Project Grant H79SM083929

TEXAS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE - PEER NETWORK, A COSP CERTIFICATION PROJECT - THE TEXAS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE - PEER NETWORK (TEI-PEER NETWORK) PROJECT MAKES QUALITY PEER SERVICES AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BY DEVELOPING A CONSUMER OPERATED SERVICES PROGRAM (COSP) CERTIFICATION PROCESS BASED ON THE COSP FIDELITY ASSESSMENT COMMON INGREDIENTS TOOL (FACIT) AND THE CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS (CCBHC) PEER SERVICES AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE REQUIREMENTS. IN DEVELOPING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, AN ADVISORY GROUP OF STATE PEER LEADERS WILL IDENTIFY GAPS IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEER SERVICES AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE REQUIREMENTS OF CCBHC CERTIFICATION. THEY WILL BE GIVEN THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO FILL THOSE GAPS AND THEN THEY WILL SERVE AS A WORKGROUP TO DEVELOP THE STANDARDS NEEDED FOR THE COSP CERTIFYING PROCESS. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT COSPS WHO CHOOSE TO BE CERTIFIED MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME DESIGNATED COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS (DCO) UNDER CCBHC. BY THE END OF THE PROJECT THERE WILL BE AT LEAST TWO CERTIFIED COSPS IN TEXAS. THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT THE PEER NETWORK, AN ORGANIZATION DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT AND GROW COSPS IN TEXAS, WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ITS INFRASTRUCTURE TO TAKE OVER THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CERTIFYING PROCESS AT THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD. IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE GRANT, MATERIAL RAISING AWARENESS OF CCBHC AMONG PEER PROVIDERS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND SHARED THROUGH EXISTING PEER NETWORKS AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES. THIS WILL IMPACT PEOPLE RECEIVING SERVICES IN THE PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN TEXAS, ROUGHLY 227,000. IT WILL ALSO IMPACT THE PEOPLE CURRENTLY RECEIVING SERVICES FROM COSPS IN TEXAS. THE TWO LARGEST COSPS SERVED OVER 2500 PEOPLE COMBINED. ALTHOUGH THIS PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED IN 3 YEARS, THE IMPACT WILL CONTINUE AS NEW COSPS ARE CREATED TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR QUALITY PEER SERVICES IN TEXAS.