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

April 2024

Can’t access the links? Add “links.gd” to the allowlist of your content blocking software.

National Stress Awareness Month and National Autism Awareness Month

April is National Stress Awareness Month and National Autism Awareness Month. These annual observations are opportunities to increase our personal awareness and cultivate more compassion towards ourselves and others. Greater personal and societal awareness helps decrease stigma and invites those in need of support to seek partnerships and connection.

National Autism Awareness

We recognize the need to support, accept, include, empower, and celebrate neurodivergent people. According to the CDC, around 75 million people are autistic, which is 1 percent of the world's population. During Autism Awareness Month, people share stories about their lived experience on the autism spectrum.

The United Nations has declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. “We are moving away from the narrative of curing or converting autistic people and instead focusing on accepting, supporting, and including autistic people, and advocating for their rights."

National Stress Awareness

Stress Awareness Month started in 1992. High rates of stress affect both physical and mental health. We all know common sources of stress, such as work, school, relationships, finances.

We can reduce stress by moving the body in activities such as walking, yoga, or connecting with the breath with some deep breathing. Learn more ways to reduce stress from the American Institute of Stress.

Tapping, or Emotional Freedom Therapy, can reduce cortisol and regulate the nervous system. Learn more about tapping or watch a demonstration.

Peers certified

There have been 1,243 peers certified from July 1, 2023 to today!

In this issue

• Job postings
• Peer poets
• Upcoming events and trainings
• Resources for peers
• Become a Washington Peer Network facilitator!
• Washington State LGBTQ Commission Youth Advisory Council applications are open!
• Nominate a peer
• Share your feedback on this newsletter

Job postings

• Washington State Community Connectors
  • Executive Director

    • Please email your resume and cover letter showing your connection to the children’s behavioral health community in Washington State.

• Thurston/Mason BH-ASO:
  • Peer supporter law enforcement co-responder
• Peer Washington:
  • Training program manager
  • DEI change agent
• Pioneer Human Services:
  • Multiple per positions open, across many regions!
• Sound Health:
  • WISe parent peer
  • WISe youth peer
  • Peer counselor
• Pier 360/Consumer Voices Are Born (CVAB) (Vancouver, WA):
  • Peer support-employment
  • Peer Support-courts and reentry

Peer poets

Poetry is a great avenue for self-expression and community-building. This monthly newsletter will start featuring poetry written by peers in the community.

To be considered for publication in the newsletter, submit a hopeful, resilience-inspired poem to Marie Marchand, our peer support training coordinator, before the twentieth of the month. One to two poems will be featured each month.

Upcoming events and trainings

Certified peer counselor certification trainings

View a list of upcoming CPC certification trainings for May.

Certified peer counselor train the trainer

Are you interested in becoming a certified peer counselor (CPC) trainer? Are you a current trainer wanting to practice more skills?

Join an upcoming virtual CPC train the trainer session:

• Monday, April 8
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Virtual via Zoom

Register to attend.

Save the date for the Peer Pathways Conference

We are pleased to announce that this year’s Peer Pathways Conference will be held in Yakima, WA on August 21 and 22. The theme is "Standing on the Shoulders of giants: The past, the present and future of peer support."

Holding the Hope National Peer Supporter Conversation

Join Holding the Hope on the third Thursday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a lunch and learn. Save the meeting series on Zoom.

Crisis awareness and communication in peer support (CACPS)

Join the crisis awareness and communication in peer support training! This training is 36 hours over the course of five days aimed to enhance your abilities in crisis intervention.

View the details and upcoming CACPS training dates.

Monthly peer blend webinar

Ted Dale from the Department of Health will discuss updates to SB5555 and peer licensure.

Please note: the use of AI during this webinar for recording or note taking is prohibited.

• Thursday, April 4
• 9 to 10 a.m.

OPS office hours

Need support with your organization's peer support program?

Drop in to the Operationalizing Peer Support (OPS) office hours to get help! No registration required.

• Mondays
• 1 to 2 p.m.

OPS peer supervision webinar series

Peer support supervisors can learn the National Practice Guidelines for Peer Specialists and Peer Supervisors.

This month, the topic is "Peer supporters are open minded."

• Third Monday of every month
• 11 a.m. to noon

Live event captioning available

Communication Access Real-time Transcription (CART) services, or live closed captioning, are available for events, on demand. Scheduling CART services requires a three-week lead-time.

To request this accommodation, please submit a request as soon as possible to Amanda Polley.

If you make your request less than a week in advance of the event, our language access manager cannot guarantee that a CART writer will be available.

Resources for peers

Peer support in the news

Read some recent peer news to stay up-to-date:

• Public library welcomes free mental health support
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn: What are some of the current trends and innovations in peer support?
• Peer support specialist software helps address social determinants of health
• New mental health support warmline launched in North Carolina
• Recent Mental Health American peer support research and reports

Washington Peer Network

The Washington Peer Network provides comprehensive and accessible training and support for peer counselors across our state.

Learn about the Department of Health's peer services work

Are you interested in knowing more about what the Department of Health (DOH) is doing to support the efforts of recent peer legislation (SSB5555) and moving forward with our Washington State Legislators and the future of licensing for peer services?

Become a Washington Peer Network facilitator!

Do you like facilitating groups? Want to flex your leadership legs and support other peers in Washington?

The Washington Peer Network is still looking for peers to become group facilitators! Create positive change in your community, gain invaluable experiences, and make lasting connections as a facilitator. Contact Lisa with questions.

Washington State LGBTQ Commission Youth Advisory Council applications are open!

The LGBTQ Youth Advisory Council is an amazing opportunity to join the LGBTQ Commission and help the Governor in advancing equity in our state! This is a chance to have your ideas, lived experience, and expertise inform policies that directly impact some of the most vulnerable members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the state.

Council members will be paid by a stipend and, since this a new committee, the first members will be a part of shaping the structure of the council. Appointments will be for a two year term.

Applications will be open March 11 through May 15, with appointments to the council to occur in June 2024.

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 Polley as much information as possible:

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

Share your feedback on this newsletter

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!