Issue:
We have heard from our fellow mental health peers that they would like to see more
diversity when peer support and recovery centers are open. Many people would like to
access peer support groups and programming when it works for them and daytime
Monday through Friday may work for most but not all. There currently are no evening
or weekend hours at peer centers that we are aware of.
By offering peer support to individuals, research shows that the need for clinical
interventions decreases for those that have had encounter(s) with a peer support
specialist.
Recommendations:
- Support those who may have barriers or responsibilities during the Monday through Friday 9-5 hours by instituting evening and weekend schedules to support individuals, including those that need periodic support.
- Add additional hours or strategically spread the hours of operation to allow for evenings and weekend timeframes.
- DHHS publishes, on a public-facing website, the crisis data that DHHS collects, including the trends regarding use of each distinct crisis service in order to support data-driven decisions concerning less intensive holiday/evening/weekend service options.
Expected Outcomes:
Offering peer support center flexible hours that reflect the needs of individuals who could utilize this vital support system.
It could also decrease the likelihood of unnecessary interventions, including police involvement and emergency department visits as well as unexpected demands on 24-7 services such as Receiving Centers.
