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The Texas Empowerment Initiative – Peer Network (TEI-Peer Network) project makes quality peer services available to people with lived experience of serious mental health issues by developing a Consumer Operated Services Program (COSP) certification process based on the COSP Fidelity Assessment Common Ingredients Tool (FACIT) and the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) peer services and trauma informed care requirements. In developing the certification process, an advisory group of state peer leaders will identify gaps in their knowledge of the peer services and trauma informed care requirements of CCBHC certification. They will be given the information needed to fill those gaps and then they will serve as a workgroup to develop the standards needed for the COSP certifying process. This will ensure that COSPs who choose to be certified meet the requirements to become Designated Collaborating Organizations (DCO) under CCBHC. By the end of the project there will be at least two Certified COSPs in Texas. Throughout the project the Peer Network, an organization developed to support and grow COSPs in Texas, will participate in the process and continue to develop its infrastructure to take over the technical assistance and certifying process at the end of the grant period. In the first year of the grant, material raising awareness of CCBHC among peer providers will be developed and shared through existing peer networks and outreach opportunities. This will impact people receiving services in the public mental health system in Texas, roughly 227,000. It will also impact the people currently receiving services from COSPs in Texas. The two largest COSPs served over 2500 people combined. Although this project will be completed in 3 years, the impact will continue as new COSPs are created to meet the demand for quality peer services in Texas.

The Arizona Peer Referral Center would be operated by Recovery Empowerment Network of Maricopa County Inc. in Phoenix Arizona. This program will ensure that the community gains education regarding peer support services. Our agency will support the individual in finding peer support services within Arizona that will best suit their unique needs and eligibility. We will then provide a complete referral to the selected peer support agency and facilitate the warm hand off with the member. Arizona has a significant need to increase peer support services throughout the state due to only half of the individuals living with a mental illness are receiving services for their diagnosis. This project can close this gap by connecting individuals living with a serious mental illness (SMI) throughout the state of Arizona to peer support services; including programming for justice involved, co-occurring, integrated care, employment, and education through referrals with partner organizations. This grant would provide the development of infrastructure to expand the program to serve members who have a Serious Mental Illness as defined as persons ages 18 and older who have met criteria for a mental disorder as recognized by the diagnostic classification system (DSM-V) and displays functional impairment, as determined by a standardized measures, which impedes progress towards recovery and sustainability in their functioning in family, school, employment, relationships or community activities. The first goal of this program is to improve access to statewide peer support and recovery oriented integrated, and coordinated treatment, services, and supports including through community-based outreach and peer support to those with SMI and through peer placement in clinical settings for the purposes of working as part of the clinical team and assisting those with SMI to obtain maximum benefit from individualized treatment services in the community setting by providing specific mental health related practices and policies for other programs, organizations, and communities to implement; providing referrals to peer support services to SMI individuals who are interested to the organization of their choosing who will be able to accommodate needs; providing connection to clinical services as necessary to community members with behavioral health diagnosis who are not already receiving services. The second goal of this program is to emphasize and building statewide consumer leadership within consumer operated organization and in the community through providing training to people in mental health, and related workforce trained in specific mental health related practices/activities; increasing peer involvement on advisory councils and work groups throughout the state. The third goal of this program is to build capacity and sustainability of statewide consumer networks through providing peer support credentialing training to increase available peer support staff and increase community knowledge of availability of peer support throughout the state of Arizona. The fourth goal of this program is to expand Peer Support Services to Justice Involved individuals through providing training and development partnership with department of corrections and detention centers to provide referral to peer support upon release from jail and/or prisons; increasing peer support services in halfway houses and mental health court. We intend to serve 200 individuals through community education and training and 200 individuals through referrals to peer support services.

