Project Grant H79SM083915

FORENSIC PEER MENTOR TRAINING PROJECT - FORENSIC PEER MENTOR TRAINING PROJECT GEORGIA MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER NETWORK, INC. 1990 LAKESIDE PARKWAY, SUITE 100 TUCKER, GA 30084 PHONE: (404) 687-9487 FAX: (404) 687-0772 THE PURPOSE OF THE GEORGIA FORENSIC PEER MENTORING TRAINING PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE PEER-BASED, PEER-LED STATEWIDE FORENSIC PEER MENTOR TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WILL EXPAND THE FORENSIC PEER MENTOR WORKFORCE IN GEORGIA AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM BY PROVIDING JUSTICE-INVOLVED CITIZENS LIVING WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO LEAD PRODUCTIVE, MEANINGFUL, SELF-DIRECTED LIVES OF RECOVERY AND WELLNESS. THE STATEWIDE CONSUMER NETWORK PROGRAM (SCN) WILL ALLOW THE GEORGIA MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER NETWORK (GMHCN) TO LEAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGIA'S PEER SPECIALIST TRAINING PROVIDERS, INCLUDING THE GEORGIA COUNCIL ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THE GEORGIA PARENT SUPPORT NETWORK, AND GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DBHDD). ADDITIONALLY, SUPPORT FOR THE TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SUPERVISION. THESE RELATIONSHIPS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT. GEORGIA CURRENTLY HAS 592,000 JUSTICE-INVOLVED CITIZENS. GEORGIA HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CITIZENS ON PROBATION AND PAROLE IN THE NATION AND IS SECOND IN THE NATION FOR PERCENTAGE OF INCARCERATED CITIZENS. ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DATA, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONLY 15% OF GEORGIA'S INCARCERATED CITIZENS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS ARE RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR THEM. THIS SNC PROPOSAL RESPONDS TO THE NEED IDENTIFIED IN 2017 BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE FORENSIC PEER MENTOR PROJECT LED BY GMHCN THAT PROVED SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THE RECIDIVISM RATE AMONG PEOPLE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS. THIS EXPANSION WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE-YEAR SCN. GMHCN WILL CONDUCT TWELVE FORENSIC PEER MENTOR TRAININGS OVER THE GRANT'S THREE YEAR CYCLE. PARTICIPANTS IN THE TRAINING WILL BE DRAWN FROM GEORGIA'S EXISTING CERTIFIED PEER SPECIALIST (CPS) WORKFORCE, INCLUDING CPS-MENTAL HEALTH, CPS-ADDICTIVE DISEASE, CPS-YOUTH, AND CPS-PARENT. ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE TRAINING WILL HAVE PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BY THE END OF YEAR THREE, 120 CPSS WILL HAVE RECEIVED THE NEW FORENSIC PEER MENTOR CREDENTIAL. IN SCN YEAR THREE, GMHCN WILL WORK WITH STATE AGENCIES TO REPLICATE THE SUCCESS IT HAS ACHIEVED IN BUILDING OTHER SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES IN CREATING A SERVICE DEFINITION THAT WILL ALLOW PROVIDERS OF STATE-FUNDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO BILL THE STATE AND MEDICAID FOR FORENSIC PEER MENTOR SERVICES. IN YEARS ONE, TWO, AND THREE, MEDIA AND PUBLIC EVENTS WILL BE UTILIZED TO BUILD ADDITIONAL AWARENESS OF AND SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM AND ADVOCATE FOR JOB CREATION FOR FORENSIC PEER MENTORS ACROSS THE STATE.