Join us!

10 th Annual National Peer Support Conference August 26 and 27, Philadelphia

Early Bird Rate Ends June 1, 2016 Register now to save $50 on the registration fee.

https://inaops.org/2016-annual-conference

See our website for a list of pre-conference events. https://inaops.org/2016-annual-conference/#PROGRAM

International Association of

Peer Supporters

(iNAPS) www.inaops.org

Founding Director: Steve Harrington

Officers:

Matthew Federici, President

Andy Bernstein, Vice President Mike Weaver,

Secretary Renee Kopache,

Treasurer

Board of Directors: Peter Ashenden

Bill Beverley-Blanco Gladys Christian

Lisa Goodale Dwayne Mayes Diann Schutter

Terrence Smithers Lisa St. George

Anthony Stratford

Director of Operations: Rita Cronise

info@naops.org

Consulting Co-Director: Lori Ashcraft

Our webinar sponsor

Optum www.optum.com

(See back pages for our other

generous sponsors and supporters)

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 2 ~

10th Annual National Peer Support Conference Update https://inaops.org/2016-annual-conference In this newsletter we provide a preliminary look at the schedule for our

upcoming 10th annual national peer supporter conference and thank all who submitted proposals. The selection committee had some tough choices to make as we had 90 submissions for 45 spaces in the main program – and a separate selection process for the Philadelphia track by presenters in and around the Philadelphia region. We have a great selection and balance of presentations and workshops that cover a wide range of peer support practices. Once again, we thank Dr. Arthur Evans, Commissioner of the Dept. of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbilities Services (DBHIDS) in this year’s host city of Philadelphia and his Philadelphia coordinator, Sean Brinda, and his team, for true partnership in developing the program for our National event. If you are planning to attend, come to Philadelphia a few days early to take advantage of one or more of the many pre-conference workshops and events that are being hosted by recognized organizations like The Copeland Center/Doors to Wellbeing, DBSA, Intentional Peer Support, RI Consulting/RI International, PeerZone, Prosumers International, Recovery to Practice, and a fabulous Arts by Gayle Bluebird and nationally known artists in the peer community. A Catalog of Pre-Conference Events to be held during August 22-25 in and near Philadelphia is now available on our website. https://inaops.org/2016-annual-conference/#PROGRAM Sue Bergeson of Optum spoke about Activation, “The Secret Sauce” in this month’s webinar, which was recorded and should be available on our website soon. Optum continues to support iNAPS in offering free webinars with nationally-known presenters in 2016, including Gayathri Ramprasad, one of our conference keynote presenters. We appreciate their ongoing support! We congratulate the Peer Support Accreditation and Certification of Canada (PSACC) on an outstanding National Conference last month in Toronto and look to increased opportunities to collaborate in the future. They will be joining us in Philadelphia to share more about their exciting work in Canada. As with any grassroots organization, we are stronger when we come together around a common purpose. One step you can take is to join iNAPS as a full member. The fee is $25 annually: http://inaops.org/join-us. And you’ll save on the cost of attending the conference! Wishing you joy, Rita Cronise, iNAPS Director of Operations

Contents this issue

- Letter from the Editor - Conference Early Bird - Conference Schedule - Webinars and Resources - Member Art & Articles - News and Events - Recorded iNAPS Webinars - Other Upcoming Conferences - Our Sponsors - About iNAPS - Membership Form

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 3 ~

– Don’t Delay, Register Today!

Philadelphia, PA with pre-conference events planned on August 22-25.

Early bird member rate (until June 1):

$250 (both days)

Early bird non-member rate (until June 1):

$300 (both days)

Youth (age 26 and under)

$210 (both days)

TO REGISTER

http://inaops.org/2016-annual-conference

Hotel Room Conference Rates:

$159 single/double | $179 triple until July 1, 2016 (subject to availability)

Mention the “iNAPS conference when reserving rooms to get the discount.

Click here for more about the Sheraton Philadelphia Society Hill

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 4 ~

2016 PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Friday, August 26 Saturday, August 27 8:00 – 9:00 AM BREAKFAST / Registration Day 1 8:00 – 8:30 AM BREAKFAST/Registration Day 2 9:00 – 9:30 AM Opening: Matt Federici and Dr. Evans 8:30 – 10:30 AM Welcome Back, Awards, & Plenary 2:

Telling our Stories to Inspire Hope 9:30 – 10: 30 AM Plenary Session 1: PA Showcase 10:30 – 11:00 AM LONG BREAK / Exhibits 10:30 – 11:00 AM LONG BREAK / Exhibits 11:00 – 12:30 PM Workshop Session 1 (See below) 11:00 – 12:00 PM Workshop Session 5 (See below) 12:30 – 1:30 PM LUNCH / Exhibits 12:00 – 1:00 PM LUNCH / Exhibits 1:30 – 2:45 PM Workshop Session 2 (See below) 1:00 – 2:15 PM Workshop Session 6 (See below) 2:45 – 3:00 PM BREAK / Exhibits 2:15 – 2:30 PM BREAK / Exhibits 3:00 – 4:15 PM Workshop Session 3 (See below) 2:30 – 3:45 PM Workshop Session 7 (See below) 4:15 – 4:30 PM BREAK / Exhibits 3:45 – 4:00 PM BREAK / Exhibits 4:30 – 5:30 PM Workshop Session 4 (See below) 4:00 – 5:00 PM Closing Session / Drawing 5:30 – 7:00 PM DINNER / Exhibits 7:00 – 8:30 PM MEMBER MEETING / Caucus Sessions 1 7:00 – 8:30 PM Evening Caucuses (TBD) 8:30 – 10:00 PM SOCIAL EVENT / Caucus Sessions 2 POST CONFERENCE (SUNDAY)

Day 1 – Friday, August 26 Workshops

Day 2 – Saturday, August 27 Workshops

OPENING SESSION, WELCOME (MORNING KEYNOTES)

● Matthew Federici, iNAPS Board President

● Arthur Evans, DBHIDS Commissioner by video

● Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Keynote Presenters

LEGEND A = EXAMPLES B = TOOLS C = ARTS D = CAREER E = LIFESPAN F = RESEARCH Workshop Session 1 (90 min.) MORNING A: EXAMPLES - PEP TALK (Peers Educating Peers) – CRISIS 3 Presentations Related to CRISIS Peer Support

● Certified Peer Specialists in Crisis Services (Measel/Maldonado/11) – 30 min.

● Crisis Response Team: Peer Advocacy in Action (Abbott/McCleerey-Hooper/31) – 30 min.

● Affinity Place: Keeping Recovery in the Community (Muckstadt/Kinyon/May58) – 30 min.

B: TOOLS - Incorporating Spiritual Practices into a Wellness

Plan (Welle/17)

C: ARTS - "Telling Your Story" Using the Arts (Bluebird/27) D: CAREER - Employment Literacy: Advocating for a Fair

Wage (Ashenden/Daniels/84)

OPENING SESSION, WELCOME BACK (MORNING KEYNOTES)

Gayathri Ramprasad (ASHA International)

● Robyn Priest (PEERZONE)

● Gina Calhoun (Copeland Center)

LEGEND A = SYSTEM CHANGE B = SUPERVISION C = INCLUSIVE/INTEGRATED PRACTICES D = ADVOCACY E = EXAMPLES FROM THE FIELD F = TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION Workshop Session 5 (60 min.) MORNING A: SYSTEM CHANGE - Peers: Agents of change in deinstitutionalization in New York State (Garafalo/9) B: SUPERVISION - Peer Specialists’ Experiences of Professional Supervision (Hensley/28) C: INTEGRATED PRACTICES - Integrated care, education, and information: trauma informed care and screening… (DeBow/64) D. ADVOCACY - Honest, Open, Proud to erase the stigma of mental illness (HOP) (Andra/Wilson/20) E. EXAMPLES - Recovery to Practice Next Steps in the VA

(Rich/Burg/Pollet/92)

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 5 ~

Day 1 – Friday, August 26 Workshops

Day 2 – Saturday, August 27 Workshops

E: LIFESPAN - PEP TALK (Peers Educating Peers) 3 Presentations Related to YOUTH

● Give it A-L-L You Got! (Campbell/6) – 20 min. ● Transition in Context: Connecting with Young

Adults (Viglucci/41) - 20 min. ● Ending Restraint and Seclusion in Schools

(Trachtman/Weaver/Curie/Lichtenstein/70) – (Panel) 50 min.

