Should State Offices of Mental Health Employ 'Peer' Roles?

A little about you...

Whether or not it does more harm or good for State Offices of Mental Health to employ 'peer' roles is a question we're interested in looking at more deeply. (If you haven't seen it already, you can read our full article on this topic HERE.)

When we refer to State Offices of Mental Health, we mean any State office that is responsible for mental health services, regardless of what it is called. (Office of Mental Health, Department of Mental Heath, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, etc.).

For the purpose of this survey, we are primarily referring to and looking for responses from people currently or previously employed in policy-level positions with State Offices of Mental Health that are designated for people with psychiatric histories. This may include roles that are:

Are required (or highly preferred) to be filled by someone with first-hand experience receiving services, being diagnosed, etc; AND
Positioned in a 'consumer' office of affairs (or similar); AND/OR
Otherwise understood to be the representative or voice of 'lived experience' in the office

Other folks who are employed in state-employed 'peer' roles (i.e., offering direct support in state hospitals, etc.) are also welcomed to respond. Feedback from people intersecting with and/or impacted by the design of these jobs and/or the people working in them is also welcomed.

We do intend to compile the results an share them with others, but will not include any identifying information. For example, we won't share a comment someone makes, and identify which state they come from, and so no.

Our intention is for the survey to be entirely anonymous. Please feel free to skip any questions that you are concerned might identify you.

Thank you for your input!

Question Title

* 1. What area of the country are you in?

State/Province

Country

Question Title

* 2. Are you...

Someone who CURRENTLY works in a policy-level role designated for people with psychiatric histories (Director of Recovery, in the Office of Consumer Affairs, or similar) for a State Office of Mental Health

Someone who PREVIOUSLY worked in a policy-level role designated for people with psychiatric histories (Director of Recovery, in the Office of Consumer Affairs, or similar) for a State Office of Mental Health

Someone who works in (or worked in) another type of 'peer' role employed directly by the State

Someone working in a peer role in a provider (clinical) organization

Someone working in a peer role in a peer-to-peer organization

Someone who receives or has received mental health services

A family member of someone who receives or has received mental health services

Someone working in a provider, clinical, or direct support role

Someone else working for the State Office of Mental Health, but in a non-peer role

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. If you are someone who PREVIOUSLY worked in a policy-level job designated for people with psychiatric histories with a State Office of Mental Health, why did you leave your job?

I was fired

I was encouraged to resign

I got burned out and left voluntarily

I left the job on good terms

N/A - I have never worked in this role or am still employed in it

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. If you are in any other role, have you ever had to interact with someone working in a policy-level role designated for people with psychiatric histories for the State Office of Mental Health?

Yes, I am expected to regularly interact with one or more person(s) working in this role in my state.

Yes, I occasionally interact with one or more person(s) working in this role in my state.

No, I've never interacted with one or more person(s) working in this role in my state, but one or more parts of my job or life are still impacted by the person(s) in that role.

No, I've never interacted with anyone working in this role in my state, and neither my job nor my life is impacted by them.

N/A I personally work or have worked in a peer role employed by the state

Other (please specify)