June 2024 CPS & CPPS Supervisor Community of Practice
Thursday, June 20th, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Before beginning work as a Certified Peer Specialist and Recovery Navigator with Wisconsin Community Services in April of 2022, April was a teacher of high/middle school students with special needs and Library Media Specialist for grades K-8 in Milwaukee Public Schools. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications specializing in Multi-Cultural Communication from UW-Milwaukee. She is a mother of 5, grandmother of 10 and a member of a cultivated support system in the community.
I started out in the recovery world in a leadership role where I directed the Wisconsin Walk for Recovery (now Milwaukee Walks for Recovery) for three years, increasing participation in the walk significantly over the course of my tenure. From there, I delved into advocacy work, using my personal journey as a gender diverse person to provide guidance and education on various topics affecting LGBTQ+ people. During the ensuing years, I earned my bachelor’s degree, certification as a peer specialist, peer specialist training facilitator, and opiate impacted family support specialist.
Over the last several years I have worked as a peer specialist in many capacities, at a shelter for women and children, for Milwaukee County Crisis Services, and with Outreach Community Health Center’s targeted case management team. I practice peer support from the understanding that empathy, inner-calmness, cultural reverence, and compassionate boundaries are powerful forces that support healing and connection.
As of late, I have been studying the finer points of grant writing and contract administration as I prepare myself to once again step into leadership roles. I am considering various avenues to use my knowledge and experience to continue to serve my communities. As my journey carries on, all I know for sure is that I must never stop putting people first. As long as we sincerely value ourselves and each other, potential knows no bounds.
Our “Mission Drift” workshop explores how to balance idealism with the challenging realities of working in systemic environments. As peer specialists, we act as catalysts for change, bringing essential and fresh perspectives to places that may not fully recognize or value our unique approach, which emphasizes individual-focused care and uplifting marginalized voices. We’ll discuss how initial enthusiasm can sometimes fade when faced with the complexities of the workplace. This workshop will delve into self-care, maintaining our integrity, and developing strategies for peer specialists to effectively navigate these dynamics. Our goal is for each participant to leave equipped with the tools to succeed without compromising their core 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 Thursday, July 11th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on July 18th, 2024. 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.
January 2023 CPS & CPPS Supervisor’s Community of Practice
January 26th, 2023 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Victor Q. Kilpatrick Jr.
Victor Kilpatrick is an Armed Forces Veteran who served over 7 years in the United States Navy as a Culinary Specialist Third Class. Like many young men and women, he joined the military right after he graduated high school in 1994. The Navy taught Victor many things like values, work ethic, and attention to detail; however, it also left him with both physical and mental scars. In 2019, he began working for Mental Health America Wisconsin as the Veteran Project Coordinator at the R&R House PRR-V, and he became Certified as a Peer Support Specialist in the State of Wisconsin that same year. Victor is currently serving as the State Peer Program Manager for MHA Wisconsin, and is also a facilitator for the Certified Peer Support Training and Milwaukee Dryhootch Quick Reaction Force Training.
Mental health, Post-Traumatic Stress & Substance Use Disorders, Depression, and Moral Injury are some of the unique trauma and challenges that often follows a Veteran military service. Quality, community-specific peer support that is strength based, peer driven, and trauma informed is important to a veteran who may be looking for their own road to recovery. Although there are several quality respites located across the state of Wisconsin i.e., Iris Place-Appleton WI, The Lacrosse Lighthouse-Lacrosse WI, Solstice House-Madison WI, Monarch House- Menomonie WI, and Parachute House-Milwaukee WI none offered a Veteran tailored peer support or inquired if the person their serving identifies as a former service member.
In 2019 Mental Health America was awarded a state grant to open the first Peer-Run Respite for Veterans. To provide safe and welcoming space for those Veterans experiencing challenges in their recovery and to improve their coping skills with support from other Veterans who are also Certified Peer Support Specialists. Peer Specialists are trained to use their own experience of recovery to support others on their path to wellness. The R&R House PRR-V only serves veterans for in-person stays at the respite but also supports Veterans and their family members on our 24hr non-crisis warmline, our Virtual Veterans Support Group with resources. The R&R House serves veterans residing in the state of Wisconsin and is located in the southeast region of the state, where over half of Wisconsin veterans live.
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, February 9th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on February 16th, 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.
July 16th, 2020
Brittyn Calyx and Tim Saubers of the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative facilitate an exploration of moral injury and its relevance to supervisors of Certified Peer Specialists and Certified Parent Peer Specialists.
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.
