March Peer-to-peer newsletter

Washington State Health Care Authority sent this bulletin at 03/01/2023 07:00 AM PST

A newsletter of the Washington State Health Care Authority Office of Recovery Support.

March 2023

March Peer-to-Peer newsletter

In this issue

Peers, by the numbers
Peer highlight: meet Jamie!
Peer program highlight
Job postings
Announcements and trainings
Peer support monthly blend
OPS office hours
Women's History Month
Health Care Authority (HCA) peer team updates
Upcoming contract opportunities
Advice from our pets
Nominate a peer!
Share your feedback

Peers, by the numbers

Peers certified in Washington: 6,538 (1,192 within the last 12 months!)
Peers trained in Washington: 6,574

Peer highlight: meet Jamie!

This month, Luke Runkel highlights his coworker, Jamie Valdez:

“I work at Compassionate Addiction Treatment (CAT) and we have a peer who is worthy of a little extra attention. In all reality, our entire peer team is amazing, and I consider it a genuine honor to be part of this team. But there's one peer that works so incredibly hard (often without recognition) that I feel she deserves a bit of the spotlight.

This peer is Jamie Valdez and she's AWESOME! She does so much of the little things that keeps everything running smoothly and I really dread the prospect of our workplace without her. She does so much for our community that I'm daily inspired by her work ethic and her care for all the people who come in battling addiction and houselessness. She's super awesome!”

Thanks for your hard work, Jamie!

Peer program highlight

Four people holding a "Collaborative Association for Reintegration and Education (CARE)" banner

Founded in 2021, the Collaborative Association for Reintegration and Education (CARE) is a newer organization focused on providing mutual aid and peer counseling for justice impacted youth and young adults in Thurston County.

CARE was originally founded as a student-led organization in 2018, and became a nonprofit organization in September 2022.

CARE supports community transformation by working to address all forms of discrimination against those who have been incarcerated or detained. Through consistent peer support, advocacy, and community education, CARE works to remove barriers to reintegration for youth and families impacted by the criminal legal system.

They envision a society in which all individuals are valued and given opportunities to share their rich and diverse life experiences with one another, and a world that embraces humanity and supports all people to maximize their potential. CARE aims to achieve this through care collaboration, mutual aid, and youth and young adult (YYA) recreation programs.

Learn more about their work and impact by reading an Olympian newspaper article or visiting CARE's website.

Job postings

Do you want to advertise a peer job opportunity? Reach out to Amanda Polley.

Telecare peer support specialist (Tukwila)
Telecare certified peer recovery coach (Tukwila)
Department of Children, Youth, and Families peer transition liaison (Olympia)
Pioneer Human Services peer bridger (Oak Harbor)

Announcements and trainings

Washington State Department of Veteran's Affairs training

Did you know the Department of Veteran's Affairs offers training? If you would like to request a workshop from them for your organization, submit a request on their website.

Peer support monthly blend

This month's guest is Ann Rider from Intentional Peer Support.

Thursday, March 2
9 to 10 a.m.

Register to attend

OPS webinar

This month, learn the power of sharing our stories.

Tuesday, March 21
9 to 10 a.m.
Link coming soon!

OPS office hours

Drop in to receive support on implementing peer support.

Every Monday
1 to 2 p.m.

Joins the TEAMS meeting

Women's History Month

Women’s History Month commemorates and celebrates the contributions of women to society, culture, and history.

History.com shares that "March is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. From Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, the timeline of women’s history milestones stretches back to the founding of the United States."

The 2023 theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories", which encourages the recognition of women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling.

Which women's stories have inspired you?

Resources

Health Care Authority (HCA) peer team updates

Selfie of Shelly Shor with an orange cat

Shelly Shor has accepted the position of peer support policy and planning manager at HCA! We’re so excited for this new and brave chapter for the peer team, as well as for Shelly.

Gillian Holsinger has graciously accepted the role of peer support program specialist II. We’re looking forward to Gillian’s great work and continued growth!

Employed Peer Empowerment Network of Washington

HCA and Peer Washington are excited to tell you about a new peer program in Washington State called the Employed Peer Empowerment Network of Washington, a workforce development program for employed peers. This network was formerly known as the Peer Emotional Support Network.

We have been tasked to create a statewide network with four tiers for employed peers in WA State. The first step for this work is to complete a survey!

Upcoming contract opportunities

Are you interested in providing certified peer trainings as an HCA-approved training organization? Or are you curious about the possibility of being part of the testing process for recently trained peers?

HCA will be releasing two different requests for proposals (RFP) onto the WEBS website. To apply, register as a vendor on the WEBS site. We will release more information about the RFPs soon.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Amanda Polley.

Advice from our pets

This month, our pets advise us to keep it simple.

Crown with text below: "Wag more, bark less"

Nominate a peer!

Do you know a CPC or peer-run organization who you think deserves a little extra kudos? We want to highlight them in an upcoming newsletter!

Please email Amanda as much information as possible:

Name of person/organization
Their location
Why are you highlighting them?
Their picture (optional)

Share your feedback

Thank you for empowering peers!

Would you like to have more of an impact on what you see in the Peer-to-Peer Newsletter?

Please fill out the survey, your voice is important!

About the Health Care Authority (HCA)

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is committed to whole-person care, integrating physical health and behavioral health services for better results and healthier residents.

HCA purchases health care for more than 2.5 million Washington residents through Apple Health (Medicaid), the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Program, the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) Program, and the COFA Islander Health Care Program. As the largest health care purchaser in the state, we lead the effort to transform health care, helping ensure Washington residents have access to better health and better care at a lower cost.

Please do not reply directly to this message. For more information, visit the HCA website, where you'll also find contact information.

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Nondiscrimination

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) complies with all applicable federal and Washington state civil rights laws and is committed to providing equal access to our services. Visit HCA’s website to view complete nondiscrimination statements.