Objective: The aim of this paper is to examine the role of consumers as service providers and to describe the successful employment of peer support workers in a public mental health service.
Conclusions: The Peer Support Worker program in Adelaide, South Australia is consistent with evidence obtained from previous research in demonstrating the successful training and employment of consumers as peer workers in a public mental health service.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
World Health OrganizationMeeting on consumer involvement in mental health services. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal1990; 14: 13–20.
2.
Commonwealth Department of Health and Family ServicesThe Australian National Standards for Mental Health. Sydney: Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services, 1997.
3.
ClearyMWalterGEscottP. Consumer consultant’: expanding the role of consumers in modern mental health services. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing2006; 15: 29–34.
4.
DavidsonLChinmanMSellsDRoweM. Peer support among adults with serious mental illness: a report from the field. Schizophrenia Bulletin2006; 32: 443–450.
5.
RiveraJJSullivanAMValentiSS. Adding consumer-providers to intensive case management: does it improve outcome?. Psychiatric Services2007; 58: 802–809.
6.
KaneCFBlankMB. NPACT: enhancing programs of assertive community treatment for the seriously mentally ill. Community Mental Health Journal2004; 40: 549–559.
YanosPTPrimaveraLHKnightEL. Consumer-run service participation, recovery of social functioning, and the mediating role of psychological factors. Psychiatric Services2001; 52: 493–500.
9.
FeltonCJStastnyPShernDL. Consumers as peer specialists on intensive case management teams: impact on client outcomes. Psychiatric Services1995; 46: 1037–1044.
10.
O'DonnellMProbertsMParkerG. Development of a consumer advocacy program. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry1998; 32: 873–879.
11.
O'DonnellMParkerGProbertsM. A study of client-focused case management and consumer advocacy: the community and consumer service project. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry1999; 33: 684–693.
12.
TobinMChenLLeathleyC. Consumer participation in mental health: who wants it and why?. Australian Health Review2002; 25: 91–100.
13.
LammersJHappellB. Consumer participation in mental health services: looking from a consumer perspective. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing2003; 10: 385–392.
14.
LammersJHappellB. Research involving mental health consumers and carers: a reference group approach. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing2004; 13: 262–266.
15.
McDiarmidDRappCRatzlaffS. Design and initial results from a supported education initiative: the Kansas Consumer as Provider Program. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal2005; 29: 3–9.
16.
HutchinsonDSAnthonyWAAshcraftL. The personal and vocational impact of training and employing people with psychiatric disabilities as providers. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal2006; 29: 205–213.
17.
GordonS. The role of the consumer in the leadership and management of mental health services. Australasian Psychiatry2005; 13: 362–365.
18.
LloydCKingR. Consumer and carer participation in mental health services. Australasian Psychiatry2003; 11: 180–184.
19.
HodgesJQHardimanER. Promoting healthy organizational partnerships and collaboration between consumer-run and community mental health agencies. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research2006; 33: 267–278.
20.
MeehanTBergenHCoveneyCThorntonR. Development and evaluation of a training program in peer support for former consumers. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing2002; 11: 34–39.
21.
GloverJHetzelDGloverLPageALeahyK. Central Northern Adelaide Health Service: A Social Health Atlas. The University of Adelaide, Adelaide2005.
22.
ShawKMcFarlaneACBooklessCAirT. The aetiology of postpsychotic posttraumatic stress disorder following a psychotic episode. Journal of Trauma Stress2002; 15: 39–47.
