) 767-1750, then 04927#
Continued Education Units:
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