Since 2016 Certified Peer Specialists with lived experience in carceral systems have been trained and employed as Forensic Peer Mentors (FPM). Supported by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, the FPMs serve returning citizens who have behavioral health conditions - substance use and/or mental health - in accountability courts, prisons, jails, reentry facilities, day reporting centers and recovery community organizations. This session overviews the development of the FPM curriculum and ongoing workforce development initiatives including the monthly learning community. Our emphasis is on celebrating prosocial living and progressive recovery including the collaborative contributions of Community Supervision Officers and other allies. 

Format

Recorded webinar, non-interactive, self-paced distance learning activity with post-test.

This presentation was recorded on January 13, 2023.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the preparations used to inform the development of the 5-day Forensic Peer Mentor (FPM) Ready4Reentry training including data gathered from listening sessions around the state. 
• Describe the returning citizens’ and the communities’ roles as the foundational Crime Desistance Theory of the FPM training. 
• Review the impact of FPMs on metrics of our communities’ safety and health. 

Target Audience

Counselor, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, Peer Specialist/Peer Support, Pharmacist, Physician (Non-psychiatrist), Physician Assistant, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Social Worker 

Instructional Level

Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced

Estimate Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour
Program Start Date: January 13, 2023 
Program End Date: January 13, 2026 

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board

After completing the course, engage with colleagues in the mental health field through SMI Adviser's Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board. This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar. Access through the discussion tab.

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, CE credit for psychologists, CE credit for social workers, or a certificate of participation may do so by viewing the live presentation and completing the evaluation. Participants claiming CE credit for psychologists and those claiming CE credit for social workers, must have full attendance to claim credit. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians), CE certificate (psychologists), CE certificate (social workers) or certificate of participation (other disciplines) showing the event date and hours earned.  

Continuing Education Credit

In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physicians

The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Psychologists

The American Psychiatric Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. American Psychiatric Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

Social Workers 

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, American Psychiatric Association (APA) is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. APA maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1 social work continuing education credits.

Continuing education requirements vary from state to state. Many state boards grant reciprocity with national accrediting organizations and other state boards. It is the responsibility of each professional to understand the requirements for license renewal or check with the state or national licensing board and/or professional organization to become more familiar with their policies for acceptable continuing education credit. Social workers and Psychologists should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval. 

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity. 

Instructor

• Lindsey Sizemore is a Certified Peer Specialist - Addictive Disease (CPS-AD) and Mental Health (CPS-MH) with the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network. She currently serves as the Forensic Peer Mentor (FPM) Training Director. This includes leading the FPM Ready4Reentry 5-day initial training plus monthly FPM Learning Community sessions that focus on professional development and celebrating successes with our allies. By developing and expanding the FPM workforce, she successfully supports returning citizens in living lives of meaning and purpose. Ms. Sizemore has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.  
• George S. Braucht has 14,000+ hours of psychotherapy, supervision, and applied community psychology experience focuses on professional and peer workforce development that emphasizes continuous service quality and program outcome improvement. George co-founded the Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist (CARES) Academy, a peer recovery coach training that is operational in several states, and the Forensic Peer Mentor Ready4Reentry training. Mr. Braucht has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

Planners

• Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
• Sherin Khan, LCSW, Thresholds. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This website requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be:  Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact SMIadviserhelp@psych.org for technical assistance