F: RESEARCH - Research on Peer Support Interventions: Why? How? And What are the Key Questions? (Salzer/89) G: TOOLS - WRAP for Probation and Parole (Little - PHIL) H: EXAMPLES - The 3 C’s of Recovery: CPS, CIRC (Community Integrated Recovery Center) and Collaboration (Shuster/Cole/Schwarz/Holloway - PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR) Workshop Session 2 (75 min.) AFTERNOON

A: EXAMPLES - It's T.I.M.E. Reentry Class (Brooks/Silverio/53)

B: TOOLS - Reducing Conflicts Among Peers: Learning from

Mediators (Berstein/10)

C: ARTS - Our Door presents… Healing & Recovery through

Expression (Hasbrouck/Johnson/Pickens/85)

D: CAREER - Peer Specialist Career Mobility and

Advancement: Barriers and Opportunities (Wolf/Jones 49) E: LIFESPAN Supporting family values raising children while complying with child protective services (Collins/Burnett-Kimmenez/Pruett-Saratan/60) F: RESEARCH - Selecting a Self-Management Program to Develop Recovery Strategies (Petros/Solomon/45) G: RESEARCH: A Decade of Peer Culture, Support and Leadership in Philadelphia (Crystal Edwards - PHIL) H: CAREER - Beyond Entry Level (Banks/Jackson/Feldman/Figueroa-Vargas - PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR) Workshop Session 3 (75 min.) AFTERNOON A: EXAMPLES- PEP TALK (Peers Educating Peers) 3 Presentations Related to Advocacy

● Reweaving Soul Sovereignty: Mutuality between

Peer Advocacy and Traditions of Faith (Rhodewalt/74) – 20 min.

F: TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION - The Peer Support Accreditation and Certification of Canada (Sunderland/Jones/91) G: TOOLS - Peer-based Addiction Support for the LGBTQ+ Community (Parsons/Faulkner-PHIL) H: CAREER - Building A Strong CPS Workforce (Hall-Prioleau/Newton/Martin-PHIL) I: ARTS - Collaborative Public Art and Recovery (Biron/Fogg/Walinsky-PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR) Workshop Session 6 (75 min.) AFTERNOON A: SYSTEM CHANGE - – Partnering for Systems

Transformation (Bloom/Sprung/Schwager/57) B: SUPERVISION - Dialogue on Promising Practices for Peer

Supporters and Supervisors (Edwards/Ikuta/63) C: INTEGRATED PRACTICES - Inclusion: Why We Need More

Than Integrated Care (Lane/76) D: ADVOCACY - The Via Hope PIR Voice Project-Amplifying

the Voices of People in Recovery! (Casteneda/Whalley/65)

and Understanding ACEs: Building Intergenerational

Resilience (Casteneda/Prewitt/35) E: EXAMPLES - Connecting with People Who Hear, See, or

Sense What Others Don’t (Son/77) -75 F: TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION - The Next Step for Peer

Support (Hendry/44) G: TOOLS - Self Care and Wellbeing for Peer Supporters (Figueroa-Vargas/Simpson-PHIL) H: CAREER - Creating a Peer to Peer Culture Through Volunteerism (Martin/Newell/Carlson-PHIL) I: EXAMPLES - Engaging Males of Color (Bryant-PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR) Workshop Session 7 (75 min.) AFTERNOON

A: SYSTEM CHANGE - Transformative Peer Advocacy in

Restrictive Settings: Strategies for Systems Change

(Levesque/Donovan/78)

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 6 ~

Day 1 – Friday, August 26 Workshops

Day 2 – Saturday, August 27 Workshops

● Use Your Voice! Self-Advocacy in Transition Planning (McGonagle/59) 20 – min.

● Empowered Voices, Unified Purpose (Coffey/46) – 20 min.

B: TOOLS - PeerZone (Priest/88)

C: ARTS - Don't Be Afraid of the Moment! Empower Your

Peers with Improvisation (Zitofsky/51)

D: CAREER - Peer Career Development Toolkit 1.0

(Wolf/Bailey/Breier/Padron/38)

E: LIFESPAN - Youth and Family Subcommittee as part of

Indiana’s Systems of Care Expansion

(Zielinski/Barclay/Clay/90)

F: RESEARCH - Victims No More: Trauma-Informed Peer Support in Facts and Figures (Webb/Brown/40) G: TOOLS - When Relapse Happens (Walton/Brinda/Members/Baker - PHIL) H: EXAMPLES - Out in the Community- Peer Support for Folks in Locked Facilities (Zatcoff-Mochan/Federici/Jorden - PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR) Workshop Session 4 (60 min.) AFTERNOON A: EXAMPLES The Way of Council: A Path to Connection,

