| OMHSAS
Older Adult Peer Support Project
In
February 2007, the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Services (OMHSAS) received approval to include Peer Support
Services under the state’s Medicaid State Plan. In 2008 OMHSAS
received a one-ear federal grant to develop an older adult peer
specialist training curriculum.
Persons aged 65 years and older represent the fastest growing age
group in the United States. However, older adults are less likely
to seek treatment from mental health professionals due to stigma.
Older adults with behavioral health disorders who do not receive
treatment are at increased risk of hospitalization, reduced physical
functioning, and mortality. It is the goal of this grant to train
peer specialists to more effectively work with older adults. The
training to be offered under this initiative is listed below.
Older Adult Competent: The first curriculum will
be a 4-7 hour one-day training session and will cover at least several
areas required for competency certification (e.g. normal aging,
co-occurring illness in older adults, and working with older adults.)
This training will cover basic skill sets that all peer specialists
should acquire in order to work with older adults. The one-day Older
Adult Competency training will be provided in four locations of
the state during June 2008 for a total of 80 individuals.
Older Adult Enhanced: The second curriculum will
be a more intensive three-day training designed for Peer Specialists
age 50+ who have expressed interest in working with older adults.
The three-day curriculum may include: depression, anxiety, substance
abuse, stages of change, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, trauma, and
cultural and ethnic perspectives and their relationship to recovery.
The three-day Older Adult Enhanced Training will be piloted in Harrisburg
July 14 – 16 for 20 Certified Peer Specialists.
Training Applications
Applications for both trainings are included below. A letter from
Sabrina Tillman-Boyd, director, Bureau of Policy and Program Development,
is also included. Training applications must be postmarked by
April 30, 2008.
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