Abstract
This study evaluated the peer support program at Consumers Self-Help Center (CSHC), a community mental health center in Sacramento, California. The researcher used qualitative data from six interviews with staff to evaluate the benefits and challenges of peer support at CSHC. Study participants described four main benefits of the peer support program: removal of barriers to treatment, social support for consumers, creating an atmosphere of equality, and providing a sense of purpose to peer support workers (PSWs). Study participants described four main challenges of the peer support program: PSWs’ appropriate use of self-disclosure, PSWs’ experience of distress from working with consumers who are not committed to their recovery, intra-agency relationships, and challenges related to funding and contract terms. These findings are limited by the size of the study and the absence of consumers among study participants. The findings suggest PSWs may benefit from additional training related to appropriate use of self-disclosure, including role-playing and group discussion, and/or ongoing supervision for PSWs to process their feelings about consumers who do not walk the path of recovery.