About Us
About Peer Support
Peer recovery support is vital to the gamut of care. We provide support to the peer community by connecting peer recovery supports to each other. We provide education to the community and agency’s about peer recovery supports. Peer support workers are individuals who have been successful in the recovery process who help others in similar situations. Peer support workers help people become and stay engaged in the recovery process and reduce the likelihood of relapse. Peer support services can effectively extend the reach of treatment far beyond the clinical setting; the everyday environment of those seeking a successful recovery process.
Benefits of Peer Support
Peer support is non-clinical and recovery focused. Non-clinical means peers do not offer professional services, make assessments or dispense expert opinions.
Peer support workers engage in a wide range of activities. These include:
- Advocating for people in recovery
- Sharing resources and skill building
- Building community and relationships
- Leading recovery groups
- Mentoring and setting goals
- Providing services and/or training
- Supervising other peer workers
- Developing resources
- Educating the public and policymakers
Research and Results
Nationally, peer support is an emergent field, thus long-term studies quantifying impact and return on investment are becoming more available, and current evidence suggests that peer support and coaching:
- Reduces the admissions and days spent in hospitals and increases time in the community.
- Reduces the use of acute services.
- Increases engagement in outpatient treatment, care planning and self-care.
- Improves social functioning.
- Increases hope, quality of life and satisfaction with life.
- Reduces substance use.
- Reduces depression and demoralization.
- Improves chances for long-term recovery.
- Increases rates of family unification.
- Reduces average services cost per person.
In Texas, one long-term study focusing on substance use disorder peer specialists, also called recovery coaches, demonstrated exciting results at 12 months:
- Housing status improved, with 54% of long-term coaching participants owning or renting their own living quarters after 12 months, compared to 32% at enrollment.
- Overall employment increased to 58% after 12 months from 24% at enrollment.
- Average wages increased to $879 per month after 12 months from $252 at enrollment.
- Healthcare utilization dropped after 12 months of recovery coaching:
- Outpatient visits dropped to 815 visits from 4118 at enrollment
- Inpatient care days dropped to 1117 days from 9082 at enrollment
- Emergency room visits dropped to 146 from 426 at enrollment
In total, recovery coaching saved $3,422,632 in healthcare costs, representing a 72% reduction in costs over 12 months.
Source: https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/provider-portals/behavioral-health-services-providers/peer-support-services/benefits-peer-support-services