Collaboration & Community (Terrence/69) B: TOOLS - Beyond Resilience: Learning to Help Others by Connecting with Beauty (Anglin/Yazzie/Delawder/83) C: ARTS - The Rewards and Challenges of Building a Peer Community at HopeWorx (Shannon/Milbourne/Johnson/Stoffregen/37) D: CAREER - Terms of EnPEERment: 8 Awesome Ways to

Help Professional Staff Embrace Peer Support Specialists on

the Team (Martin/54) E: LIFESPAN - MHA Nebraska a Peer-run organization with wrap-around services (Jackson/62) F: RESEARCH - - What do we know about the Education,

Compensation, and Satisfaction of the Peer Workforce? An

analysis of iNAPS surveys (Cronise/75) G: ARTS - Transforming Lives: Engaging Individuals Through Creativity and Games (Schwartz/Scott - PHIL)

B: SUPERVISION - – Ensuring Quality Peer Supervision:

Credentialing Supervisors (Dixon/39) C: INTEGRATED PRACTICES - Integrating Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (Boersma/36) D: ADVOCACY - Advocacy 101. Making Your Voice

Heard…And Matter (Foxworth/Goodale/19) E: Peer Support: A joint healing journey

(McManus/Silverstone/5) F: TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION: WV Leadership Academy

for Consumers and Families (McAtee/Pauley/33)

G: TOOLS - Philadelphia Peer Support Toolkit (Feldman/Brinda-PHIL) H: EXAMPLES - We Help Ourselves: Peer Support in a Community Integrated Recovery Center (CIRC) (Como/Schader/Coleman-PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR)

NETWORKING LUNCH DISCUSSION TOPICS AND LEADERS

(12:30 – 1:30 PM FRIDAY 8/26)

NETWORKING LUNCH DISCUSSION TOPICS AND LEADERS

(12:00 - 1:00 PM SATURDAY 8/27)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28

(Post-Conference) 9 AM - 1 PM

(Separate event / separate charge / Independent organizers) Schedule to be released in June.

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 7 ~

Day 1 – Friday, August 26 Workshops

Day 2 – Saturday, August 27 Workshops

H: EXAMPLES - Adventures in Program Evaluation: Assessing the Impact of Peer Support (Conway/Landis - PHIL) O: OTHER (RESERVED FOR INAPS SPONSOR)

TENTATIVE CAUCUS TOPICS AND LEADERS

(7-8:30 PM Friday)

(1) Queer-to-Queer Support: Coming Out Against

Hetero-Normative and Gender- (Donovan/81 and

Bloom/Lamarre/55)

(2) The Hero Within: Peer Power, Each One Reach

One (Newman/Dakroub/Berhane/Parrish/86)

(3) VA Peer Support - What is happening with the

World’s largest Employer of Peer Specialists?

(Oestreicher/7 and Covington/2)

Note: Dan O’Brien-Mazza, Director of VA Peer Services plans

to join this caucus by Skype.

(4) Voices are Real: Finding Meaning and Value in Our

Experiences (Hadge/Donovan/56)

(5) Career Development: Breaking the ceiling for Peer

Supporters (Zavodnick/29)

(6) Self-Care: My Health and My Wellness and Me

(Runningwolf/13)

(7) Advanced Peer Practices - Staying in Good

Working Order (Rainey/79)

(8) Leadership Development (Hickox/72)

SOCIAL EVENT

(8:30 – 10:00 PM Friday) Open Mic Night / (Holstein/3) Healing Voices / (MHASP/93) Recovery Idol / DBHIDS discount tickets to stadium

LATE NIGHT TOPICS AND LEADERS

(8:30 - 10:00 PM Friday)

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 8 ~

SAVE THE DATE Friday July 8, 2016

Our Next Webinar

with Conference Keynote Presenter

Gayathri Ramprasad, Founder & President of ASHA International http://myasha.org/about-us/our-story/

Gayathri Ramprasad, MBA, CPS | Founder & President | ASHA International |

Author, Shadows in the Sun: Healing from Depression and Finding the Light Within

Our next regularly scheduled iNAPS webinar series will be presented by one of our featured conference presenters who will share ways to tell our stories of recovery to inspire hope. To learn more about Gayathri, you can view her TED Talk - “Be the Hope.” http://myasha.org/2015/05/be-the-hope Gayathri and David Barker of CreateUs Media will be recording your (attendee) stories the National Conference in Philadelphia for the ASHA The You Can Recover Project http://myasha.org/you-can-recover/

