April 2023 CPS & CPPS Supervisor’s Community of Practice
April 27th, 2023 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Tim Saubers
Tim got his start as a Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist in 2016, completed recovery coach training in 2019, and has worked in direct support, supervisory, and program management roles. He currently serves as the Program Coordinator for Workforce Development at the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence while also providing consultation centered on curriculum and exam development, research, and programmatic design. Additionally, Tim sits on a variety of state and national committees and workgroups including serving as Vice President of the board of the National Association of Peer Supporters, among others. In 2022, Tim created the Wisconsin Peer Support Advocacy Network with the goal of organizing and coalescing the voice of the grassroots peer workforce in order to affect change in support of the needs of the workforce. Tim centers the principles of equity and justice in his work while moving not just to disrupt and reform systems, but to create new systems in their entirety.
We’ll explore the importance of role clarity when supervising staff who are certified as Certified Peer Specialists and have completed recovery coach training as well. We’ll discuss the differences and overlap of Certified Peer Specialists who provide peer support, and recovery coaches who provide guidance and coaching. We’ll also spend time discussing how to navigate supervisory requirements that may vary depending on the services staff are providing, ethical concerns that may arise, and ensuring that the services that staff are providing are clearly delineated between peer support and coaching.
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, May 11th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on May 18th, 2023. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
September 2022 Supervisor’s CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
“Supervising Peer Specialists – A Mutual Experience” with Kurt Stapleton
September 22nd, 2022 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Facilitator: Kurt Stapleton
After battling with an opioid use disorder for nearly 10 years and making some poor choices in life, he began his recovery journey while in prison. Shortly after his wedding, he fell deeper into the darkness of the disease and was living hopelessly. One bad decision led to another and he wound up getting arrested for 2 counts of armed robbery of 2 pharmacies for painkillers. Kurt then received a 20-year sentence that included 5 yrs in prison and 15 years of extended supervision. Thankfully, he was granted the Earned Release Program while incarcerated. This is where he learned the tools to truly overcome the childhood traumas he endured. After being released from prison, he worked any job he could to be a productive member of the household and society. After a chance encounter at a coffee shop where he was talking about his recovery journey, he met a few people who were talking about recovery coaching and peer support specialists. As the universe was working out his path, Kurt found that he was being pulled in this direction for some reason and decided to pursue the CPS training and eventually became a CPS. This decision is one that ultimately changed his life and career path. One day, while sitting at his desk ordering air conditioner parts for his full-time job, he came across a full-time, salary position for a certified peer specialist. After talking to his wife, he took the job, and knowing he couldn’t possibly make enough money doing this alone, he chose to work part-time as a peer specialist as well. After working 2 jobs as a peer specialist, the organization was discussing opening up the peer specialist supervisor position. This was exactly what he needed at exactly the right time. Today, Kurt works as a peer supervisor and peer support at Chrysalis in a 50/50 role. Knowing full well what it means to have a supervisor understand what the peer specialist is dealing with, having the lived experience and first-hand knowledge of the daily struggles that come with this position, he is able to support his team members on another level than a clinician can. Having worked with some unsatisfactory supervisors in the past, he strives to be the best leader of the team that he can be.
Description:
This month’s Supervisors of CPS/CPPS Community of Practice will be focusing on “Supervising Peer Specialists – A Mutual Experience,” with Kurt Stapleton as our guest facilitator. This topic was chosen based on feedback we received from members of our workforce, and we hope that this discussion will provide valuable insights for all involved. We will be discussing one of peer support’s core values, mutuality, from a peer supervisor’s perspective. As a certified peer specialist who has grown into a supervisor of certified peer specialists, Kurt has a meaningful perspective to share on what mutuality looks like within an organization and in the supervisory role. Together, we will discuss power dynamics, how to advocate for mutuality on an organizational level. Join us, as we aim to deepen our understanding of this important peer value and how we can put it into practice, today!
