Forensic Peer Specialists: Partners for Effective Re-entry and Recovery-View Presentation

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Video Summary

In the SMI Advisor webinar "Forensic Peer Specialists: Partners for Effective Reentry and Recovery," Dr. Amy Cohen, joined by Lindsey Sizemore and George Frott, discusses the role of Forensic Peer Specialists (FPMs) in aiding successful reentry and recovery for justice-involved individuals. The webinar, eligible for continuing education credits, was aimed at educating physicians, psychologists, and social workers on the benefits of using FPMs. Lindsey Sizemore, a Georgia Certified Peer Specialist, shared her journey from addiction, homelessness, and incarceration to recovery, emphasizing the transformative power of peer support. She highlighted FPMs' unique perspective, which includes lived experience with the criminal justice system, allowing them to connect deeply with returning citizens.<br /><br />George Frott discussed the integration of FPMs within state systems in Georgia, including prisons and community programs, and emphasized their role in reshaping criminal justice views towards a crime desistance model. The webinar underscored the essential mutual relationship between FPMs and those they support, focusing on recovery and self-efficacy, ultimately reducing recidivism and psychiatric hospital readmissions.<br /><br />The session concluded with a Q&A segment addressing practical implementation challenges, payment structures like Medicaid reimbursement, and starting similar programs in other states. The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network's success story serves as a replicable model, reflecting peer support's vital role in comprehensive mental health and reentry systems.

Keywords

Forensic Peer Specialists

reentry

recovery

justice-involved individuals

peer support

criminal justice system

crime desistance model

recidivism

mental health

Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network