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 9 ~

iNAPS Webinars (Optum Supported) The free webinar series will continue in 2016. In the meantime, the following recorded webinars are available on our site

Webinar Number:

#24: National Survey of Peer Specialist Wages: Allen Daniels and Peter Ashenden

#23: Sustainable Resilience: Lori Ashcraft

#22: The History of the Consumer/Survivor Movement: Sally Zinman and Gayle Bluebird

#21: My Lived Experiences: Gitane Williams

#20: WRAP and Peer Support: Mary Ellen Copeland and Jane Winterling

#19: History of Peer Support: Larry Davidson, Ph.D., Yale University

#18: Compassion Fatigue: Ted Thomas, Promise Recovery Network, NC

#17: Peer Support in the VHA: Dan O’Brien Mazza, Director of Peer Support Services VA

#16: Build Your Resume: strategies for getting, keeping and advancing employment

#15: Emerging Roles in Peer Support: supporting employment and educational recovery

#14: The Workplace Bully – who and you and what to do

#13: Stress: The Deadly Plague (applicable to all professions)

#12: Self-Disclosure for peer support providers and other disciplines

#11: Tour of iNAPS Recovery to Practice training for experienced peer supporters

To access recorded webinars, visit the archive page: http://inaops.org/free-webinars-past.

Thank you David Barker (www.createusmedia.com) for recording these sessions!

Thank you Optum (www.optum.com) for your ongoing donation of time and technology, which allows us to offer these webinars free of charge. And thank you Peter, for your support through the years - you’re the greatest!

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 10 ~

Collaborating for Unity This Month’s Featured Artist Contributions

©2016 Carol Coussons de Reyes One Spirit (Unity)

12x18 inches. Medium: Watercolor www.survivorartistry.com

© 2016 Sharon Wise

8 x 10 on cotton using Permanent marker

thehouseofsharon@msn.com

© 2011 Ken Segal

"Holy Family,"

2011, 18" x 24," Oils.

"Poems From Hell"

https://www.createspace.com/5623073

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 11 ~

[Editor’s Note] iNAPS has formed an advisory council of

over 100 members, with the goal of having two

representatives from each U.S. state and each country

around the world that has a peer workforce help to guide

the organization from the local, state, national, and

international perspective. This month, we feature an article

by Deborah Clark, our representative from New Mexico, on

why joining iNAPS as a full member is important to you.

Why becoming a full member of iNAPS is important to you! By Deborah Clark, iNAPS Advisory Council Representative from New Mexico The International Association of Peer Supporters offers a free email subscription to help keep the peer

workforce informed about the latest education and training available. Upgrading to a full membership

offers even more….

Great value for the money!

iNAPS Newsletter is chock full of information relevant to Peer Supporters!

Webinars (with free CE credit for recertification) sponsored by Optum.

Increased contact with caring, compassionate Peers who have comparable lived and work

experience who can respond to your questions and concerns.

Ability to compare what is happening in recovery-oriented programs for Peers in other states

and countries that may be presented to Government officials to advocate for improved funding

and programs in their own States.

Practice guidelines and helpful information to share with Government officials in advocating on

how other States have secured funding.

Information on how organizations in other States support workforce development.

A venue for Peers to share their successes (and failures = important learning experiences) with

other States.

Connections with other grass-roots Consumer groups.

What are the top priorities for iNAPS?

Standardization of required training, credentials, workplace roles, pay scales, etc.

Certification reciprocity between States.

Suggestions on successful strategies and practices to advocate with State officials.

Teaching across disciplines (Medicine, Social Work, Community Support Workers, Government,

etc.) to reduce Stigma.

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 12 ~

Media attention.

Becoming a cohesive political group re: State and National issues.

Recently I had a conversation with a certified Peer Supporter (unemployed, a long-time volunteer,

former MSW prior to diagnosis) and she told me (not verbatim): “I don’t care what is going on in other

States. I care about what is going on in my State. I live here. In my many associations with Peers (various

Committees, Alliances, workshops/in-service trainings, non-profits, Planning Councils): I can’t tell you

how many times I hear: We don’t have a Voice. No one listens to us. They (Government) don’t want to

hear from Consumers. They (Government) seem threatened by Consumers. Let’s join together for a

greater / stronger voice!