The Connection Center will certify CPSSs, introduce mental health professionals to CPSS services, and provide consumers with on-site peer support services at after-hours drop-in centers. The consumer-run organization SC SHARE (Self Help Association Regarding Emotions) proposes this Program to shore up the state's infrastructure for CPSSs. Mental Health America SC (MHASC), a Project partner, will allow use of its facilities for drop-in centers where CPSSs will be certified and will also allow the Project to use community rooms in its 14 apartment complexes to hold staff trainings to introduce mental health staff to CPSS services. We have 3 target populations. 1) individuals who self-identify as consumers and become certified peer specialists, 2) mental health staff, and 3) consumers of mental health services who will benefit from services offered by a CPSS. Yearly goals are to certify 50 CPSSs the first year; 150 the second, and 250, the third. Other annual targets are to place at least five consumers in policy/leadership roles and ensure that at least five consumers complete national CPSS certification. During the Project's life, this equals 450 new CPSSs, 15 consumers placed in leadership roles, and 15 national CPSS certifications. The Connection Center will train at least 250 mental health staff on evidenced-based peer support services. Forty staff will be trained in Year 1 and 105 each in Years 2 and 3. Six hundred consumers will receive evidenced-based peer services at the Project's drop-in centers. This includes 50 in Year 1, 200 in Year 2, and 350 in Year 3. A 2019 MHASC study of 3800 adults receiving state mental health services found that 38% were African American and 49% white. Eleven Percent identified as Hispanic. In addition, 22% had been homeless, 4% were LGBTQ, 18% were Veterans. A shocking 60% suffered from trauma and 38% had co-occurring disorders. This Project will focus on cultural and demographic inclusiveness and will offer services appropriate for individuals' culture and experiences. Share's board will oversee the Project. The seven-member board is very diverse. Four board members are CPSSs with jobs at Spartanburg Mental Health Center, Prisma Health, Veterans House and the Veteran's Administration. A third of the Board is African American, one is gay, two have been homeless, and two suffer from trauma experiences. This Board will ensure the Project promotes recovery-oriented services to meet the diverse needs of the target population. SHARE has successfully certified CPSSs in the past; however, in this proposal SHARE joins with MHASC. This partnership will enhance and sustain a statewide system to support CPSSs.

Summary: The Wellbeing Initiative, Inc. is responsible for delivery of the Nebraska Coalition for Peer Delivered Services (NCPDS) program, which connects individuals and organizations providing mental health related peer services across the state to the population of focus affected by serious mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring disorders in an effort to build the capacity and sustainability of peer efforts in Nebraska. Population to be served: According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 62,875 Nebraskans were affected by a serious mental illness (SMI), and 18,619 were also affected by combined SMI and substance use disorder (SUD). The NCPDS program will serve underrepresented and underserved Nebraskans affected by SMI and co-occurring disorders in all six Behavioral Health Regions of the State. Strategies/interventions: NCPDS, in collaboration with provider agencies, will establish quality peer programming that stimulates expansion of peer delivered services in Nebraska. The program, along with state/provider agencies, will select and plan online peer-recovery support module trainings to address latest research and development on mental health, co-occurring disorders, and specific peer-support EBPs for the delivery of support services. Workforce capacity building through workshops, webinars and face to face interactions will be conducted by the program in collaboration with local partners for all peer-recovery support staff. Project goals and measurable objectives: Goal 1: Promote practices and policies to increase consumer involvement with the purpose of expanding peer support services to the population of focus, including underserved and underrepresented populations. Objective 1.1: develop the Whole Health Employment Support and Training (WHEST) Mentoring and Leadership program to increase the professional development of 100 Peer Support Specialists (year 1). Goal 2: Support the development and implementation of statewide processes addressing peer support for consumers. Objective 2.1: Develop two self-paced formal online continuing education learning modules for 100 Peer Support Specialists (years 1 to 3). Goal 3: Promote consumer engagement across the state via collaborations with state and provider agencies. Objective 3.1: Develop and facilitate quarterly focus groups consisting of 15 consumers and marginalized community members to promote the creation of assessment tools, best practices, and educational opportunities. Goal 4: Develop and implement a plan for sustainability when grant funding ends. Objective 4.1: Enter into contract training and/or consultation service relationships with two service providers in the state of Nebraska by the end of the grant. Number of people served by the project: It is expected that 450 individuals will be served annually, and a total of 1,350 will receive services throughout the entirety of the project.

