Amplifying Peer Voices 

(To send us a story pitch, please email us at submissions@peersupportfl.org).
The Peer Support Coalition of Florida, Inc. is a peer-run nonprofit organization led by peers in recovery dedicated to advancing peer support with a robust website that tells the complex story of peer work in our community. We are passionate about building an environment that promotes and supports well-being through Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Networking. For those new to the topic, “peers” in the behavioral health context are individuals who have lived experience of mental health and/or substance use challenges. Peer Specialists are peers in recovery who have been trained to provide support and resources to help others on their paths to recovery.
 
In our news feed, we showcase diverse, engaging storytelling, highlighting the many different human experiences unfolding across the peer support field. We welcome pitches from writers who bring various experiences and perspectives to the news feed, including writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, writers of different abilities, and writers from other groups traditionally underrepresented in the media.
 
To submit a story idea, consider which section of the news feed you’re pitching; detailed guidelines and the best contact for your initial pitch are listed below. All pitches should include the word, “submission” in the subject line and be emailed to the addresses below. No phone calls, please.
 
We are not interested in writing that stigmatizes mental health and/or substance use disorders or follows offensive lines of thought. We welcome writers with a strong point of view and a good story to tell. To avoid clichés, stereotypes, and common tropes in describing people in recovery (many of which are also applicable to members of other underrepresented communities), we recommend studying the Identifying, Deconstructing, and Reducing Stigma: A Toolkit for HRSA Georgia Health Policy Center Grantees and reviewing the Peer Support Information section of our Resource Library.
 
A few additional tips: If you have them, please include links or clips showing previous writing you’ve done. Check out our news archives before pitching to ensure something similar to your idea hasn’t appeared in PSCFL. And please pitch us original writing that you haven’t already published elsewhere.
 
We get lots of pitches, so please be patient. If you don’t hear back within a week, feel free to nudge us again. If you don’t hear back after two weeks, then PSCFL is most likely not a good fit for your piece. 

T