[Editor’s Note] Full membership in the association is $25 per year and it is not limited to those who are certified as peer specialists. It is open to anyone, peer or non-peer, who offers peer support (paid or volunteer) or is working toward growing and sustaining the peer workforce. If you are interested in joining the Advisory Council, send email to info@naops.org to learn more.

May is Mental Health Month: Take it One Step at a Time by Howard Diamond

Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! Welcome to May which is Mental Health Month! Do we all take care of

ourselves in a positive mentally-healthy way? Probably not. By the way, shouldn't we take care of

mental health every month, not just in May? Probably. Self-Stigma does get in the way of a lot

of progress. Just following the steps, one step at a time.

For me, the first step is to attempt to eat healthier meals. No, I do not count calories, but I eat smaller

portions each meal. Unfortunately, I have only lost eight pounds since January 1st, but I feel it is better

than gaining eight pounds. Working constantly on eating less has helped in many ways, but I still

struggle with eating more food late in the evening. Now, late at night I eat more fruit rather than cheese

or ice cream. It helps, but I still crave or eat the ice cream too often.

Now that is spring in Long Island (and everywhere else), I go to the boardwalk two to three times weekly

and walk a mile of more on the Long Beach Boardwalk, one step at a time. Not only does it make my

body stronger, but is good mental health as well. While I walk I tend to daydream about the loss of my

dear, Maureen but I try to focus on all the good times we spent down in Long Beach together.

Last May, Maureen and I had a very tumultuous month together. On May 6th, we met to Broadway and

saw Les Miserables and took in a great French dinner across the street. While waiting for dinner, the two

of us sat, talked and laughed for a couple of hours in Times Square. She made my birthday (May

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 13 ~

15th) very special and entertaining. When my birthday came, Maureen went out and brought home a

pizza from our favorite Lynbrook, Italian Restaurant.

Sunday May 24th, Maureen and I spent Patriot's Day at our local park sharing Memorial Day stories,

laughing, listening to the singing of USO troops, eating free hot dogs, hamburger and soda all sponsored

by the Mayor of Lynbrook. That night in the park, we watched the fireworks while music played in the

background. A good time was had by both of us. See, more evidence of good mental health.

Regrettably, everything changed and changed for the worse. By Wednesday, Maureen headaches got

really and by Friday I had to rush her to the emergency room at one hospital and immediately

transferred to another. So much, for my mental health. Friday, June 12th, she died and my world was

rocked and has not been the same. For my mental health, I do my best to focus on the good times we

had and doing the right thing for me. One step at a time. Focus! Focus! Focus!

Now almost a year later, I have struggled a lot. For almost four months I have held a new job, met new

people and trying to regain a social life. Not that I have forgotten about Maureen, but I opened new

doors. Remember, every journey in life begins with one step. See you in the newsletter.

Howard, a Peer from Long Island

Howard Diamond is a member from Long Island, New York and a frequent contributor to the newsletter.

I wonder sometimes how did I keep living

in a world that I didn’t fit in

By Shelley Brown

I wasn’t brought up around substance abuse. I didn’t

even know what it meant until I was 23, divorced and

alone with my 2-year old daughter. I ventured into an

Eagles nest and was eaten alive. It took me so many

years of traumatic events and turmoil to finally realize

that’s not my world. I was sucked into believing I

belonged there because I was unworthy of living life on

life’s terms. When in reality I was dually diagnosed,

which I thought meant dually condemned.

© 2016 Shelley Brown

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 14 ~

It wasn’t until I decided I was worth it and making my own world to conquer, that I starting changing.

Yes, I started changing – but not the world I lived in. I used to set my goals extremely high, then wonder

why I failed again. I pushed harder than others to prove what I could do, but I struggled, then failed

again.

After making changes, seeing the changes make a difference, then facing yet another landslide, I’ve

finally accepted that life is challenging and there are changes every day. I am willing to say change is not

my strongest area but I have other areas of strength, so I’m not sure how to approach this situation but

I’d love to hear your thoughts on it (see my blog site at the end of this article). I lowered the bar of my

own expectations a little so I could feel accomplishments. And after achieving some goals, I realized I

could. Now I reach a little higher because I’m more confident in my world – the one I choose to live in.

