Date(s), Time

Topic

CEU Hours

Eligibility

Registration

1st and 3rd Wed. of the month

9:30-10:30 a.m.

Peer Support for Peer Support (PS4PS) Group

Supporting others is a powerful and rewarding experience, and as a peer professional, you deserve support, too! PS4PS offers a space for peer professionals to connect, share ideas, find support, and recharge. 

0

• Peer support specialists, family peer support specialists, recovery coaches

Apr. 25

12-1 p.m.

Peer Supervisor Discussion: Teaching Peer Staff Self-Advocacy Skills 

In this session, we will explore strategies to teach peer staff self-advocacy skills, focusing on helping them recognize and express their needs. We will identify barriers such as lack of awareness, comfort, and confidence that hinder their ability to advocate for themselves. Participants will learn how to create a supportive environment, encouraging peer staff to express their needs assertively and confidently. Through case examples, we will evaluate and apply different approaches to teaching self-advocacy, and participants will be guided in problem-solving solutions while considering the potential consequences of each approach.

1

• Peer services supervisors, managers, and administrators
• Non-peer and peer staff preparing to become peer supervisors

May 2 

12-1 p.m. 

Peer Services Webinar: Let's Get Organized: New Behavioral Health Districts and Peer District Committees 

In 2024, Iowa Health and Human Services announced new district boundaries for behavioral health services and named the Iowa Primary Care Association (Iowa PCA) as the administrative service organization (ASO). As ASO, they will coordinate and oversee services in each behavioral health (BH) district. In this webinar, Todd Lange and Katelyn Akright are set to discuss these significant transformations that will shape the administration of mental health and addiction services in Iowa for years to come. Next, Todd and Katelyn will describe two powerful examples of how peers in Eastern Iowa established regional peer support committees. These committees served as vital structures for staying informed about statewide developments in policy, practice, and training while also providing a space to share important updates on peer programs within their organizations. In this session, participants will gain insights into the process of organizing and facilitating committees. Finally, we’ll discuss how you can organize peer-led committees in your new BH district. If enough participants register, we'll have the option to use Zoom break-out rooms, allowing you to connect with others in your region. We can't wait for you to join us—be sure to register now!

0

• Everyone

May 7-9

1-5 p.m.

Ethical Considerations for Recovery Coaches

Ethics trainings are not all created equal. Recovery Coaches need an understanding of ethics that differs from those of clinicians due to their unique role in guiding someone through their own recovery process. In this training, you’ll learn what ethics are and why ethics are so important when performing Recovery Coach Services, how to stay in your lane as a recovery coach, the decision-making process, how to develop guidelines for making ethical decisions, and apply this new learning to your everyday work as an RC.

16

• Recovery coaches only. You must have completed the Recovery Coach Academy.

May 16

8:30-4 p.m.

In-Person Ethics Training for Peer and Family Peer Support Specialists 

Throughout our careers, we inevitably face ethical dilemmas with employers, coworkers, and those we serve. These situations often leave us feeling uncertain about the best course of action, especially when the choices aren’t clear-cut. That’s where a peer code of ethics is indispensable—to help us navigate these complexities. In this training, you will learn how to identify the standards of conduct within the Code, think through the gray areas, and respond to different types of conflict. This training will be in-person: West Des Moines

6

• Peer support specialists, family peer support specialists

IN-PERSON ONLY 

Click HERE to register for In-Person Ethics Training for PSS/FPSS

May 19

9-3 p.m.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Many young people experience mental health issues, but they often go unnoticed or untreated, leading to long-term struggles. Therefore, early intervention is critical. This training aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills to recognize the signs of mental health challenges and provide youth with support. You will learn how to assess for risk of suicide or harm, give reassurance and information, encourage appropriate professional help, and provide other support strategies. 

0

• Family peer support specialists first
• Then peer support specialists, recovery coaches, peer supervisors

May 23

12-1 p.m.

Peer Supervisor Discussion: Integrating Peer Staff into the Workplace 

The peer workforce is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of human services workers in the United States. Since 2015, Iowa has witnessed an impressive 200% increase in the employment of peer workers. Despite the increasing number of peer positions in Iowa, organizations may be unaware that peer work is a profession with a distinct scope of practice, a code of ethics, certification standards, and a robust research literature. In some instances, a lack of awareness may inadvertently create work environments that are less welcoming of their experiences, and peer staff may struggle to find a sense of belonging. As a supervisor, you are in a unique position to educate others about the peer role and facilitate conversations with peer staff who may be feeling frustrated. In this presentation and case discussion led by Jodie Huju of Full Circle Recovery, we will describe the results from the 2024 Iowa Peer Worker Survey on peer staff integration—specifically whether colleagues understand the peer staff role and their contributions. We will discuss several ways that you can create a welcoming workplace to empower staff with lived experience and help ensure they are seen as integral to your organization’s mission.

1

• Peer services supervisors, managers, and administrators
• Non-peer and peer staff preparing to become peer supervisors

Jun. 13

12-1 p.m.