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, October 6th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on October 13th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
August 2022 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
PART 2 with Vic Welle: “Putting Peer Support Values into Practice in Documentation“
August 23rd, 2022 from 1:30pm-3pm CT
Facilitator: Vic Welle (they/them) is a CPS, State of WI CPS Trainer, National IPS Trainer and Consultant
Victoria (Vic) Welle is peer support trainer who brings many years of experience providing peer support in diverse settings. Vic’s work experience includes community-based peer support, supervising peer supporters in a peer respite program, and working within the Comprehensive Community Services program in Wisconsin. Vic is a statewide trainer for the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative, a national trainer for Intentional Peer Support, and serves on the board of the peer-run organization Wisconsin Milkweed Alliance (WIMA).
Description:
Part 2 with Vic Welle on documentation. How do we complete this required task while holding true to our peer support values?
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Tuesday, September 6th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on September 13th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
July 2022 Supervisor’s of CPS & CPPS Community of Practice:
“Peer Support Values and Documentation”
July 28th, 2022 from 1:30pm-3pm CT
Facilitator:
Victoria (Vic) Welle: Vic is peer support trainer who brings many years of experience providing peer support in diverse settings. Vic’s work experience includes community-based peer support, supervising peer supporters in a peer respite program, and working within the Comprehensive Community Services program in Wisconsin. Vic is a statewide trainer for the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative, a national trainer for Intentional Peer Support, and serves on the board of the peer-run organization Wisconsin Milkweed Alliance (WIMA).
Description:
Documentation, how do we complete this required task while holding true to our peer support values? Guest Facilitator, Vic Welle explored the topics, “Peer Support Values and Documentation,” with hope and engaged us in a broader conversation about values and advocacy around documentation on Thursday, July 28th, 2022. The Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative’s goal is to continue to provide mutually collaborative spaces where we all learn together to deepen our values in peer support while holding fidelity to the peer support framework.
We would love for you to share space with us each month, for our Communities of Practices as we will continue explore topics aligning with our work, supporting others and deepening our values. If you would like to stay informed or would enjoy receiving a reminder, please sign up to receive email updates by clicking About Us, then, scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for updates on the latest news. We hope to engage with you soon!
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, August 11th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on August 18th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
July 2022 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice:
“Practicing Harm Reduction in Peer Support”
July 21st, 2022 from 1:30pm-3pm CT
Facilitator:
Rene Livingston-DeTienne: Rene is a queer, black woman, recovery advocate, artist, and writer She is a person in long-term recovery, having a history of trauma, mental wellness, and substance use challenges, and now works as a Certified Peer Specialist Trainer. Rene is a student at Edgewood College, where she will complete a Bachelor’s in Art Therapy in December. She is passionate about both art and the Peer Recovery Movement, and plans to utilize those skills as a Substance Use Counselor. Her long term goals include a Master’s in Art Therapy and one day opening a non-profit in Madison.
Tanya Kraege: Tanya is the Drug Poisoning Prevention Team Manager at Safe Communities MDC. She specializes in working with people with substance use challenges, women using substances during pregnancy, trauma, relationships, and mental health challenges. Tanya has worked in the field of mental health and substance use for 14 years and currently oversees Recovery Coaches and Certified Peer Specialists who work in a variety of environments in Dane County, Wisconsin to support people with substance use challenges and affected families. Over the past few years in this role, Tanya has secured grant funding to design and implement a Salesforce-based, recovery practice management solution, that has increased productivity by 40% in peer provider management and has given the flexibility to serve over 1600 people in her community. Tanya also works as a crisis worker at Dane County Crisis and consults around the Country regarding anti-stigma work and peer provider programs. Tanya played a role in the Health Care Task Force on Safe Opioid Prescribing by participating in the academic detailing program for working with clinicians on co-prescribing Naloxone with opioid prescription medications. In addition to being a Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor, and a community advocate. Tanya is also a Recovery Coach, Recovery Coach Trainer and Certified Peer Specialist Trainer, using her story of addiction and recovery to help others gain hope and insight into new ways of living.
Description:
In this interactive CoP, we will be exploring varying definitions of harm reduction, as well as the thoughts, beliefs and attitudes around this model. We’ll discuss the myths and facts about harm reduction, how harm reduction can show up in peer relationships, and how employers can support harm reduction in the work we do.
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, August 4th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on August 11th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.