All of that is to say recovery works if you are willing to stay in the fight long enough to believe in yourself

again!! (Especially when life keeps happening around you.) That’s why I choose to help others to

rediscover who they want to be and support them in regaining their own world of passion or

experience, or both. Who benefits? I think it’s an equal share. I love what I do, who I’ve became,

(despite the challenges of the past), and look forward to sharing my passion and future with others.

You CAN do ANYTHING YOU want to by Taking that First Step and believing in yourself, even if it is for

the first time in a long time!!! You are worth it so take that Leap of Faith because I believe in You just

like someone believed in me!!!

Shelley Brown, iNAPS State Representative from Oklahoma

To read more of Shelley’s writing, visit: “Making a Difference, One Starfish At A Time!”

https://shelleybrownfootprintstohope.wordpress.com/

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 15 ~

News from Resilience, Inc.

UPCOMING Webinar

Friday, June 10, 2016 Special Edition

– A joint iNAPS / Resilience Inc., Webinar, hosted by Optum

Website: www.resilience4u.us

This will be a special opportunity to learn about peer support and the Affordable Care Act.

While targeted to Peer and Family Support Specialists in the State of California, the webinar will be open

to anyone who would like to learn more about how peer and family supporters are helping people to be

better informed about navigating the complexities of the Affordable Care Act system. Learn about a

user- friendly training now under development through the SAMHSA-funded Bringing Recovery Supports

to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) for peer specialists in the state of California.

To learn more about this new initiative, contact Scott Palluck, Director of Operations, E-

mail: scott@resilience4u.us

http://www.mhselfhelp.org/the-key-update-latest/

The Key Update is the free monthly e-newsletter of the National Mental Health

Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse. For content, reproduction or publication

information, contact Susan Rogers at srogers@mhasp.org. To view the current

issue of the Key Update, click: http://www.mhselfhelp.org/the-key-update-latest. For content,

reproduction or publication information, please contact Susan Rogers at srogers@mhasp.org or

800.553.4539 x3812, 267.507.3812 (direct). Follow Susan on Twitter at @SusanRogersMH.

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 16 ~

News from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)

View the DBSA eUpdate online: http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=education_eupdate_2016_may

News from Doors to Wellbeing

Beyond Our Doors is the newsletter of the Doors to Wellbeing Technical Assistance Center.

For more, visit:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/8b1e4a_75b6dfd108f345f3919ece4887b37bca.pdf

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 17 ~

News from NAMI STAR Center

The STAR Center is one of the five National Technical Assistance Centers funded by the Substance Abuse

Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support mental health systems transformation.

The STAR Center is dedicated to building organizational, business and management capacity of

identified consumer leaders and consumer and family run organizations to increase the availability of

consumer-directed, recovery-oriented approaches, with a core concentration on youth leadership

development.

To keep in touch, sign up for their free newsletter! http://www.consumerstar.org/site/index.php

News from the Global Peer Supporter Celebration Day Organizer

Mark your calendars: 20 October 2016 is the date for Global Peer

Celebration Day! The Third Thursday of October is our day to

Celebrate globally - annually.

There will be a kick-off event at the iNAPS Conference in Philadelphia

and we are looking for organizers across the country and around the

world to help us make this celebration great! GPSCD2016@gmail.com is our email address.

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 18 ~

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Peer Leadership Center

Join forces with the leading community of peer support!

The Peer Leadership Center, created by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, is dedicated to advancing the field of peer support and the peer provider workforce.

To learn more, visit the FAQ page: http://www.peerleadershipcenter.org/plc/FAQ.asp

Copeland Center –

Upcoming Events View the Calendar of events - https://copelandcenter.com/events

Peer Specialist Resources Survey

Peer Specialist Resources Survey Click here to take the Peer Specialist Resources Survey

Or copy and paste the link into your browser: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uTMNCkzJ-

odFMRIoQaW2PvTlokOTqaXtcceG22jxF2M/viewform?c=0&w=1

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 19 ~

2016 Recovery Workforce Summit

The State of Recovery in the World of Psych Rehab: Our Collective Vision Put Into Action May 22-25, 2016 Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts

http://www.psychrehabassociation.org/events/2016-recovery-workforce-summit

MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/annualconference

https://www.nami.org/convention

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 20 ~

http://www.alternatives2016peerlinktac.org/

CALL FOR ALTERNATIVES PRESENTATION PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL MAY 23, 2016.

FOR MORE: http://www.alternatives2016peerlinktac.org/call-for-presentations/

Have you ever experienced seizures?

