Peer Resource Center
The MIRECC Peer Resource Center at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System is a Center dedicated to providing:
- Consulting Services
- Training
- Evaluation and Research
- Advocacy
Consulting services
Successful peer programs require peers and other staff to be flexible and well-informed on best practices, and to communicate clearly with each other. At times issues arise that could benefit from the assistance of a consultant.
The Peer Resource Center faculty members are available to meet privately or in small groups to address such issues or to proactively deal with situations before they become problems. Making peer support succeed in an organization can require some learning, but it is not necessary to struggle with the learning curve alone.
Whether consulting with peers or their colleagues, our experts can offer fresh insight and suggest helpful action plans for various challenges.
Training
Our faculty are available to provide training for peers and their coworkers. We can design programs for a specific need or topic, or as general continuing education.
Training topics include:
For Staff
- Best practices for hiring peers
- Managing boundaries and confidentiality with peers
- Tools for successfully designing a peer’s job
For Peers
- Evidence-based practices for illness management and recovery
- Supported Employment techniques
- Working on a clinical team
- The Recovery Model
- Making the most of supervision
Evaluation and Research
Your team or service may be interested in how peers are improving the care you provide. As you begin this work, we can help you think through the issues and suggest tools and models for conducting your evaluation.
Also, we love doing peer research! We have a number of ongoing studies that are assessing various aspects of peer service delivery. We are always interested in partnering with others in conducting peer research. We are also happy to consult with others pursuing a peer research agenda.
Advocacy
The Peer Resource Center serves as a centralized location for information and advocacy for peers. We coordinate speakers and provide information for regional and national peer initiatives, in addition to communicating locally about the increasingly important role of these individuals at VAPHS.
