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The Professional Experiences of Peer Specialists in the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network

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Abstract

There has been an increase in the number of peer-led services within the mental health care system. There however remains little information about the experiences of peers serving in such helping roles. This study explored the professional experiences of peer specialists including the basic roles, benefits, and potential challenges of the peer specialist role. Peer specialists (N = 84) completed a battery of surveys and questionnaires. Qualitative analysis of participants’ responses indicated that peer specialists face difficulties such as poor compensation, limited employment opportunities, work stress, emotional stress in helping others, and maintaining personal wellness. Quantitative analyses revealed that recovery attitudes may confer clinical and psychosocial benefits for peer specialists and employment may contribute to hope, empowerment, social engagement, and competence. Peer specialists would benefit from resources and supports aimed at their continued training and supervision. Fostering the vocational advancement of peer specialists could potentially enhance their experiential recovery and community functioning.

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Notes

  1. It is also possible that the peer specialist role creates opportunities for “mastery experiences” (e.g., maintaining a job, managing finances, improved illness self-management) that contribute to an increased sense of recovery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA

    Anthony O. Ahmed, Alex P. Mabe & Peter F. Buckley

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, 21 Bloomingdale Rd, White Plains, NY, 10605, USA

    Anthony O. Ahmed

  3. Department of Counseling and Human Development Services, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Kristin M. Hunter

  4. Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Decatur, GA, USA

    Sherry J. Tucker

Authors
  1. Anthony O. Ahmed
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  2. Kristin M. Hunter
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  3. Alex P. Mabe
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  4. Sherry J. Tucker
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  5. Peter F. Buckley
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Correspondence to Anthony O. Ahmed.

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Ahmed, A.O., Hunter, K.M., Mabe, A.P. et al. The Professional Experiences of Peer Specialists in the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network. Community Ment Health J 51, 424–436 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9854-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9854-8

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