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.
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.
April 2022 Supervisors of CPS & CPPS Community of Practice:
“A Collectivist Work Culture” ~ April 28th, 2022 from 1:30pm-3pm CDT
Facilitator: Gaochi Vang, WIPSEI Peer Specialist Community Engagement Coordinator at Access to Independence
Description:
In this Supervisor’s Community of Practice, Gaochi will be sharing how her collectivist roots have framed a foundation of skills that ground her in mindfulness – mindfulness of her actions and mindfulness of those who are impacted by her actions. She calls this “actions that lead with community care and land with collective healing”. Together, with peers, she hopes to open dialogue on community care and how a collective approach can shift a work culture that moves people together in a team, even in systems of hierarchies.
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 12th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on May 19th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEU 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 27th, 2022
January 2022 Supervisors of CPS & CPPS Community of Practice:
“Supporting Peer Specialist Professional Development” ~ January 27th, 2022 from 1:30pm-3pm CST
Guest facilitator: Marguerit Galindo, Peer Specialist Workforce Development Coordinator for the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative
Description:
Come and discuss with others how to support a vibrant team of people in peer specialist roles through employer-supported professional development. We’ll explore together what professional development can look like when oriented specifically to CPS and CPPS roles and how this can build an organizational culture of learning and growth.
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 10th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on February 17th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEU 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.
November 30th, 2021
“Supporting Parenting CPS & CPPS Employees” ~ November 30th, 2021 from 12 pm-1:30 pm CST
Guest facilitators: Paula Buege, CPS & CPPS trainer, RISE Wisconsin
Description:
This is the first of a Pandemic Impacts Series for WIPSEI Communities of Practice. Parents face unique stresses and challenges in today’s workplaces. They also possess unique strengths and bring valuable insights to our work in peer support as part of supporting the next generation. Come discuss how we can better support CPS & CPPS employees who are parents in the context of lessons learned from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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 4:30 pm on Tuesday, December 14th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30 pm on December 21st, 2021. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEU 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.