Abstract Wellness in the Woods’ (WITW) Minnesota Peer Empowerment project builds on the peer-to-peer network in Minnesota for individuals with serious mental illness. WITW uses a holistic model of self-directed treatment, including the evidence-based Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), which empowers consumers toward wellness and recovery while reflecting culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) and peer support models. The goal of the Minnesota Peer Empowerment project is to create a continuum of care for all of Minnesota’s diverse communities, including communities of color and rural frontier regions where populations are 7 people or less per square mile. It will do so by expanding a collaborative cross-state, peer support environment and providing peer support services to all consumers by locating and hiring culturally and linguistically appropriate Peer Support Specialists. In addition, WITW will facilitate training for consumers, Peer Specialists, partners and the general public geared toward improving consumer wellbeing, reducing the stigma of mental illness, increasing the ability of individuals to connect with culturally and linguistically appropriate services including peer support systems, expand peer leadership and peer engagement strategies and the capacity of partner organizations to provide peer-to-peer services. Core to this goal is to increase the level of culturally and linguistically appropriate services for people with serious mental illness especially in underserved populations including communities of color, rural frontier communities, populations with co-occurring substance use challenges, people who are incarcerated, the LGBTQ+ community and veterans. In the first year WITW will bring peer services to 150 consumers from target communities: training, including the evidence-based WRAP training, to 125 participants from targeted communities; facilitate the Minnesota certification of 10 Peer Specialists; empower 5 consumers into leadership positions; offer Virtual Peer Support Network opportunities to 50 consumers in targeted communities; offer cultural training to 50 participants; interact with 100 community members to reduce stigma around mental health; and collaborate with at least 5 organizations within target communities, 2 organizations that provide co-occurring services and at least 5 statewide organizations to provide a continuum of care. These same activities will be duplicated in years 2 & 3 with a 20% increase in consumer connection each year for a total of 516 consumers from target communities receiving peer to peer services (this is in addition to WITW current service provisions)

Wings Across Alabama will implement a Statewide Consumer Network in Alabama, with a focus on improving peer specialist capacity and consumer empowerment for low-income people experiencing mental health challenges in rural and other underserved areas of the state. The project aims to address the mental health needs of low-income individuals in Alabama in two ways: by building the capacity of a Certified Peer Specialists in the state through creation of a professional network and development of a Virtual Resource Hub for online resources to support CPS; and by creating and implementing an online empowerment curriculum for consumers in Alabama to increase consumer education, awareness, and agency in their paths to wellness. The empowerment curriculum will also be housed on the Virtual Resource Hub. The project will use strategies designed to reach individuals remotely, which will help to serve both rural areas and individuals isolated as a result of COVID-19. In addition to its focus on individuals living in rural areas, Wings is committed to providing increased resources and engagement opportunities for veterans and members of the LGBTQ community, populations that experience disproportionate challenges in accessing services. Wings embraces a peer model of consumer empowerment and service delivery, which is reflected in a staffing structure that prioritizes people with lived experience. The project aims to reach 1000 consumers annually and 200 CPS annually.

