Justice-involved individuals possess valuable lived experiences that can contribute to the recovery and wellness of others. Becoming a Peer Support Specialist can provide an opportunity to transform personal experiences with incarceration, substance use, mental health challenges, recovery, reentry, and community reintegration into a source of hope and support for others.

This training will explore the benefits and opportunities associated with justice-involved individuals becoming Peer Support Specialists. Participants will examine how lived experience can promote connection and trust, while also learning the importance of professional boundaries, ethical practice, confidentiality, self-care, and maintaining a recovery-oriented approach.

The training will emphasize that a person's past does not have to define their future. Lived experience can become a foundation for meaningful employment, leadership, advocacy, personal growth, and service to others.

Learning Objectives:

Define justice-involved individual and Peer Support Specialist.
Identify at least four benefits of justice-involved individuals becoming Peer Support Specialists.
Explain how lived experience can help Peer Support Specialists establish connection, trust, and credibility with individuals receiving services.
Identify ways Peer Support work can support employment, leadership, recovery, and personal development.
Describe the importance of maintaining professional boundaries when using lived experience.
Identify potential challenges justice-involved individuals may experience when entering the Peer Support profession.
Identify strategies for overcoming stigma, self-doubt, and employment barriers.
Describe how justice-involved Peer Support Specialists can contribute to successful reentry and community wellness.

October CEU: Justice Involved Individuals