A Systematic Review of the Roles and Contributions of Peer Providers in the Behavioral Health Workforce

Author: Maria Gaiser, MPH | Jessica Buche, MPH, MA | Caitlyn Wayment | Victoria Schoebel | Judith Smith, MS | Susan Chapman, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN | Angela Beck, PhD, MPH

Topics: Behavioral Health, Emerging Models and Innovations

Research Center: Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center

June 23, 2021

Behavioral health disorders have a wide range of treatments, however, recently there has been growing use of peer providers with lived experiences of mental health and substance use for the prevention and treatment of these disorders. Peers are effective providers of behavioral health treatment who encourage recovery through resilience building, empowerment, and self-advocacy. There remains a need for more research on the efficacy of peers in substance use disorder treatment and the impact of formalized certification and training opportunities.

This article aims to better define the roles of peer providers and their unique contributions to behavioral health care.

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