Certification
Vermont Mental Health Peer Certification Development Stakeholder Meetings
Background
The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH) has partnered with the Peer Workforce Development Initiative (PWDI) to identify a model and develop an implementation plan for mental health peer support worker credentialing in Vermont.
PWDI is facilitating a series of stakeholder meetings to review expert consultant Wilda White’s analysis of US and Canadian efforts to promote and expand mental health peer support worker workforce capacity through a certification program.
Wilda White will be overseeing these stakeholder meetings. DMH will participate in these meetings along with representatives from other Vermont stakeholders including service users and their families; peer support workers; staff from community mental health programs, hospitals, and peer-run service organizations; family networks and organizations; the recovery community and mental health advocates; private insurers; and staff from other State agencies.
Recommendations from these meetings will be compiled by Wilda White for use in developing a peer credentialing process in Vermont.
PHASE ONE
Overview of Meetings
Wilda L. White Consulting is facilitating a series of six meetings to receive comments, questions, ideas, and concerns about implementing a statewide mental health peer support worker certification program in the State of Vermont.
| Meeting Dates | Every other Friday, beginning September 9, 2002, and ending November 21, 2022
• Friday, September 9, 2022 • Friday, September 23, 2022 • Friday, October 7, 2022 • Friday, October 21, 2022 • Friday, November 7, 2022 • Friday, November 21, 2022 |
| Meeting Time | 11 AM to 12 PM |
| Meeting Location | Via Zoom |
| Meeting Registration | Click here to register for Zoom meetings |
Meeting Topics and Materials
Each meeting will be recorded, and the recordings, PowerPoint Slide Decks, and any post-meeting surveys will be posted below and emailed to everyone who registered for the meetings.
Post-meeting surveys are intended to give people who did not attend the meeting an opportunity to comment and share ideas and to allow those who attended the meeting to elaborate on their ideas, questions, and concerns.
| MEETING NUMBER | MEETING DATE | MEETING TOPIC AND PURPOSE | VIDEO RECORDING | POWERPOINT SLIDE DECK | POST-MEETING SUMMARY |
| 1 | 9/9/2022 | Overview of mental health peer specialist certification program.
The purpose of the meeting is to educate stakeholders about peer certification programs in other states, the terminology used, and how programs in other states are structured |
Meeting One Video Recording | Meeting One PowerPoint Slide Deck | Not Applicable |
| 2 | 9/23/2022 | Peer support, peer support services, and assessment-based versus professional certification program
The purpose of the meeting is to solicit input on the definition of peer support and peer support services and whether Vermont should adopt an assessment-based certification program or a professional certification program. |
Meeting Two Video Recording | Meeting Two PowerPoint Slide Deck | Post-Meeting Two Survey |
| 3 | 10/7/2022 | Screening
The purpose of the meeting is to solicit input on the minimum standards that an applicant must meet before applying for certification and creating a process to determine whether those minimum standards have been met. |
Meeting Three Video Recording | Meeting Three PowerPoint Slide Deck | Post-Meeting Three Survey |
| 4 | 10/21/2022 | Training
The purpose of the meeting is to solicit input on required competencies, training length, approved training vendors, fees, and types of certifications to be offered (e.g., veterans, gender identity, sexual orientation, forensic, whole health, peer support supervision, family peer specialist, substance use recovery, etc.) |
Meeting Four Video Recording | Meeting Four PowerPoint Slide Deck | Post-Meeting Four Survey |
| 5 | 11/4/2022 | Certification
The purpose of the meeting is to solicit input on the process for certifying whether the applicant has met the requirements for certification. Sub-topics include the type of certifying body; re-certification; continuing education; reciprocity; grandfathering of current peer support specialists; fees; and investigation and revocation.. |
Meeting Five Video Recording | Meeting Five PowerPoint Slide Deck | Post-Meeting Five Survey |
| 6 | 11/18/2022 | Integration into the continuum of care
The purpose of the meeting is to solicit input on what steps will be necessary to incorporate peer support specialists into the continuum of care. |
Meeting Six Video Recording | Meeting Six PowerPoint Slide Deck | Post-Meeting Six Survey |
PHASE TWO
| MEETING NUMBER | MEETING TOPIC AND PURPOSE | RESOURCES |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting One June 30, 2023 11 AM Via Zoom |
Phase 1 Report Review and Q&A
In this meeting, the facilitator will review and answer questions about the Phase 1 final report and recommendations from the Mental Health Peer Certification Stakeholder Meetings and answer any questions about the upcoming, Phase 2 Stakeholder Meetings. |
PowerPoint Slide Deck
Mental Health Peer Support Certification Stakeholder Meetings: |
| Meeting Two July 11, 2023 11 AM Via Zoom |
Code of Ethics
A code of ethics sets out the ethical guidelines and best practices a peer support provider must follow for honesty, integrity, and professionalism. At this meeting, stakeholders will be asked to comment and provide feedback on a draft Code of Ethics for Vermont certified peer support providers. |
PowerPoint Slide Deck |
| Meeting Three July 18, 2023 11 AM Via Zoom |
Screening Application
Those who wish to become certified peer support providers will be asked to complete a screening application. Before this meeting, a draft screening application will be distributed to meeting registrants. Registrants will be asked to complete the draft screening application. At the meeting, those completing the draft screening application will be asked to comment and offer feedback about the draft application. |
PowerPoint Slide Deck |
| Meeting Four July 25, 2023 11 AM Via Zoom |
State-Specific Curriculum
During Phase 1 Stakeholder Meetings, the consensus was to require prospective peer support providers to complete Intentional Peer Support training, WRAP training, Alternatives to Suicide training, Hearing Voices training, and a State-Specific curriculum consisting of worldview and cultural awareness; trauma-informed training; links to resources, services, and supports; human rights, social justice, and advocacy; Medicaid/insurance-related requirements; code of ethics; privacy; and change facilitation. In this meeting, a draft state-specific curriculum will be presented for comments and feedback. |
PowerPoint Slide Deck |
| Meeting Five September 19, 2023 11 AM Via Zoom |
State-Specific Curriculum Meeting Two
In this meeting, stakeholders offered feedback, suggestions, and comments about the draft state-specific curriculum for prospective certified peer support providers. |
For Further Information
Please contact Wilda L. White at [email protected] or (802) 770-4050