Peer Support Centers Focus on Recovery

A Strong History and Stronger Future

With several Peer Support Centers across the state celebrating ten or more years of service, recognition of the substantial contribution and dedication of the staff and volunteers at our Centers is timely. The Peer Support Centers have evolved as a vital part of Volunteer, providing a wide array of support and educational services to consumers across Middle and East Tennessee. Statewide, the goals and mission of Peer Support have mirrored the move of mental health treatment services toward a focus on recovery. As Peer Support Centers enter their tenth year, the importance of the Centers to consumers cannot be understated, the role in our communities cannot be minimized and the position solidified in our continuum of care.

In the Face of Change, Much Remains the Same

The Peer Support Centers have changed over the years. On July 1, 2005, the name changed from Drop-In Center to Peer Support Center. This name change coincides with important changes taking place both within the consumer movement and the mental health system of Tennessee. The consumer movement in Tennessee has increasingly gained momentum, raising awareness about the possibility of recovery. Yet the core goals of the Peer Support Centers have remained steadfast. These goals are:

1. To provide opportunities for socialization for mental health consumers;
2. To provide educational opportunities for mental health consumers; and
3. To provide emotional support to mental health consumers.

The goals of Peer Support Centers parallel the concepts of recovery. In an article written by Dennis Wenner, Director of Support Services, Division of Recovery Services and Planning for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, recovery is described as a multi-faceted concept with a connotation that persons can and do restore and/or generate to full human capacity. The role of Peer Support Centers in the recovery process continues to grow, with a focus on self-management and education to help members move toward life-long recovery.

There are many avenues by which Peer Support Centers articulate the concepts of recovery and of their own goals. Activities that support recovery and the goals of the Peer Support Centers include providing a nonjudgmental place for people to come, make friends, and have fun; outside social and recreational such as attending movies or sporting events, or visiting local community sites; peer counseling; advocacy, arts and crafts; and educational groups. The activities available to members are designed to enhance recovery through building skills, encouraging social interaction and understanding self-care.

Building a Sense of Community

Community and agency support helps bring many of the Peer Support Center activities to fruition, providing enhanced experiences to members of the Centers. Involvement in the community is one of the key components of each Peer Support Center. With community interaction, members build a sense of belongingness and this reinforces the Center’s value to the community.

In addition to building connections to the community through activities such as health fairs, arts programs and volunteerism, the Centers have active Advisory Boards. The Advisory Boards are made up of members, family members and other community members. This often includes law enforcement, school personnel, mental health professionals, as well as city and county officials. The collaborations developed through the Advisory Boards have helped to improve the ability of Peer Support Centers to meet the needs of its membership and helped the community to understand better and meet the needs of its citizens with mental health issues.

Peer Support Center staff and members are actively involved with other agencies and organizations. This includes National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Tennessee Mental Health Consumers Association (TMHCA), the regional Mental Health Policy and Planning Councils, as well as various other local coalitions, boards and advocacy groups. Staff of the Peer Support Centers regularly attends meetings and educational events sponsored by NAMI and TMHCA. These events further the mission of Peer Support Centers and enhance to skills of the staff.

Recognizing Our Own

Recently, several of the Peer Support Center staff attended the NAMI Tennessee fall conference. Their attendance was made possible through scholarships provided by local NAMI chapters. Ed Rothstein, Peer Support Center Director for the Murfreesboro location, received the Special Projects Award while at the conference. Ed was recognized for his work with the Consumer Arts Project. The arts project grew out of Ed’s work with the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coalition. In the three years since inception, the Consumer Arts Project continues to flourish, with consumer artwork being shown at numerous locations throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee, including a show at the Parthenon (Centennial Park) in Nashville scheduled for spring of 2007.

The Consumer Arts Project is a wonderful example of collaboration between Peer Support Centers, community coalitions, state agencies and consumers. This project augments the mission of the Peer Support Center by creating opportunities for improving self-esteem, reducing stigma and allowing members to highlight their talents. With Ed’s dedication to bringing meaningful programs such as this to the Peer Support Center, the members have received recognition, reward and a sense of accomplishment for their artistic talent and creativity. Pictured with Ed Rothstein are some of the members of Our Place Peer Support Center who have offered their creative energy to the Consumer Arts Project.

Many of the Peer Support Centers membership engage in activities that encourage the talents of their members and incorporate community awareness. The P.R.E.P.S. Center in Crossville adopted a section of highway and keeps it litter-free. This gives an opportunity for members to exercise, provides visibility for the center and offers an important community service. Harmony House in McMinnville works closely with the Warren County School Board and has offered GED classes for members. Members of Enrichment House in Gallatin visit nursing facilities during holidays. Singing Christmas carols and giving out Valentine’s Day cards are traditions the members celebrate each year. The members have also served Thanksgiving dinner at the Nashville Rescue Mission. Friendship Circle, the Peer Support Center in Dayton, has adopted the local Head Start Program. On Valentines Day, the members take goodies, stuffed animals and cards to the children participating in Head Start. The members in Dayton also visit the Rhea County Nursing Home several times a year. Other activities include coat drives. As Becky Porter, Director of Friendship Circle, noted, "Our people don’t have much, but they love to give of what they have and sharing their time."

There are so many examples of ways in which Peer Support Centers give back to the community. The selfless actions of the members at every Center are evident. Portia Scott, Director of Dakoda Place in Athens and Cleveland resonates with Becky’s thoughts, expressing that the members are very caring. Dakoda Place members have been involved in a number of community activities, including adopting a pet from PALS, having Christmas food drives, helping a senior citizen with yard work and collecting cans for the Cleveland Rescue Squad’s Cans for Life program. Each Center finds their own ways to participate in activities and become valuable assets to their own communities.

The dedication of the Peer Support Center staff can be seen every day at each location, and many of the directors have been involved in Peer Support since the very beginning. Portia Scott was one of the first Peer Support Directors employed. She and other committed staff helped set the standard for Peer Support Centers today.

The VBHCS Peer Support Directors have a combined experience of over 56 years working in and being an integral part of Peer Support Centers. Many of the directors started as Peer Counselors and, through their unwavering dedication and hard work, were promoted to Directors positions. With their leadership and the on-going commitment of all Peer Support Center staff and members, the Centers will thrive as we all move toward recovery-focused care. As Dennis Wenner noted, "Recovery… empowers people to move toward self-management of their condition. The orientation is one of hope with an emphasis on positive mental health and wellness. A recovery-orientated system assists people to connect through mutual self-help. It focuses on positive functioning and rebuilding positive relationships." The Peer Support Centers are essential to each member’s recovery process and vital to the success of Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System.

Peer Support Centers: A VBHCS Tradition

VBHCS is proud to host eleven Peer Support Centers as part of our organization. The name of each center, location and director are listed in the table below.