Peer Supervisor Discussion: Understanding and Applying Ethics in Peer Practice 

This training will focus on understanding the Iowa Board of Certification’s (IBC) code of ethics and how it compares to ethical codes in other professions. Faraji Hubbard and Kellee McCrory, who are IBC Board members, will discuss with participants how to interpret key principles of the IBC’s code. Additionally, they’ll use peer-involved case examples to teach supervisors how to guide peer staff in thinking critically and applying an ethical decision-making model. By the end of the session, participants will understand how ethical codes share core values but may differ in application across professional groups and how to navigate these differences in peer support practice.

1

• Peer services supervisors, managers, and administrators
• Non-peer and peer staff preparing to become peer supervisors

Jul. 2-3 

9-1 p.m. 

Spirituality and Recovery Coaching

This program is designed to help you, as a recovery coach, understand the concept of spirituality and how you can assist others in their journey of exploring it. Over the course of two days, you will have the opportunity to reflect on your own beliefs and values related to spirituality. The training will equip you with the tools and resources necessary to discuss spirituality in a way that is open-minded and respectful of others' perspectives.

12

• Recovery coaches only. You must have completed the Recovery Coach Academy.

Jul. 11

12-1:30 p.m.

Peer Services Webinar: Trauma-Informed Peer Supervision Section 1

The peer workforce is an essential part of any treatment team or organization. However, working in behavioral health settings can be stressful. And especially for peer specialists, it can reactivate past traumas or cause secondary traumatic stress or moral injury. Peer Specialists may also experience imposter syndrome that may cause peer drift or empathy fatigue from sharing and listening to recovery and war stories every day. Trauma-informed supervision is one of the strategies shown to increase job satisfaction, increase peers’ self-care practices, and prevent crises or reactivation of symptoms, which, in turn, improves retention rates.

In this webinar, we will look into trauma-informed care principles and consider ways to implement them in supervision for the behavioral health workforce, especially in the supervision of peer support specialists.

1.5

• Everyone

Jul. 11

10-2pm

The Facilitator’s Toolkit: Enhancing Group Collaboration and Interaction

Facilitating a group is both an exciting and challenging task. In this training, you'll gain essential skills to effectively lead and engage your peers, ensuring productive, collaborative, and meaningful group sessions. Whether you're new to facilitation or looking to refine your approach, this training will equip you with the tools and confidence to create an inclusive, positive environment for any group.

This training will be held in-person in Coralville, Iowa. 

3

• Employed peer support specialists and recovery coaches

Jul. 14-16

9-1 p.m.

Ethical Considerations for Recovery Coaches

Ethics trainings are not all created equal. Recovery Coaches need an understanding of ethics that differs from those of clinicians due to their unique role in guiding someone through their own recovery process. In this training, you’ll learn what ethics are and why ethics are so important when performing Recovery Coach Services, how to stay in your lane as a recovery coach, the decision-making process, how to develop guidelines for making ethical decisions, and apply this new learning to your everyday work as an RC.

16

• Recovery coaches only. You must have completed the Recovery Coach Academy.

Sept. 5

12-1:30 p.m.

Peer Services Webinar: Trauma-Informed Peer Supervision Section 2

The peer workforce is an essential part of any treatment team or organization. However, working in behavioral health settings can be stressful. And especially for peer specialists, it can reactivate past traumas or cause secondary traumatic stress or moral injury. Peer Specialists may also experience imposter syndrome that may cause peer drift or empathy fatigue from sharing and listening to recovery and war stories every day. Trauma-informed supervision is one of the strategies shown to increase job satisfaction, increase peers’ self-care practices, and prevent crises or reactivation of symptoms, which, in turn, improves retention rates.

In this webinar, we will look into trauma-informed care principles and consider ways to implement them in supervision for the behavioral health workforce, especially in the supervision of peer support specialists.

1.5

Sep. 11

9-3 p.m.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Many young people experience mental health issues, but they often go unnoticed or untreated, leading to long-term struggles. Therefore, early intervention is critical. This training aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills to recognize the signs of mental health challenges and provide youth with support. You will learn how to assess for risk of suicide or harm, give reassurance and information, encourage appropriate professional help, and provide other support strategies. 

0

• Family peer support specialists first
• Then peer support specialists, recovery coaches, peer supervisors

Oct. 3

9:30-11 a.m.

Ethics Training for Family Peer Support Specialists: Ethical Use of Technology

In today’s world, social media and technology offer countless ways to connect with others, and while connection is a gift, it also presents significant risks. Unethical use of technology is a growing concern, especially in the workplace. As a family peer support specialist, this training will equip you with the knowledge and tools to avoid, respond to, and resolve ethical dilemmas involving technology. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the ethical standards for using technology responsibly, the grounds for discipline when violating legal or moral standards, and much more.

1.5

• Family peer support specialists only

Oct. 24

8:30-4 p.m.

Ethics for Peer and Family Peer Support Specialists 

Throughout our careers, we inevitably face ethical dilemmas with employers, coworkers, and those we serve. These situations often leave us feeling uncertain about the best course of action, especially when the choices aren’t clear-cut. That’s where a peer code of ethics is indispensable—to help us navigate these complexities. In this training, you will learn how to identify the standards of conduct within the Code, think through the gray areas, and respond to different types of conflict.

6

• Peer support specialists, family peer support specialists