Removing Care Barriers: Cross-Training HIV and Mental Health Peer Staff
Abstract
Despite routine use of peers within HIV and mental health (MH) teams, little cross-fertilization exists across settings even with increased HIV risk for those with MH and substance use difficulties and high prevalence of MH concerns and substance use in HIV-positive individuals. We describe efforts to develop HIV, MH, and substance abuse competencies for peer staff operating across these settings.
Proposal Summary
Objective: In HIV and mental health (MH) contexts, utilization of peer staff (i.e., educators, counselors) is a common evidenced-based practice. Frequently, however, little cross-fertilization exists between HIV and MH peer staff despite HIV risks for those with MH and substance use difficulties and a high prevalence of MH and substance use in individuals living with HIV. We describe tailored efforts to increase HIV, MH, and substance abuse competencies for peer staff operating across these settings. Method: Recently, our team initiated an integrated intervention-prevention program to reduce health disparities for HIV-positive or at-risk African American women with substance abuse and co-occurring MH disorders. We hired a certified peer specialist to address MH and substance abuse recovery and an HIV educator to address HIV risk reduction, education, and empowerment. We quickly identified learning needs for both peer team members and developed individualized training plans to increase their effectiveness across domains. Outcomes: In response to learning needs, the certified peer specialist: 1) works one-half day per week in the infectious disease clinic, learning about HIV disease and sharing his recovery story, 2) provides recovery education in HIV community outreach and treatment settings, and 3) will be attending a 2-day HIV conference. The HIV peer educator, who self-identified as a past recipient of MH services, was eligible for and attended the Georgia certified peer specialist training, 2) is relocating her office from infectious disease to work more closely with MH team members, 3) and has routinely participated in workshops targeted to our MH team. Both peer staff have volunteered that these opportunities have boosted their feelings of competency and involvement across program settings. Conclusions: As we document the benefits of this innovative cross-training model, we hope to formalize training efforts and share these with HIV, MH, and substance abuse teams with similar needs.
Relevance And Significance
This proposal mostly closely aligns with the conference “Prevention/Intervention” track in that it describes innovations for cross-training HIV and mental health peer team members who operate across these settings as part of an HIV intervention—prevention program targeted to African American women residing in a low resource area of Georgia and South Carolina.
Session Format
Poster Session
Keywords
HIV, Peer supports, Mental health, Women, African Americans, Substance abuse
Location
Room 129
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Brian; Childs, Kathleen; Walker, Walidah; and Stepleman, Lara M., "Removing Care Barriers: Cross-Training HIV and Mental Health Peer Staff" (2014). 9th Annual Rural HIV Research and Training Conference (2014-2019). 1.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ruralhiv/2014/2014/1
Removing Care Barriers: Cross-Training HIV and Mental Health Peer Staff
Room 129
Despite routine use of peers within HIV and mental health (MH) teams, little cross-fertilization exists across settings even with increased HIV risk for those with MH and substance use difficulties and high prevalence of MH concerns and substance use in HIV-positive individuals. We describe efforts to develop HIV, MH, and substance abuse competencies for peer staff operating across these settings.
