WEBINAR: Peer Support and Chronic Health Conditions

WEBINAR: Peer Support and Chronic Health Conditions

Peer Support and Chronic Health Conditions

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT

The power of support from people with shared experience has been valued across time and challenges. While mental health has more formalized and reimbursable peer support options, countless support groups, from cancer to diabetes to grief, exist across the country.

The need for these programs is only increasing as more Americans are experiencing chronic health conditions and mental health challenges. Many people with mental health diagnoses also have other health conditions and many people with other health conditions struggle with depression, anxiety, and emotional distress. Even with the known impact of peers, there are far fewer options for individuals seeking support than needed.

This 90-minute webinar will feature peer support leaders in mental and physical health to discuss the value of peer support across all conditions and some of the barriers and solutions to its expansion. Participants will explore:

  • The impact of peer support on mental and physical health;
  • Challenges to the expansion of peer support for chronic health conditions; and
  • Opportunities for growth and collaboration among mental health and chronic health condition peer support.

About the presenters:

Sasha Ottey, MHA, MT (ASCP) is the Founder and Executive Director of PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association, the leading 501(c)(3) support and patient advocacy organization globally that is advancing the cause for women and girls with PCOS. Sasha started the organization after she was diagnosed with PCOS and experienced great dissatisfaction with the availability of support resources for women with the condition. She is a Clinical and Research Microbiologist with a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from Howard University and a Master’s in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix. Prior to founding PCOS Challenge, Sasha was a contract research microbiologist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Patrick Hendry, NCPS is the Vice President of Peer Advocacy, Supports, and Services at Mental Health America. He has worked as a mental health advocate for the past twenty-four years. His areas of expertise include peer-provided services, self-directed care, recovery-based training, organizational development, and management and sustainability. He is the former Executive Director of the Florida Peer Network and has assisted in the development of numerous peer-run programs and organizations. Patrick is a strong supporter of the inclusion of mental health consumers in all aspects of the behavioral health system.