Applications for the LGBTQ+ PSS Training are no longer open.

This is the start date of the following program:

NAMI Multnomah is pleased to offer this Oregon Health Authority (OHA) approved Peer Support Specialist Training (PSST) for adults in Mental Health recovery. The curriculum is entitled Cultivating a New Life Through Community Connections, and the training was developed and will be facilitated by Fumiyo Nishimoto, MSW, LCSW.

Cultivating a New Life through Community Connections is a 40- hour comprehensive training designed to inform and empower individuals wishing to work as peers within peer-delivered services, assisting individuals past or presently affected by mental health services, mental health system survival, addiction(s), co-occurring disorder(s), and traumatic experience(s), as they re-enter the community utilizing naturally occurring support.

The core elements of this program include wellness coping skills and WRAP training (Wellness Recovery Action Plan), all from a social justice framework with an emphasis on trauma-informed care, cultural humility model and narrative approaches. Through a narrative approach, participants will recognize the power of the stories that they tell themselves, and how to reconstruct their life narrative according to person-centered principles that will assist them in reducing the influence of problems in their lives.

In an effort to train more Peer Support Specialists that reflect the demographics of our community, this upcoming training is specifically for adults who identify as LGBTQ+. Cultivating a training environment where all participants identify as LGBTQ+ will foster a safe and non-judgmental space for sharing and learning. There will be an emphasis on working with LGBTQ+ identifying peers in a peer support setting.

Individuals who complete the 40-hour PSST training are eligible to become Oregon State Certified Peer Support Specialists for adult mental health under the Traditional Health Worker (THW) program. The training consists of 40 online classroom hours and a written exam.

This training is offered at no cost to people who LIVE, WORK and/or VOLUNTEER in Multnomah County (if this is not you, you will not be eligible for the training).

**Class size is limited to 20 participants, and per Multnomah County Contract, preference is given to those already volunteering or employed by mental health and/or related agencies in the county in peer support roles.**

Applications open Dec. 4th, 2020 and will close at the end of the day, Sunday, Dec. 13th, 2020.

***PSST Training Requirements***
-You must identify as a peer which is defined as a self-identified person currently or formerly receiving mental health services. (PLEASE NOTE: If you do not self-identify as a peer, you will not be eligible for this training. If you identify as a family member, please go to OHA's website to find certified Family Support Specialist Trainings in Oregon.)
-For this specific training, you must identify as LGBTQ+
-Must be at least 18 years of age.
-Must live, work, and/or volunteer in Multnomah County.
-You must not be listed on the Medicaid provider exclusion list
-Ability to attend the entirety of the 40-hour/6 session training ONLINE:

-Friday, Feb. 19th, 3:00pm-7:00pm
-Saturday, Feb. 20th, 9:00am-5:00pm
-Sunday, Feb. 21st, 9:00am-5:00pm
-Friday, Feb. 26th, 9:00am-5:00pm
-Saturday, Feb. 27th, 9:00am-5:00pm
-Sunday, Feb. 28th, 9:00am-5:00pm
*There are 1-hour lunch breaks offered on the longer days of training*

All applicants will be notified of decisions for the training by email on or before Monday, December 21st, 2020.

Application Process

This training is offered at no cost to people who live, work or volunteer in Multnomah County. We do not currently offer training to anyone who does not live, work or volunteer in Multnomah County. Please note, we do have a limit of 20 class participants at each training. Because of class size limitations, our extremely high volume of applications, and per our Multnomah County contract, preference is given to those applicants who are already employed by or volunteering with mental health agencies in the county.

Applications for the LGBTQ+ PSS Training are no longer open.