COCC’s Public Health Program Introduces Peer Support Training to the Region
2022世界杯四强比赛直播中央俄勒冈社区学院(COCC)现在被授权提供俄勒冈州认证的同伴支持专家培训。作为该地区首批此类项目之一，该培训是与德舒特县行为健康部门、全国精神疾病联盟、Cascade同伴和自助中心以及PacificSource健康计划合作开展的。
A Peer Support Specialist is an individual with lived experience with substance use and/or mental health challenges who is trained to provide supportive services to others. Through shared understanding, respect and mutual empowerment, peer support workers help individuals become and stay engaged in the recovery process, reducing the likelihood of relapse. Peer support services can effectively extend the reach of treatment beyond the clinical setting into the everyday environment of those seeking a successful, sustained recovery process. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in treating substance abuse and mental health are expected to grow by 23% between 2020 and 2030.
“This new training represents over a year of planning that began in July of last year," explains Dr. Sarah Baron, assistant public health professor at COCC. “It is the first peer support specialist class to be held in Deschutes, Jefferson or Crook counties, and is a collaborative effort that will involve team-teaching with community partners and peer support specialists working in the field. We will constantly update the training to meet the needs of the region, and graduates will help contribute to a healthier Central Oregon.”
“This training was developed in an effort to increase our communities’ access to Peer Support Specialists,” adds Shannon Brister-Raugust, Program Manager at Deschutes County’s Behavioral Health division. “Our curriculum is unique in that it involves local Certified Peer Support Specialists, Recovery Mentors and Family Support Specialists who actively work within our community, enriching the learning environment through applicable hands-on experience.”
COCC’s four-week module prepares completers for certification to work as advocates in mental health and addiction treatment settings. The curriculum teaches strategies in wellness, self-efficacy, empowerment and recovery, as well as topics in crisis intervention and trauma-informed care.
Classes begin at COCC the week of September 19 and will be held in a mix of online and in-person formats. There are no academic prerequisites and enrollees do not need a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Scholarships for the training are available courtesy of matching grants from the Central Oregon Health Council and American Rescue Plan funds allocated by Deschutes County. The scholarship application is open now until Sept. 5. For more information on both the training and the scholarships, visitcocc.edu/programs/public-health.