The Colorado Mental Wellness Network (CMWN) seeks to further develop the state’s infrastructure for serving adult Coloradans with serious mental illness (SMI). By offering high quality trainings, continuing education and networking opportunities through statewide meetings and regional guilds, and consulting services, CMWN will elevate and enhance the sustainability of the peer support workforce, ensuring adult Coloradans with SMI and co-occurring conditions have access to quality peer support services for years to come. Between 2017-2018, 21.5% of adult Coloradans reported having a mental illness of any kind, surpassing the U.S. average of 19%. In 2018, Colorado’s suicide rate per 100,000 individuals was 21.8%, the seventh highest rate in the nation. Notably, of Coloradans with a SMI during 2017-2018, 29.2% reported not receiving needed mental health treatment (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2020), with many citing stigma as a key barrier to care (Colorado Health Access Survey, 2019). While this project broadly targets all adult Coloradans with a SMI and co-occurring conditions, CMWN has integrated quota measures into the proposed outcomes to ensure rural communities, which are disproportionately impacted by a lack of behavioral health providers and tend to perpetuate cultural stigmatization of mental health conditions, regarding seeking help as a point of shame or weakness antithetical to traditional western values of self-reliance and rugged individualism, are adequately reached by infrastructure developments. As the state’s trailblazing leader in the peer support movement, CMWN is uniquely positioned to build infrastructure for supporting and professionalizing the rapid proliferation of peer support programs in communities statewide. CMWN seeks $95,000/year for three years to implement infrastructure development strategies including (1) providing high-quality training to Peer Support Specialists (PSS) and PSS Supervisors, (2) creating regional guilds for PSS, (3) hosting quarterly statewide meetings for the entire peer support workforce, and (4) providing professional consulting services to peer support programs through the state. The goals of the proposed activities are to: * Increase the number of PSS and PSS Supervisors who receive high-quality, standardized training, prioritizing individuals serving rural communities and individuals already employed. * Enhance the connectivity of the peer support workforce, including opportunities for individuals in similar regions across the state to discuss place-specific issues they share. * Increase continued education offerings to the peer support workforce beyond baseline training. * Formalize processes by which peer support programs and organizations can solicit and receive consulting services from CMWN to launch programs or improve their existing operations. Over the course of the three-year grant, measurable outcomes include training 80 PSS/year, totaling 240 PSS, training 20 PSS Supervisors/year, totaling 60 PSS Supervisors, and hosting 25 participants at each quarterly statewide meeting, totaling 100 people/year and 300 people total. With the additions of the listening tour, regional guilds, and standardized consulting services, CMWN expects to reach many organizations and agencies across the state and serve a grand total of 3,600 individuals over the lifetime of the grant.

Developing Peer Support Communities (DPSC) is a program to meet the needs of widening gaps in behavioral health and other systems in Washington State. The funds from this grant will support the continued development of a centralized resource and leadership education platform for peer supporters; support grassroot peer organizations efforts and abilities to network; and establish connections for greater support of peer leadership through virtual and in-person engagements. Developing Peer Support Communities (DPSC) focuses on adult individuals living with serious mental illness or experiencing co-occurring disorders who live in rural regions or underserved urban/suburban communities in Washington State. These individuals include BIPOC population, LGBTQ+ population, and the majority population. DPSC is expected to engage 1400 individuals a year or 3000 over the three year period. Specifically, DPSC will continue development of Washington Peer Advancement Coalition (WaPAC) started as a part of previous SAMHSA SCN grants, further the mini-grant program that supports new peer directed efforts around Washington developed as part of previous grant work and support a statewide peer support services workforce.