“The Importance of Veteran Peer Support in a Respite Setting” – January 2023 Supervisors of CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
January 2023 CPS & CPPS Supervisor’s Community of Practice
“The Importance of Veteran Peer Support in a Respite Setting”
with Victor Kilpatrick
January 26th, 2023 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Facilitator:
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.
Description:
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.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
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.