MHAAO is an inclusive peer-run organization dedicated to self-direction
honoring the voice of lived experience
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Congrats to
Kristina Teasley for celebrating 5 years in recovery on March 17th!
Congrats to
Brenda Mitchell for celebrating 4 years of working at MHAAO this month!
Congrats to
Emily Privatsky for celebrating 1 year of working at MHAAO this month!
Janie wanted to send a shout out to everyone involved in the fundraising event for what a success it was!!!
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Kristina Teasley,
Peer Support Specialist OHSU Impact Team
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1. What inspired you to become a Peer Support Specialist?
My inspiration in becoming a Peer Support Specialist comes from my own personal lived experience in recovery, addiction, and mental health challenges which has contributed to my passion in making sure others feel listened to, supported, and seen as individuals that have everything needed within themselves to grow and recover.
2. What are you most excited about for your role on the OHSU Impact team?
I am most excited about my role on the OHSU Impact team because I get the opportunity to work in collaboration with others in creating individualized care that meets a self-directed and choice-centered approach.
3. What do you like to do for self-care?
Self-care for me is pretty simple, getting a good amount of sleep each night, making sure I am nourishing my body by eating good food, yoga, and meditation.
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Tara Prince,
EVOLVE Peer Support for the Multnomah County Jail program
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1. What inspired you to become a Peer Support Specialist?
I had a peer in early recovery. I had no idea that peer support was even a thing, but upon learning more about it I knew that was right where i needed to be. I love that i get to meet people where they are at and be that voice to help guide peers through the struggles of mental health and addiction.
2. What are you most excited about for your role as the Peer Support for the Multnomah County Jail program?
To be that face and that voice that gives peers hope to have someone on the other end and at court.
3. What do you like to do for self-care?
RECOVERY SOFTBALL! Spending one-on-one time with my kids
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Office Yoga Class:
- MHAAO offers you all and your peers a moment of quietude and gentle stretching, if you wish! Our administrative assistant, Kasey, leads a monthly yoga class that is aimed at focusing on your breath, and giving your mind a break from the constant stimulation.
- This hour can be whatever you want it to be! If you would like to come sit quietly or in meditation, that’s wonderful and welcome. If you would like to follow along and give your body a sweet and easy stretch, that’s available as well. There will be no human pretzels or standing on your head, just some time to come get present and take a break from the go, go, go of the workday! We hope to see you and your peers there!
- Your peers are more than welcome to attend with you if they are interested!
- February 25th at 10-11 am is our next yoga class!
401(k) Plan:
- VOYA will be doing a presentation on our new 401(k) retirement plan during our February all-staff meeting
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Peerpocalypse
- The program schedule and workshop schedule have been posted online! Check them out here!
- For information on the wellness room, interpretation services, service and support animals, scent policy, and regstration for personal aides, check out our accessibility page here!
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- LaRae Miller accepted 1 FTE position for EVOLVE. Her start date is 2/10/2020.
- Nicole Young accepted Project Nurture position and transitioned from Legacy to Kaiser on 2/4/2020.
- Amy Stocker, former OHSU HRBR PSS, started on the HB-4143 Legacy Emanuel team on 2/3/2020.
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- Collaborated with Bridges to Change to host a Job Fair with 78 attendees
- Continued TA support for organizations in Hawaii, Guam, Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona
- Jessica and Emily are facilitating a PWS training in Klamath Falls for Tribal Members
- All SAMHSA quarterly reporting has been submitted
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OPDSCo - OHA Needs Assessment
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University of Washington Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
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- Two community of practices to be facilitated in February – contact Adrienne (ascavera@mhaoforegon.org) if you are – or you know of - Peer Support Specialists or supervisors who might be interested in joining the free, monthly virtual community of practices.
- Webinar will be held on March 9th from 1 – 2 PM with Kristin on trauma-informed organizational cultures. More details coming soon
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Oregon Peer Trainings & Innovations Center (OPTIC)
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- Adrienne and Molly trained a cohort in Aloha for the PeerZone Facilitator Training. Thank you to NAMI Washington County for letting us use your space. Best wishes to the fantastic new PeerZone Facilitators!
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Geoff Moser, Peer Support Specialist for Clackamas County Behavioral Health Unit, shared the following story:
"I was part of a panel for the ED/EMS High Utilization Work-Group at St. Vincent's Hospital, on 1/30/2020. The panel topic was Mental Health and Safety, De-escalation in crisis situations. It was enlightening in terms of how far we still have to go to convince medical providers to treat those in crisis with dignity, respect and compassion. I'm grateful for having had the opportunity to voice a peer support perspective on this important topic."
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Jessica Carroll, Peerlink Director, shared the following story about her work with the Pascua Yaqui tribe. They just opened their first Medically-Assisted Treatment Facility on tribal lands in Arizona!!
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“The work that Peerlink has been able to do with the Pascua Yaqui tribe has been really amazing. MAT clinics do not generally exist on Native American reservations or tribal lands. The openness and willingness of the Pascua Yaqui tribe work toward destigmatization of MAT treatment has been very refreshing.
We first started working with them in 2016. I did a training in the Tucson area and one of the social workers that worked there took it and they wrote for a SAMHSA grant and they got a couple hundred thousand dollars to implement peer support. So, then I got to go and do an entire training just for Pascua Yaqui folks. We worked with them to make their training culturally appropriate to Pascua Yaqui tradition, medicine, ceremony and their history, and then I had the privilege of being able to give them that training and they have carried it on since.
The Pascua Yaqui tribe hired two people out of that training to be their first ever peer supports at their tribe and those two folks, Anna Pen͂a and John Madrill Jr, are now the facilitators of that training while also doing peer support in their MAT clinic. They have also taken on the role of trainers and mentors for the additional two peers that they have trained and the Pascua Yaqui tribe has hired, so they now have 4 peer support specialists, which is super awesome!”
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If you have stories about yourself or a peer that you would like to have featured in the newsletter, on our blog, or on our social media, please email kmccraw@mhaoforegon.org
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