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) aims to increase the capacity in Illinois to serve individuals with serious mental illness through the evidence-based practice of peer support and peer support services in community-based settings by developing a replicable model for a peer support specialist apprenticeship program. DBSA will pilot the apprenticeship program by serving Black individuals in Cook County, finalize the curriculum, and implement a dissemination plan across Illinois. Through the program, Enhancing Consumer Network Programs, DBSA will develop a replicable 2.5 peer support apprenticeship curriculum that extends beyond training to include on-the-job experience and mentorship through certification and beyond. The curriculum will be designed to help apprentices complete the requirements for certification by the State of Illinois. Goal: Expand peer support specialist workforce in Illinois by training and mentoring Black individuals on a career path as Illinois Certified Recovery Support Specialists (CRSS). -Enroll up to 10 members of the Black community in DBSA’s peer support specialist course -During year the first two years of the program, two peer support apprentices who complete the course will receive 2000 hours of mentorship and support from a tenured peer support specialist to build skills -By the end of 2023, two apprentices will meet the requirements, take and pass CRSS exam Goal: Develop and execute a pilot program to broaden peer support and reduce stigma within Black communities in Cook County that is replicable and scalable to improve mental health outcomes for Black individuals in Illinois -By August 2021, partner with organizations in Cook County to initiate a peer advisory council of 7-10 individuals with the lived experience of a mental health or substance use condition to advise on the needs of the community and cultural competent ways to provide peer support -By the end of grant period in 2023, 225 Black individuals will have participated in peer support activities including participation in a weekly DBSA support group meeting, participating in one on one peer coaching facilitated by DBSA’s peer specialist apprentices -By June 2023, Peer apprentices will deliver DBSA’s evidence-based anti-stigma program: I’m Here four times, reaching at least 90 people -By June 2023, develop leadership ability of peer apprentices to demonstrate competencies as mental health advocates in accordance with the need for certification as Illinois Recovery Support Specialists Goal: Increase capacity for organizations in Illinois to provide peer specialist apprenticeships that support individuals from training through certification as peer support specialists -By the end of 2023, DBSA will develop a formal, replicable peer support specialist apprenticeship curriculum that includes instruction and experience in implementing peer support services including self-advocacy and community advocacy -By the end of 2023, DBSA will have visited 5-10 organizations to help guide implementation of the peer support specialist apprenticeship curriculum

Forensic Peer Mentor Training Project Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Inc. 1990 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 100 Tucker, GA 30084 Phone: (404) 687-9487 Fax: (404) 687-0772 The purpose of the Georgia Forensic Peer Mentoring Training Project is to develop a sustainable peer-based, peer-led statewide Forensic Peer Mentor Training Program that will expand the Forensic Peer Mentor workforce in Georgia and reduce recidivism by providing justice-involved citizens living with behavioral health challenges the skills and resources necessary to lead productive, meaningful, self-directed lives of recovery and wellness. The Statewide Consumer Network Program (SCN) will allow the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) to lead a partnership with Georgia's peer specialist training providers, including the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse, the Georgia Parent Support Network, and Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). Additionally, support for the training will be provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision. These relationships will continue through the life of the project. Georgia currently has 592,000 justice-involved citizens. Georgia has the highest number of citizens on probation and parole in the nation and is second in the nation for percentage of incarcerated citizens. According to Department of Justice data, it is estimated that only 15% of Georgia's incarcerated citizens with behavioral health concerns are receiving treatment for them. This SNC proposal responds to the need identified in 2017 by the State of Georgia for the expansion of the Forensic Peer Mentor Project led by GMHCN that proved successful in reducing the recidivism rate among people with behavioral health concerns. This expansion will be accomplished over the course of the three-year SCN. GMHCN will conduct twelve Forensic Peer Mentor Trainings over the grant's three year cycle. Participants in the training will be drawn from Georgia's existing Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) workforce, including CPS-Mental Health, CPS-Addictive Disease, CPS-Youth, and CPS-Parent. All participants in the training will have personal lived experience with behavioral health concerns and with the criminal justice system. By the end of year three, 120 CPSs will have received the new Forensic Peer Mentor credential. In SCN year three, GMHCN will work with state agencies to replicate the success it has achieved in building other sustainable behavioral health services in creating a service definition that will allow providers of state-funded behavioral health services to bill the State and Medicaid for Forensic Peer Mentor Services. In years one, two, and three, media and public events will be utilized to build additional awareness of and support for the program and advocate for job creation for Forensic Peer Mentors across the state.