We are looking for peers who also have a lived experience of seizures for a special project with

iNAPS.

Contact us at info@naops.org to learn more.

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 21 ~

At Optum, we’re dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone.

www.optum.com

Tell Your Story in High Definition Video Production and Post Production

http://createusmedia.com

http://dbhids.org/

Your tax-deductible donation (any amount) to the International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) is greatly (and gratefully) appreciated and will go toward our ongoing efforts to educate, promote the inclusion of, and improve conditions for the emerging peer support workforce and those who are being supported through their efforts.

To make an online donation, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/donations-to-inaps-tickets-19965392025

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 22 ~

Our free e-mail list is available for anyone with an interest in peer support or being a champion of the peer support movement. You don't need to be a member to receive our monthly newsletter and other free mailings (although we do encourage you to join if you find value in the information, education, and outreach we offer!)

There is a link at the bottom of our home page (www.inaops.org) to join our free email list. Share the link with others who would like to sign up for our free email list and receive notifications about free webinars, our annual conference, and other upcoming events of interest in the world of peer support.

By joining iNAPS as a full member (it costs $25 to join and $25 annually), you can receive a discount on the annual peer support conference registration fee, certificates for attending our free webinars (now a "member only" benefit), have a vote on action items at the annual member meeting, and be eligible to join workgroups with nationally-recognized leaders in the peer support movement and become a widely recognized representative yourself, as well as receive the good feeling that comes with knowing what you are doing is helping many others be reached and helped through the power of peer support. Membership dues and donations are used toward continuing education of the peer workforce and to ensure regular communication with peer supporters across the U.S. and others in other countries. A limited number of free memberships have been donated by our members. If you cannot afford $25 per year to join, send a message to our membership committee with “Requesting a Sponsored Membership” in the subject line to membership@naops.org. Please allow 6-8 weeks for a decision. Otherwise, to join and pay the $25 annual membership fee online visit: http://inaops.org/join-us

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 23 ~

The International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes emerging and best practices in peer support and peer workforce development. We send regular newsletters and updates to our members and free email subscriber list of 5000, hold regular webinars on topics requested by peer supporters, and host an internationally-attended conference that brings together people in all aspects of the peer support movement. This year marks the 10th annual conference devoted to peer supporters and the champions of the peer support movement. (http://inaops.org/2016-annual-conference/)

Our Mission Our mission is to grow the profession by promoting the inclusion of peer supporters throughout mental and behavioral health systems worldwide. We learn together and grow in our ability to….

Demonstrate compassion and hope.

Understand.

Expect more and encourage the next step.

Increase acceptance of those with mental health, substance use, or trauma experiences

in their communities of choice.

Increase awareness of the benefits of hiring peer support providers.

Our Vision Our vision is to make peer support services an option for anyone who needs the compassion and understanding of someone who has been there.

Our Values Our values come from an inclusive process of focus groups, interviews, and surveys in which 1000 peer support providers across the U.S. gave a 98% approval to twelve core ethical values of peer support. The U.S. National Practice Guidelines Steve Harrington compiled from peer input in that process have been used as a global standard for ethical peer support practices. To download a free copy of the U.S. National Practice Guidelines, visit: https://na4ps.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/nationalguidelines1.pdf

International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS) May 2016 Newsletter ~ 24 ~

International Association of Peer Supporters A non-profit organization

(www.inaops.org)

2016 Membership Form

The International Association of Peer Supporters welcomes all who support peer support services. We promote peer support in a variety of settings including but not limited to mental health care and addiction treatment. Members receive a certificate, e-mail newsletter, regular updates and a registration fee discount for the annual national peer support conference.

Join our ranks to be informed, involved, and bring peer support to those who need it most!

To join, simply complete the following information form. The cost of individual

membership is $25 annually. If you can afford an additional donation (any amount), it will be tax-deductible (membership fees are not).

Please Print Clearly!

Name________________________________________________________________________________ * E-Mail _____________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address_______________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________________________________________________ City______________________________________ State/Country________ Zip____________________

Membership fee ($25) enclosed: $______________

Additional (tax deductible donation) enclosed: $______________

Total enclosed: $______________

Mail completed form with payment to: iNAPS, P.O. Box 19265, Cincinnati, Ohio 49347 Or apply online with credit card information to: https://inaps-membership-2015-16.eventbrite.com

*E-mail is required to receive communication: Provide an email address to guarantee you receive communications from iNAPS.