18 / 54
Peer Panel Summary
In 2005, the Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health began hiring
people who had experienced mental illness as Peer Support Specialists to help transform
the behavioral health services to a friendlier and more welcoming service delivery
system. Peer employees use their personal stories of recovery from mental illness to help
others engage in their own treatment and recovery. They also use their experiences
influence how services are delivered and shape policy and procedures to ensure that the
system is focused on the consumer’s perspective. Peer Support Specialists lead by example
and provide hope that recovery is possible. In this session you will hear the stories of four
Peer Specialists, and they will tell you how they use their experiences to help others.
D’Nai McCullough is a Consumer Peer Support Specialist, currently working for the Blaine
Adult Outpatient Clinic.
Paul Baum is a Consumer Peer Support Specialist, working in the Consumer Affair division
in the role of Communications Specialist, assisting in the planning, development and
implementation of the Peer Navigation Line and Peer Navigation Center to open later this
year.
Shannon McCleerey-Hooper is the Consumer Affairs Peer Policy & Planning
Specialist. Her role is to be the voice of the consumer at the Director’s table. She is
responsible for managing all programs relating to consumer peer support services, provide
training to staff in recovery model practices and to bring new programming to the system
that reduces stigma, and promotes healing environments for the people we serve.
Current Articles