Program Abstract National Alliance on Mental Illness of Kansas - SAMHSA Statewide Consumer Network The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Kansas (NAMI KS) will enhance the capacity and infrastructure of mental health services in Kansas through the Statewide Consumer Network project. The project will expand and improve sustainability of the statewide consumer network for adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) by increasing access to peer support services, education, and statewide peer leadership; and reducing incarcerations of adults with SMI. Kansas is home to over 51,700 adults with SMI. Many of these adults live in rural areas with limited support for SMI and face barriers like waiting lists, transportation, and insurance and/or financial issues. NAMI KS will increase its capacity to deliver NAMI signature programs to over 900 more consumers with SMI throughout the state each year via community education (NAMI In Our Own Voice-IOOV), recovery support (NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group-Connections), recovery programming (NAMI Peer-to-Peer-P2P), and advocacy training (NAMI Smarts for Advocacy). Around 2,800 additional consumers will be served by the end of the project. NAMI KS will also convene an SMI Incarceration Advocacy Coalition (IAC) to study, understand, and devise a plan to address high incarceration rates of adults with SMI in Kansas. The following is a condensed summary of the project goals and objectives. 1. Increase engagement of individuals with SMI in peer support organizations/groups. A. Host an additional 90 IOOV presentations. B. Host an additional 100 Connections groups. C. Host an additional 12 P2P classes. D. Graduate an additional 120 P2P participants. 2. Increase engagement of individuals with SMI in peer support leadership training. A. Send 14 consumers to the National NAMI Signature Program Training. 3. Increase opportunities for individuals with SMI to participate in local & state leadership. A. Train 60 peer advocates in NAMI Smarts for Advocacy. B. Organize a rally for peer advocates at Mental Health Advocacy Day each year. C. Recruit & nominate peer advocates for the NAMI KS Advocacy Committee. D. Recruit 20 individuals for leadership roles in IOOV, Connection, or P2P. 4. Reduce future incarceration rates for individuals with SMI. A. Convene the SMI Incarceration Advocacy Coalition (IAC) to study incarceration rates. B. Establish focus group processes through the IAC. C. Begin focus groups and gather qualitative data through the IAC. D. Create a plan through the IAC to reduce future SMI incarceration rates. E. Initiate implementation of the IAC plan to reduce future SMI incarceration rates.

Building Bridges and Connecting Communities: Peer Leadership through Statewide Networks (BRIDGES), a program of Peer Support Coalition of Florida, Inc. (PSCFL), proposes to address the needs of adults with serious mental illnesses (SMI) by measurably increasing the levels and quality of peer support across the state of Florida, increasing the capacity for consumer leadership, and through development of statewide consumer operated organizations. PSCFL has identified a need in Florida for better access to care for individuals with mental illness. As we partner with the state of Florida, we identify with the state's vision to connect people with mental health disorders to a range of clinical and nonclinical supports. Our work with peer networks across Florida, over the past three years, indicates that in order for peers to empower themselves PSCFL needs to provide tools for peers to find and effectively use their voices. To address the needs identified, the three goals of the BRIDGES project are: 1) Improve quality of and access to statewide peer support and recovery-oriented, integrated, and coordinated treatment, services and supports by being a statewide resource for peer network development. 2) Emphasize and build statewide consumer leadership within consumer-operated organizations and in the community through the Peer Leadership Academy of Florida (PLAFL). 3) Build capacity and sustainability of statewide consumer networks through trainings and technical assistance in organizational development and sustainability planning. PSCFL has a goal through the BRIGES project to partner with and provide supports to at least 10 peer networks across the state of Florida. Through the PLAFL, we propose to provide annual leadership and organizational development to peer leaders from the partnering networks. Annual PLAFL cohorts will include at least 12 peer leaders for a total of 36 leaders trained over the life of the grant. Finally, PSCFL will provide the technical assistance necessary for the grassroots peer networks to seek formal organization status and conduct sustainability planning and program implementation. Continuation of the BRIDGES project will provide PSCFL with the opportunity to have a greater impact in developing and connecting peer communities across Florida.