I’m back from training!
Over the past three weeks I attended two trainings: one, to be a peer specialist supervisor; two, the certification training to become a certified peer specialist. (Yes, I sort of did them backwards.)
The certification training in particular was wonderful. Two weeks, back-to-back, Monday through Friday. Class was from 9 AM to 5 PM each day, and we had 2-3 hours of homework each night. It was grueling, but it was also wonderful. It gave me a better handle on the “tools” in my peer specialist toolbox; and I feel like I have a clearer understanding of how to articulate what my role in our agency, as a peer specialist, is all about.
We had some incredible moments during the training: spending an entire day listening to each other tell our stories, for one. To hear 20+ people stand up and state what they’ve been through, how they’ve survived and thrived, and where they are now plus their dreams for the future… wow. Every mental health worker in the country ought to experience a day like that. And the talent and gifts we all have! Art, music, writing, humor, speaking, helping others…
I saw incredible perseverance–people struggling with the intensity of the course, who came back day after day to make it to graduation, refusing to give up. Indescribable strength. As each day passed, it became more and more obvious that recovery DOES happen, that people can survive and thrive through anything, that we have incredible strength to draw from, and that it’s imperative that the system start recognizing all of this.
Filed under: peer specialists, recovery, the mental health system | Tagged: certified peer specialist training
Do you know where and when the Peer Support Specialist training sessions are in Michigan for 2008? Or where I can find the list on line? Thanks.
Hi Connie,
I’m sorry, I don’t know about Michigan trainings at this point. I can tell you how I found out about Pennsylvania trainings, though; the same process would probably work for MI. I just went to the websites of different PA counties and kept checking on their Dept of Human Services and Mental Health/Mental Retardation pages. Some counties will list upcoming events (like CPS trainings); some won’t. If the county websites were no help, I’d Google things like “peer specialist training Pennsylvania” and click around looking for a match.
If I found a county that was giving a training, I’d call or email the county directly to inquire about it.
Your other option is to contact someone at the state level, I would think. In PA we have OMHSAS (Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services); whatever your equivalent is in MI should have an idea about what trainings are upcoming.
My guess is that there’s probably no centralized list online. I’d honestly be shocked if there is. But your state’s mental health office might have some kind of list.
Good luck!
Okay… Googled a little.
Here’s the link to Michigan’s Department of Community Health, mental health division:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2941_4868—,00.html
And here’s a link specifically to contact information for them:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-7312-58525–,00.html
You could try emailing someone there and see if they are keeping track of upcoming CPS trainings.
My name is Raymond, I am a CPS , I was certified and trained via the Institute last year, I currently work as a CPS at Horizon House Inc. The program was orginally a partial program and is part of the city-wide transformation project to become more recovery oriented. I am a memebr of a alumi group of CPS graduates in the city who meet once a month, i have hopes our group becomes more grounded in provideding training and education opportunites along with being supportive too and wanted to tell you to keep up the good work with your blog.
Raymond
Thank you for your comment, Raymond! How many people attend your CPS monthly meetings? I attend a CPS professional development group once a month, also, and it’s definitely helpful.