Peer Support

          Davidson, Chinman, Sells & Rowe (2006) envisioned peer support as a person(s) with a neurobiological disorder “…who have experienced significant improvements in their psychiatric condition offering services and/or supports to other people with a serious mental illness who are considered to be not as far along in their own recovery process” (p.444). Peer support provides an opportunity for each person in the relationship to support and challenge each other towards living a full life.  Researchers continue to provide evidence that peers can be positive role models and provide support (Coniglio, Hancock, & Ellis, 2012; Davidson, 2006; Power, 2010; Turton, Demetriou, Bolland, Gillard, Kavuma, Mezey, & Wright, 2011).

            Peers have first-hand knowledge of what it is like to live with a neurobiological disorder, and they can provide hope and insight into the trials that they have experienced.  Coniglio (2012) illustrate the value of peer support through the four layers of peer support: “(1) social inclusion and belonging; (2) shared achievement through doing; (3) Interdependency; and (4) Intimacy” (p.159). Recovery support services can be delivered by professional peers (receive payment for their services) and/or volunteer peers. Peer support involves mutual giving and receiving of information. The mutual support can provide assistance to recovering individuals so they can reach their long-term goals.

            Even consumer services have demonstrated positive outcomes of peer support, because peer support helps consumers to know that they are not alone and it provides an opportunity for life experiences to be shared (Sterling, Esenwein, Tucker, Fricks, & Druss, 2010). In fact, Clubhouses and consumer-run drop in centers (CRDIs) are two models of consumer-centered services that “focus on the consumers’ needs and goals, as defined by the consumer” and they provide opportunities for peers to interact with one another (Mowbray, Holter, Mowbray, & Bybee, 2005; Mowbray, Woodward, Holter, MacFarlane, & Bybee, 2009, p.362). SAMHSA (2011) used the results of the last couple of decades, of research, to create a toolkit called the Consumer-Operated Services Evidence-Based Practices Kit, so organizations and states could create their own consumer-operated organizations.