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A newsletter of the Washington State Health Care Authority Office of Recovery Support. |
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This month, and every month, we honor and celebrate each of you for exactly who you are.
Every peer in our community is important. Our community is rich because of the identities and experiences that you bring with you to your work. Without diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging, there is no true compassion or recovery.
Happy Pride Month!
Celebrate with pride by honoring and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Pride is an opportunity for visibility, community, joy, and hope, but it is also a time to shine light on issues still facing the LGBTQ+ community.
Join pride events across Washington to celebrate or demonstrate your allyship:
Learn more about pride, including the Stonewall Uprising, on the Library of Congress's website.
 Celebrate Juneteenth
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, recognizes the history and freedom of African American people who were enslaved in our country. It's an opportunity for communities to unite and reflect on both the progress and challenges faced by Black people in America today and throughout our history.
By honoring Juneteenth, we embrace cultural and racial diversity and strive towards a more equitable and inclusive society.
Some ways to celebrate:
- Attend a local event or cookout.
- Shop at Black-owned businesses.
- Educate yourself via resources created by the Black community.
- Personally reflect on your part in dismantling racism, especially within the peer community and behavioral health systems.
Learn more about Juneteenth on the National Museum of African American History and Culture's website.
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We are so excited to announce that Naomi Herrera has accepted the position of program manager for the Operationalizing Peer Support (OPS) program!
Naomi is an esteemed and dynamic leader in the peer support field, driven by a passion for enriching lives through personal lived experiences and acquired expertise. With over a decade-long career as a peer support specialist, she has served in diverse settings including inpatient, outpatient, educational, and health insurance environments. Naomi's journey has evolved from direct services to system-level support, culminating in roles as a Washington CPC curriculum trainer and peer supervision manager. |
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Naomi's dedication to personal and professional growth is evident through her extensive certifications, which include Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Seeking Safety, and Certified Breathwork facilitation, Certified Empowerment Coaching, and 500-hour yoga teacher training - not to mention her completion of her master's in organizational leadership. She brings innovation to group facilitation, covering transformative topics such as holistic healing, transformational leadership, whole health, community connections, and mindfulness.
In recent positions as a peer support manager and system-of-care peer support liaison for a prominent managed care organization, Naomi has championed workforce development, advancement, and expansion for youth, families, adult-peer organizations, and peer-directed initiatives in Washington.
Naomi’s influence extends beyond her direct contributions, as evidenced by her extensive involvement in peer committees, boards, coalitions, and advisory groups throughout her illustrious career. She actively engages in esteemed leadership committees and has an engaging presence and unwavering dedication to forge new paths, sharing insights from peers across Washington and beyond.
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Peer support reception
Are you attending this year's Washington Behavioral Health Conference? Join HCA's Peer Support Program for a peer support reception!
Network with other CPCs, share your experiences with peer support with us, and celebrate the life-changing service CPCs provide! Join us for food, fun, and great conversation.
The reception will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on June 15 after the conference sessions.
Peer Pathways Conference
Save the date for the annual Peer Pathways Conference! This year's conference theme is "Open Doors: The Culture of Compassion."
- August 23 and 24
- Located in Seattle
- Registration and more details are coming soon!
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Are you an organization that has a peer support program? Are you interested in starting a peer support program but don't know where to start? Visit our new organizations with peer support programs webpage!
This new page offers information on what OPS does and offers, resources for starting and operating a peer program, and recordings of OPS trainings.
If you need support with your peer support program, you can contact the OPS program staff at their new email.
In response to the passing of Senate Bill 5555, HCA will be releasing three different request for proposals (RFPs) after July 1. More information will be released soon!
If you have any questions or concerns, email Amanda Polley.
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Amy Griesel, our peer bridger and respite program manager, shares what the peer bridger program is and what peer bridgers do. In her words:
The peer bridger program launched in Washington State in 2008 in an effort to serve individuals who are currently residing in Western State Hospital (WSH), Eastern State Hospital (ESH), or community hospitals with inpatient behavioral health beds. The peer bridger program expanded within substance use disorder treatment through a pilot program at Pioneer Human Services.
Peer bridgers are "matched" with hospital or treatment residents for intensive personal support services in preparation for discharge and during the initial period of community adjustment. This program supports individuals to welcome the discharge process and to provide HOPE & model recovery! Thank you, peer bridgers, for your endless commitment to your communities!
HCA's prenatal-25 lifespan section has created two new mental health toolkits. These toolkits are designed to provide resources and communication materials to prioritize mental health.
Organizations can use the toolkits to raise mental health awareness and include resources, events, sample press releases, and more to share.
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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)
Would you like to have more of an impact on what you see in the Peer-to-Peer newsletter? We would love to hear from you!
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