This post discusses Principle 3: Peer Support of SAMHSA's six key principles of a trauma-informed approach.

Trauma-informed care (TIC) systems focus on reducing and avoiding re-traumatization, particularly for clients with substance use disorder (SUD). Peer support is one of SAMHSA's six key principles of trauma-informed care. This post outlines strategies for implementing peer support specialists with clients experiencing SUD and traumatic stress disorders.

Peer supporters in trauma-informed services are trauma survivors or family members of individuals who have experienced traumatic events. Peer support specialists are people with lived experiences who receive ongoing training on topics related to trauma and mental health. Peer support staff B.R.I.D.G.E.S. the gap in health and behavioral health care by:

• Building Safety
• Reinforcing Trust
• Increasing Treatment Engagement
• Developing Collaboration
• Generating Hope
• Encouraging Community Support
• Surmounting Isolation

Implementing peer support staff in TIC services can be a transformative approach, bringing the perspective of lived experience into the care process. Here are some steps to effectively integrate peer support staff into TIC services:

1. Identify specific needs within your organization where peer support can be beneficial.
2. Define the roles and responsibilities of peer support staff, ensuring they align with TIC principles.
3. Explore funding opportunities, grants, and budget allocations to support peer support positions.
4. Ensure job postings are accessible and highlight the value of lived experience.
5. Provide initial training that covers TIC principles, peer support skills, boundaries, self-care, and the specific needs of the population served.
6. Include current peer support staff in the interview process if possible.
7. Foster a culture of inclusion and respect within the team, ensuring peer support staff are seen as valuable members.
8. Encourage regular team meetings and interdisciplinary collaboration.
9. Gather feedback from clients, peer support staff, and other team members to identify areas for improvement.
10. Advocate for the inclusion and recognition of peer support staff in broader healthcare and social service systems.

Organizations can effectively integrate peer support staff into TIC services, enhancing the support provided to individuals with lived experience and fostering a more inclusive and compassionate care environment that promotes healing and recovery.

Resources

Peer support groups for people with trauma- and stress-related disorders:

• The Anxiety & Depression Association of America
• The National Alliance on Mental Health
• The National Center for PTSD
• CPTSD Safe Group

Peer Recovery Center of Excellence provides peer support recovery services and technical assistance for organizations.

References

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Peer Support. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. (2024). https://www.ptsd.va.gov/gethelp/peer_support.asp

Peer Recovery Center of Excellence. (n.d.). RCO Capacity Building. https://peerrecoverynow.org/focus-areas/rco-capacity-building/

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2014. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No.57) Chapter 1, Trauma-Informed Organizations. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207204

Read the other posts in this series on SAMHSA's six guiding principles of TIC!

About the Authors

Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is an international speaker in behavioral health whose presentations have reached thousands throughout the United States, England, Canada, Spain, Lithuania, West Indies, and Guam. He is the recipient of five behavioral health lifetime achievement awards, including the prestigious NAADAC Enlightenment Award. He is the founder of The Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery, which was honored as the 2023 winner of the Faces and Voices of Recovery Innovations In Recovery Award. He is the author of 5 books on recovery and has enjoyed a 30-year career as a university educator.

Isa Vélez Echevarria, PsyD, is a Puerto Rican clinical psychologist. She is the Ohio State Project Manager for the Great Lakes Addiction, Mental Health, and Prevention Technology Transfer Centers managed by the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her pre-doctoral internship at Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, CA, she was certified as an Interpersonal Psychotherapy Clinician. She was trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Therapy. In addition, she provides telehealth services to communities of color in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. Her clinical work has focused on culturally tailored and trauma-informed services for Latinx communities.