PEER SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS

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PEER SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS
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Background Information

• Peer Services in PA
• February 2007 OMHSAS received approval from CMS
  to include peer support services as a component
  of rehabilitative services under the states
  Medicaid State Plan
• As of October 2007, 493 peer specialists have
  successfully completed the required training
  curriculum and are certified to provide peer
  services under Medicaid

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Background Information

• As a required service within PAs Behavioral
  Health Managed Care System, HealthChoices, a
  choice of two Peer Support Service providers must
  be available within easy access to individuals
  anywhere in the state who are in need of this
  service.

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Context for Initiative

• Persons aged 65 and older represent the fastest
  growing age group in the United States
• Pennsylvania has the third highest percentage of
  older adults in the nation
• Several studies indicate that 10 to 30 of the
  elderly population has a mental health disorder

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Context for Initiative

• The elderly 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.

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Peer Program Development

• One method to engage older adults and avoid the
  stigma of participating in mental health programs
  has been the development of peer support programs
• These have been effective for three reasons
• Stigma is reduced because of the use of peers as
  counselors

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Peer Program Development

• Older adults believe that similarly aged
  paraprofessionals understand their challenges
  because they share a common generational
  experience, and
• The intervention is usually offered in the
  community rather than within a healthcare or
  traditional mental health setting.

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Peer Support Training

• Prepares individuals who self identify as having
  used mental health services to provide support to
  others.
• Has received national attention as a critical
  intervention through both the Surgeon Generals
  Report on Mental Health (1999) and the
  Presidents New Freedom Commission (2003)

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Peer Support Training

• At this time, seven states have been approved to
  provide peer services under Medicaid
• Other states are poised to offer the service as
  Medicaid reimbursable in the near future.

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Overview of Project

• The Older Adult Peer Specialist Initiative has
  six goals
• Develop an Older Adult Peer Support Competent
  one day curriculum
• Develop an Older Adult Peer Support Enhanced
  three day curriculum
• Recruit 20 Peer Specialists (50) to work with
  older adults

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Overview of Project

• Pilot the 3 day Older Adult Peer Support Enhanced
  curriculum in Harrisburg, PA with 20 older adult
  peer specialists
• Pilot 4 regional 1 day Older Adult Peer Support
  Competent trainings (20 per class) and
• Create specialized work opportunities for Peer
  Specialists who completed the enhanced older
  adult curriculum

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Curriculum

• Currently being developed
• Will qualify as continuing education for
  certified peer specialists
• One day curriculum will provide 4-7 hours
• Three day curriculum will provide 21 hours

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Recruitment

• Older adults (50) are being recruited to provide
  peer services to older adults
• 20 of current CPS are 50
• OMHSAS will work closely with Counties, and
  managed care organizations to obtain commitments
  to hiring Older Adult Peer Specialists within
  their local service systems.

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Pilot Training Program

• One day training will be provided in four
  locations of the state, including Pittsburgh
• Three day training will be piloted in Harrisburg
  for 20 peer specialists who have expressed an
  interest in providing peer support to older
  adults.

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Workforce Opportunities

• OMHSAS has issued an announcement of the project
  to counties, managed care organizations and
  providers asking them to develop specialized Peer
  Support Services for older adults.
• Referrals of peers for training from these
  agencies/counties will be prioritized
• Websites created by PA trainers will be used to
  match peers with job positions

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Outcomes

• Increase access to services for older adults
• Decrease isolation for older adults with
  depression
• Create a support network for older adults
• Increase the availability of older adult peer
  specialists and services
• Create innovative delivery of services in
  non-traditional settings and by non-traditional
  providers

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Outcomes

• Increase linkages between the mental health and
  aging systems
• Increase the competencies of Peer Specialists
  statewide
• Provide mental health prevention services through
  the training and social marketing inherent in the
  training sessions.