8th Annual Substance Use Mental Health Peer Conference and Career Fair 2024

PEER CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR Peer Support at the Roots: Upholding Rights, Integrity and Solidarity in Advocating for the Authenticity of the Peer Support Role

DECEMBER 6, 2024 Silberman School of Social Work 2180 Third Avenue . New York, New York 10035 Department of Health, and Mental Hygiene

PEER CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR Peer Support Services are rich in history and deeply rooted in cultivating meaningful and authentic relationships that honor and respect the experiences, voices, and choices of individuals and communities. Whether anchored in rights activism, the centering of equity, multiple pathways, or any other intersectional identities and needs, Peer support work embodies the understanding of “nothing about us without us.”

As the demand for Peer support services continues to grow, it is integral that we protect the fidelity and integrity of the work, highlighting and valuing our lived expertise. Staying true to the historical fundamental core values of the peer-to-peer support relationship is how we will successfully sustain our impact. In doing so, we ensure role clarity and identity, avoid peer drift, and work creep, and establish the voices of our individual and collective lived experience that define OUR work.

Voices of peer support matter now more than ever in collectively ensuring OUR work remains true to its origins, its roots!

“Lived experience matters, and those who have been closest to the problem are the best positioned to aid in the solution.”

CONFERENCE AGENDA BREAKFAST 8:30am to 9:00am

Breakfast

9:00am to 9:15am

Introduction Teena Brooks, LMSW, M.Phil., ABD, Assistant Director- Office of Consumer Affairs, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Brenda Harris-Collins, MA, Director of Recovery and Social Determinants of Health Bureau, Division of Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery, Office of Addiction Services and Supports

9:15am to 9:45am

The State of the Peer Work Force Dr. Angelia Smith-Wilson Executive Director, Friends of Recovery – New York Luke Sikinyi Director of Public Policy, Alliance for Rights and Recovery

9:45am to 10:00am

Overview of the Day

WELCOMING REMARKS | Auditorium 10:00am to 10:30am

Welcoming Remarks Commissioner, Dr. Chinazo Cunningham Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) Commissioner Dr. Annemarie Sullivan Office of Mental Health (OMH) Carlton Whitmore NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene James M Mandiberg | MSW PhD, Associate Professor

CONFERENCE AGENDA KEYNOTE | Auditorium 10:30am to 11:00am

Keynote Speaker Dr. Felecia Pullen

CAREER FAIR 11:00am to 3:00pm

Career Fair

The Career Fair featuring providers with internship and employment opportunities for peers offering peer support services will be held throughout the conference. About 300 peers and providers are anticipated to attend. This is a chance to connect, exchange information, and network with other conference attendees.

11:00am to 11:15pm

Break

WORKSHOPS 11:15am to 12:30pm

Workshop Round 1

LUNCH 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Lunch

WORKSHOPS 1:30pm to 2:45pm

Workshop Round 2

PERSPECTIVES | Auditorium 3:00pm to 4:00pm

Perspectives Auditorium Patrice Peterson Helen “Skip” Skipper Mona Lisa McEachin, Best Self Behavioral Health

PEER SPEAKS | Auditorium 4:00pm to 4:45pm

Peer Speaks Michael Staley Anna Rose Derrick Blocker

Dan Frey Jason Rice Marion Glass

LISTENING SESSION Listening Sessions Carlton Whitmore NYC Department of Health, and Mental Hygiene Patrice Peterson

WORKSHOPS ROUND 1 Workshop Title & Presenters Jeremy Reuling & Rita Cronise Listening to the Peer Workforce Top Ten Priorities: An Action Agenda

Room Number

Auditorium

Wilvena Gordon & Douglas Murphy Expanding the Peer Support Recovery Capital Toolkit: Fleshing Out Misconceptions and Applications of NA Literature as A Resource in the Community

215

Sara Taylor Amplifying Workforce Diversity and Equity through a Family and Youth Peer Advocacy Learning Collaborative

