People in recovery have a great deal to offer.  The fact of the matter is that people living with mental illnesses have contributed to the advancement of many fields throughout history.  All across the United States people in recovery are working to enhance the quality of community mental health services.  A number of consumer-run or peer-directed programs have a strong foundation of research to demonstrate their value and effectiveness.

Justice in Mental Health Organization (JIMHO)

(517) 371-2794

JIMHO.org

Facebook page

Peer Choices, Inc.

(248) 451-5350

PeerChoices.org

Facebook page

Power Branch

Read the about the History of Power Branch

 Recovery Institute of Southwest Michigan, Inc.

(269) 343-6725

recoverymi.org

Recovery Institute brochure

Recovery Institute Peer Support brochure

In Michigan mental health consumers who provide services within the public mental health system are referred to as Peer Support Specialists or Peers.  Peers are doing important work and serving the mental health system in a wide variety of capacities.  At some community mental health agencies Peers have been working side-by-side with mental health professionals for some time and the experience Peers have brought to this partnership has proven to be a significant asset in many areas of service.

Peers enhance customer service by greeting, welcoming and orienting new consumers to their local community mental health agencies.  This provides consumers and their families the opportunity to learn about the services available to them from the perspective of another consumer.  Perhaps even more importantly, it provides information about the role Peers play in the service delivery system and the availability of peer support. 

Peers are essential members of treatment teams, delivering Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment (IDDT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Supported Employment and Supported Housing services, just to name a few examples.  They work in Consumer-Run Drop-In Centers, Clubhouses and other peer-directed service models.  Peers also facilitate a wide range of recovery-oriented groups and host community education workshops, trainings and conferences throughout the state.  Many Peers speak publicly about their recovery as a means of educating the public and challenging stigma associated with mental illness.  The movement to expand the roles of Peers within the mental health system has created exciting new employment opportunities for mental health consumers

View job postings for Peers.

In addition to creating new employment opportunities, the accelerating growth of the Peer workforce has been a catalyst for quality improvement and innovation.  Community mental health agencies are breaking new ground, developing cutting edge programming by building on the strengths of Peers.  Integrating peers into the community mental health workforce has presented unique challenges and opportunities for growth for newly employed Peers as well as existing community mental health staff and administrators.  

In this section of the website we will explore the range of services provided by Peers.  We will highlight the work of Michigan Peers by posting stories about what they do and the impact on the individuals and families they serve.  You will hear directly from Peers about how their roles have evolved in different areas of the state. 

We expect that the information and stories posted on this site will inspire Peers, community mental health staff and program administrators to envision new applications for peer-directed programming specific to the needs of their communities.  We hope you will take time to celebrate the creative spirit of a growing Peer workforce and look forward to a future of possibilities for people in recovery.  

View a list of Consumer-Run Statewide Organizations from the National Empowerment Center.

View the Directory of Consumer-Driven Services from the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse.