Colorado Mental Wellness Network

There are two full-time employees, a board of directors and many volunteers who help The Network achieve its goals and accomplish its mission.

ADVOCACY TRAININGS:

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is a self-management and recovery system. The course is nationally certified though the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery. Certification: All participants are certified with Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery after completion of WRAP workshops.

Programs Offered:

Overview of WRAP and Recovery Workshop (3-6 hours)

Seminar One WRAP Group (16-18 hours)

WRAP Facilitator Training (5 days)

• Introduces concepts of The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)

• Four parts of the Study of WRAP and Recovery are outlined and reviewed

• Four parts of the study of WRAP and Recovery topics

• Groups are led by certified Copeland Center WRAP facilitators

• Individuals are encouraged to share personal experiences

• For individuals who have met pre-requisites

• Co-facilitate Seminar One WRAP Groups

• Work on 1:1 basis

WELLNESS WORKSHOPS:

The Network has produced a series of workshops focused on integrated health and wellness. Workshops go from month to month and start this year in June.

Programs Offered:

• Mindfulness and Acceptance

• An Introduction to The Four Agreements (book by Miguel Ruiz)

• Messaging 101: Reducing Stigma through Person First Language

COLORADO LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (CLA):

Leadership Academy is designed to teach individuals who have experienced a mental health condition and/or substance use disorders, how to improve their self-advocacy skills, public speaking skills, leadership abilities and systems advocacy participation. Graduates of the Academy have the opportunity to reach out and educate state legislators about their journeys to recovery. These stories are often poignant examples about the importance of including mental health care in health care reform.

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST TRAINING:

The Colorado Mental Wellness Network has based its peer specialist curriculum on the National Association of Peer Specialist (NAPS) training manual written by Steve Harrington, Director. Using the NAPS manual as a foundation, the curriculum has been expanded and revised to meet the Colorado Peer Specialist Competencies. This ensures a comprehensive resource for peer specialist to learn from. Open to qualified individuals seeking skills necessary to work in behavioral health field.

• Peer Specialist are employed throughout the state as mentors to others who seek mental health services

• Curriculum requires 80 hours of instruction and based on trauma-informed principles and recovery

• The Network also offers support for peer specialists through monthly iNAPS meetings

Programs Offered:

o Communication: Facilitation Groups and Working on Teams

o Addressing the Culture of Mental Health Stigma

o Self-care for Peer Support Specialists

o Developing a Trauma-Informed Philosophy

o Understanding “Whole Health” Approaches to Treatment

COLORADO PEER SUPPORT WORKFORCE INITIATIVE:

Colorado for Convening (c4c)

• Series of stakeholder meetings comprised of peers, clinicians, advocates, and other interested entities

• Overall purpose is to:

o Identify the potential for expanding peer workforce opprotunities and challenges

o Identify the emerging role of peer support specialists within the health care community and ways to support and expand that role

o Identify the ongoing training and supervision needs of the peer workforce

o Identify methods for community stakeholders to participate in statewide decision making and policy development for peer support specialist standardization