216

Meghann Simpson & Kristin Rivera Understanding Youth Self-Injurious Behavior Addiction

217

Joanne Forbes, Jonathan Edwards, & Gita Enders No, Nothing, None! Answers to Three Critical Questions about Supervision of Peer Supporters

218

Denise Delio & Diana Mendez Effects of SUD/MH disorders on the family: Perspectives from family peer advocates

219

Andrea Wagner Writing for Wellness, Advocacy, and Community Building

220

Edwin Havlovic Older Adults and Substance Use Disorder: A non-clinical approach to understanding the physical, emotional, and social factors influencing SUD Among Older Adults

221

WORKSHOPS ROUND 2 Workshop Title & Presenters

Room Number

Jonathan Edwards & Gita Enders Career Chat 2.0: A Facilitated Dialogue About Pursuing a Meaningful Future

Auditorium

Dan Frey Building Community for Mental Health Recovery through Social Media and Events

215

Zach Dyce, Christine Guadagno, & Charneice McClain Empowering Peer Support Through Digital Patient Engagement: A Collaborative Approach for Inclusive Patient Care

216

Rita Cronise & Joanne Forbes Let’s Talk About Supervision: The Good, the Bad, The Ugly, and the Imaginary…

217

Shawna Black, Venus Moore, & Leilani Yizar Gambling Harms and Recovery: Preliminary Lessons learned the RCOC Needs Assessment.

218

Jed Albano & Matthew Petite Empowering CPEP Peer Bridgers: Skills for Effective CPEP Peer Bridgers Crisis Support

219

Helen 'Skip' Skipper, Nicole Scott, & Donna Jackson-Wilson Transforming Lived Experience to Lived Expertise

220

Carlton Whitmore & Patrice Peterson The Future of Peer Support in NYC: Strategies for Growth & Impact

221

Silberman Workshop

332

PEER CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR

EXHIBITORS NYC Health + Hospitals, 8 Cycles Of Wellness LLC., The Family Center, Samaritan Daytop Village, Family & Children's Association - THRIVE Recovery Centers/SHERPA, ELMCOR, Acacia Network Inc, Narcotics Anonymous, Exponents, Brooklyn Community Recovery Center, Phoenix House NY/LI, Rutgers University / Academy of Peer Services, Center for Comprehensive Health Practice, The NYC Justice Peer Initiative, The New York City Peer Recovery Coach Network, Community Health Action of Staten Island/Next Step Resource & Recovery Center, Recovery with Heart- Elev8 Centers, Partners in Community Development-BIPOC PEEEEEEK Peer Project, The Rockland Council on Alcoholism/Foundations Recovery Center, Lincoln Hospital, ODYSSEY House, Alliance for Rights and Recovery, Office of Mental Health, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Addiction Services and Supports, National Association of Peer Supports - NY Peer Advancement Network.

PEER CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Elizabeth Breier, OMH Teena Brooks, NYCDOMH Marisa Planck, NYCDOMH Jonathon Edwards, NYCDOMH Rita Cronise, Peer Academy Malik Hutchinson, Elmcor Luis LaBoy, Acacia Network Albert Aponte, Samaritan Daytop Village Mona Lisa McEachin, Best Self Behavioral Health Lila Boyer, Helping Other People Every Day (HOPE) Wilvena Gordon, FOR-NY Luke Sikinyi, Alliance for Rights and Recovery Yvette Pate, Peer Supports Network Deja Daniels, NYCDOMH Brenda Harris-Collins, OASAS Sylvia Hart, OASAS Marialice Ryan, OASAS Rebecca Cooper, OASAS Tracy Stickle, OASAS Gita Enders, NYC Health + Hospitals Christal Montague, Outreach Edwin Havlovic, NYC Peer Recovery Coach Network

PEER CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR

SPONSORS

Department of Health, and Mental Hygiene

SUPPORTED BY: Acacia Network Lila Boyer, Helping Other People Everyday