Clarifying the role of the mental health peer specialist in Massachusetts, USA: insights from peer specialists, supervisors and clients
Clarifying the role of the mental health peer specialist in Massachusetts, USA: insights from peer specialists, supervisors and clients
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DOI：
10.1111/hsc.12072
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发表时间：
2014-01-01
影响因子：
2.4
通讯作者：
Savageau, Judith
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Cabral, Linda;Strother, Heather;Savageau, Judith
心理健康同行专家与客户建立点对点的信任关系，以改善他们的健康和福祉，其运作方式与社区卫生工作者类似。尽管同行专家的数量一直在增加，但他们在护理团队中的作用不如社区卫生工作者那么明确。这项定性研究探讨了如何在不同利益相关者群体中定义同伴专家角色、对此角色的期望以及如何在不同类型的心理健康服务中利用和整合同伴专家。数据是通过 2009 年 9 月至 2011 年 1 月期间在马萨诸塞州与同行专家 (N=44)、其主管 (N=14) 和客户 (N=10) 进行的访谈和焦点小组收集的。使用了共识编码方法，所有数据输出均由整个团队审查以确定主题。同行专家报告说，他们最重要的作用是与客户发展关系，而拥有心理健康经验是建立这种联系的关键要素。他们还表示，对员工进行有关恢复模式和同伴角色的教育是另一项重要职能。然而，他们经常感到自己在组织和护理团队中的角色不够清晰。主管重视同行专家为组织带来的独特经验。然而，由于对这一角色没有明确的期望，他们在培训、指导和评估同行专家人员方面遇到了困难。客户报告说，共同的生活经历对于双方的关系很重要，与同伴专家一起工作可以改善他们的心理健康。随着对以人为本的综合医疗服务模式的支持不断增加，对心理健康同行专家服务的需求可能会增加。因此，更清晰的角色定义以及以团队为导向的劳动力发展对于同行专家在护理团队中的充分整合和支持是必要的。
Mental health peer specialists develop peer-to-peer relationships of trust with clients to improve their health and well-being, functioning in ways similar to community health workers. Although the number of peer specialists in use has been increasing, their role in care teams is less defined than that of the community health worker. This qualitative study explored how the peer specialist role is defined across different stakeholder groups, the expectations for this role and how the peer specialist is utilised and integrated across different types of mental health services. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups conducted in Massachusetts with peer specialists (N=44), their supervisors (N=14) and clients (N=10) between September 2009 and January 2011. A consensus coding approach was used and all data outputs were reviewed by the entire team to identify themes. Peer specialists reported that their most important role is to develop relationships with clients and that having lived mental health experience is a key element in creating that bond. They also indicated that educating staff about the recovery model and peer role is another important function. However, they often felt a lack of clarity about their role within their organisation and care team. Supervisors valued the unique experience that peer specialists bring to an organisation. However, without a defined set of expectations for this role, they struggled with training, guiding and evaluating their peer specialist staff. Clients reported that the shared lived experience is important for the relationship and that working with a peer specialist has improved their mental health. With increasing support for person-centred integrated healthcare delivery models, the demand for mental health peer specialist services will probably increase. Therefore, clearer role definition, as well as workforce development focused on team orientation, is necessary for peer specialists to be fully integrated and supported in care teams.