A relatively new position in the behavioral health world allows survivors of mental health or substance abuse disorders to mentor those who are currently struggling.
It's called a certified peer professional. And it's a rapidly growing position in Illinois.
Nanette Larson is with the Illinois Department of Human Services. She said the partnership between a peer professional and a patient is more of a mentorship than a clinical one, as peer professionals are trained in how share their experience with patients.
Larson said that a new State-run program assisting aspiring professionals is leading to the growing number of them.
"And so it's just really evident that this is filling a gap in ways that maybe we had not even foreseen as we were developing the program," she said.
Plus, Larson said peer professionals are located in settings beyond traditional behavioral healthcare and are certified all around the state.
"We have a really robust representation of certified folks in Southern Illinois. Obviously outside of Saint Louis, but even further South, where the needs are so great," Larson said.
Learn more about the position, including how many peer professionals are certified in Illinois, at the podcast above.
And it's helping people struggling with mental health or substance abuse disorders.
And it's helping people struggling with mental health or substance abuse disorders.
