Certified Older Adult
Peer Specialist
Program (COAPS)
A Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Collaboration
2012
Project Goal

 The goal of the joint New Jersey and Pennsylvania
initiative is to prepare a peer workforce to meet the
health and wellness needs of older adults who
encounter behavioral health disorders. This project
focuses on strengthening the capacity of the workforce
to meet the health and wellness needs of people with
serious mental illness who are aging, but whose health
needs are often neglected.
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What is a Certified Peer Specialist
(CPS)?

 A Certified Peer Support Specialist is a
person who has progressed in their own
recovery from a behavioral health disorder
and has graduated from an OMHSAS
approved 75 hour CPS training.
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Development of Peer Support Services





2004 Three-year grant to implement Peer Specialist Initiative
2005 A Call for Change
2006 first class of OMHSAS Certified Peer Specialists graduates
2007 Medicaid funding for Peer Support Services
PA Peer Support Services Bulletin
PA Peer Support Coalition created
 2008 CPS added as Civil Service classification
 2009 Telephone added as a billable service
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What is a Certified Older Adult Peer Specialist
(COAPS)?

A Certified Older Adult Peer Specialist is a
CPS who has completed an OMHSAS
approved three day training program on
Working with older Adults with Behavioral
Health Disorders.
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Why Develop An Older Adult Peer Initiative?

 Older adults are less likely to seek treatment from
mental health professionals due to stigma and
isolation. (Byrne, 2000; Bratter & Freeman, 1990)
 Services provided in non-traditional settings by peers
is an effective alternative to engage older adults
 Older Adult Advisory Committee recommendations
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Older Adult Certified Peer Specialists: How Can this
Unique Service Benefit Older Adults?

 Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) provide hope,
empowerment, choices and opportunities that promote
mental health recovery in a supportive environment
through shared experiences.
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What do COAPS do?

COAPS support older adults with behavioral
health issues in various ways including: crisis
support, development of community roles
and natural supports, individual advocacy,
self help, self improvement, as well as
developing, maintaining and improving
positive social supports and networks.
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How are COAPS funded ?

COAPS services are reimbursed through Medicaid,
county funding and civil service.
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Where do COAPS work?

 COAPS work in a wide range of settings: peer
support services, state hospitals, psychiatric
rehabilitation centers, case management, ACT teams,
drop-in centers, consumer run organizations,
residential settings and senior centers.
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Development and Implementation of Peer
Support Services for Older Adults

Transformation Transfer Initiative Grant Phase l2008
 Partnered with University of Pennsylvania, PA
Department of Aging, PA Office of Vocational
Rehabilitation and Statewide stakeholder group
 Developed three day COAPS Curriculum
 Developed application process
 Trained 20 COAPS Statewide
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Development and Implementation of
Peer Support Services for Older Adults

 TTI Grant Phase ll-2011
 OA Train the Trainer
 10 individuals trained as trainers including
two trainers from NJ
 Two training vendors (MHASP, BH&AC)
 Each vendor is contracted to deliver two
COAPS trainings annually
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Development and Implementation of Peer
Support Services for Older Adults

 TTI Grant Phase lll-2012
 Class of 20 COAPS will be trained in Wellness Curriculum
developed by UMDNJ
 Internships will be created in aging, mental health and
community health programs
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2012 COAPS PA Outcomes

Peer specialists will be trained in the wellness
coaching curriculum.
Internships will be created that will serve mental
health, aging and community health programs.
Peers will complete internships in community
programs.
A coaching/mentoring program will be
developed for the cross-trained peers.
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2012 COAPS NJ Outcomes

 Peer specialists will be trained in the aging and mental health
curriculum.
 Internships will be created that will serve residential health
care facilities and other congregate settings.
 A coaching/mentoring program will be developed for the
cross-trained peers.
 A Conference/summit on aging and wellness coaching will
be held.
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2012 Shared Outcomes: NJ and PA

 Wellness coaching service will improve both a) social
connectedness as measured by the OARS and b) healthrelated Quality of Life as measured by the standard 4-item
set of Healthy Days core questions (CDC HRQOL– 4).
 The peer provider workforce will be strengthened by
creating and testing a new role for peer providers offering
wellness support for older adults.
 Individuals in community settings will receive training on
older adults, mental health, and wellness.
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Next Steps…

Expand COAPS workforce beyond Medicaid
Funded peer supports
Coordinate Peer Support Services with other
health and social services
Survey CPS providers and recipients of
service
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Collaborating Agencies

 PA Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
 University of Pennsylvania, Center for Mental Health Policy and Services
Research
 Mental Health Association of SouthEastern PA
 PA Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition
 Horizon House, Inc., Philadelphia
 NJ Division of Mental health and Addiction Services, Department of
Human Services
 Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions
 Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey
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References

 Byrne, 2000
 Bratter and Feeman, 1990
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Resources

 WWW.parecovery.org
 Click on State Initiatives, then peer specialist services
 www.papeersupportcoalition.org
 www.mhrecovery.org
 www.olderpa.org
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Contact Information

Cynthia Zubritsky, PhD
cdz@mail.med.upenn.edu
University of Pennsylvania, Center for Mental Health Policy
and Services Research
Ginny Mastrine
VMastrine@state.pa.us
PA Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
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