Volume 18| July 13th, 2020
July 2020 Newsletter
MHAAO is an inclusive peer-run organization dedicated to self-direction
honoring the voice of lived experience
Highlights Reel!

Congratulations to Rachelle Hazen for getting engaged!

Congratulations to Sean Mahoney for celebrating 5 years in recovery!

Congratulations to LaRae Miller who just got a new puppy! Meet Albert, a 4 month old cutie from Texas!!
New Staff Spotlight!
Amber Hatkoff,
Peer Support Specialist
for Clackamas County

1. What inspired you to become a Peer Support Specialist? 

Working as a Peer Support has been a dream of mine since I started my own journey of recovery. Being able to support peers on their path and show them that it's possible is what this is all about. Helping others brings great joy and being able to give back is what i strive for. 
2. What are you most excited about for your role as the Peer Support for Clackamas County?

There are a number of things that i am excited about, but especially working in a community where i feel supported in my own recovery. Doing what i love in my day to day job, it cant get much better than that. I am excited for the growth and to be able to support peers on their journey.

3. What do you like to do for self-care?

Self Care is so important for my recovery. You will find me reading, at the river, trying out new recipes, fishing and time at the beach (Lincoln City Especially!)
Mission Moment Stories
LaRae Miller, Peer Support Specialist for OHSU,
shared this peer success story:

"I have a peer that I've been working with for a month. She lives in her car, under a bridge and she's pregnant. She's the absolute sweetest woman you've ever met. She's openingly dual-diagnosed and just wants to get it right before the baby comes. I've been meeting her where she parks her car to talk and we've gone out to dinner.

We've been working on getting her into Hooper because no treatment centers will take her until she's had some time to rest and get medically cleared. She has a terrible trauma history with abusive relationships and our biggest obstacle was finding a place to park her car while in treatment. I was able to park the car in a place that she felt comfortable, by the house she will be going to when she leaves treatment. I told her I would go check on her car once a day to make sure it was still there and not riffled through. I met up at 6:30 at the place where we decided to park the car and took her to Hooper! I'm so proud of her and I'm so happy and excited for her next steps!!!
Brian Corley, Peer Support Specialist for JOIN,
shared this peer success story:

"My peer reported that she won her case with DHS and is now in transition of getting full custody of her daughter again. They thanked me and expressed that I and the team were awesome support during and thru it all. With everything going on, my peer has maintained sobriety and has held down a full-time job, with no missed days. Yeah!!!"
Program Updates
Administration:

  • We have been awarded a Department of Labor grant just under $4M until December 2023. This grant will allow us to partner with local jails in the tri-county area to offer peer support services and training. The goal is to reduce recidivism through peer support and vocational training.
  • Benefits renewal is coming up in July and August, please be on the lookout from emails from Sunny regarding your options. 
Peerpocalypse:

  • We are hosting Peerpocalypse virtually this month with over 450 participants.
PeerGalaxy:

  • Laura Rose Misaras has developed PeerGalaxy, an online peer support directory that includes over 7,300 offerings!
  • MHAAO is the fiscal sponsor for the new PeerGalaxy project
  • Check out the online calendar and COVID-19 resources here: https://www.peergalaxy.com
EVOLVE:
  • We welcomed Amber Hatkoff to the Clackamas County Team.
  • We have hired Anthony Jarrad to join the HB-41436 team. He will start in August.
  • We have been awarded contracts with Blanchet and Kaiser, where we will be hiring four part-time staff for Blanchet and four full-time staff for Kaiser. 
PEERLINK NTAC:
  • Supported Women's First with Jotform around data collection and form creation.
  • QPR training for Hawaii and American Samoa.
  • QPR training for Guam and Palau.
  • Peerlink Advisory Board meeting.
  • Finalized Regional Summit details. Summit details were approved.
  • Supported Tohge with Jotform.
  • Web Series 2 will be facilitated by Janie Gullickson and Emily Privatsky on July 28, 2020.
  • Peer Collaborative Webinar will be facilitated by Adrienne Scavera and Emily Privatsky on September 15, 2020.
  • Peerlink Regional Summit will be held on July 23rd, 2020 during Peerpocalypse.
TRAINING AND OUTREACH:
OPDSCo - OHA Needs Assessment
  • Key informant interviews are done, and being analyzed for reporting
  • Our online peer and employer surveys will be closing this month
  • Comagine will be working with us around data analysis for our online surveys
  • A workshop will be held at Peerpocalypse on the needs assessment with time for discussion 
University of Washington Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
  • Supervisor and Peer Support Specialist monthly community of practices ongoing
  • This year's schedule for community of practices ends in August
Oregon Peer Trainings & Innovations Center (OPTIC)
  • We have been approved to hold a partially online PWS training by the Oregon Health Authority in accordance with their COVID-19 guidelines
  • Online portion will be held in August over 12 class sessions. Details and registration here:  https://www.mhaoforegon.org/current-trainings
OHA - Opioid and Pain Training
  • Several meetings have been held this month with our consultants for this project
  • A workshop will be held at Peerpocalypse (Peers for Chronic Pain and Opioids: An Introduction) on July 22nd at 12:30 PDT
  • Have experience with chronic pain or opioids? Reach out to Adrienne (ascavera@mhaoforegon.org) if you want to share input about the training!
PeerZone

  • Monthly PeerZone Facilitator connection webinars for USA/Canada/UK facilitators will be held starting in June 
  • Our first PeerZone "How to Facilitate Toolkit Workshops" webinar was held this month
  • MHAAO has renewed its coordinator contract to serve as USA Coordinating Center for PeerZone
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