Vanessa Klodnick1; 1Thresholds Research, Chicago, IL, USA
Purpose: To boost engagement and ensure services are young person-informed, peer support is becoming increasingly common in transition-age youth mental health programs. Supervision is key for young adult peer support on-the-job success. However, what supervision looks like for young adult peers varies widely. Methods: Massachusetts successfully integrated Young Adult Peer Mentoring (a Medicaid reimbursable service) statewide for 14-21 year olds with mental health challenges. Through a partnership with the University of Massachusetts Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research and Thresholds in Chicago, supervision principles, practices, online and in-person trainings, and a guidebook were developed for Young Adult Peer Mentor supervisors. Results: Over 100 supervisors participated in on-line webinars, in-person trainings, and community of practice calls between 2015 and 2017. Participant feedback was exceedingly positive, calling for additional tools, which led to the development of a Young Adult Peer Supervision Guidebook. The trainings and guidebook help supervisors to effectively use the working alliance, reflective supervision, strategic use of self, and self-care in order to provide culturally attuned, developmentally focused supervision to peers. The trainings and guidebook are available at: http://www.cbhknowledge.center/yapm-supervisor-tool-kit. Conclusions: Advances in young adult peer supervision theory, practice, and processes in Massachusetts have implications for child and adult serving systems and providers. Research is needed to evaluate the impact of supervisor development initiatives within transition-age youth serving programs in Massachusetts and beyond.
