Professional Boundaries (Core Competencies: 1.11; 3.2; 3.5; 4.3; 4.7; 4.13; 4.14; 4.15; 4.19)
Certified peer specialists are expected to understand and follow the employing agency's policies, procedures, and performance expectations. However, there may be times that the certified peer specialist's work conflicts with agency expectations. This provides an opportunity to advocate for peer values. The nature of conflict may be due to differing service delivery philosophies, values, and approaches. For example, the certified peer specialist approach is grounded in a person-centered, strengths-based, collective recovery orientation, while most human services agencies follow a medical model approach. Conflict is an opportunity to educate and grow both professionally and personally. Because the certified peer specialist role is relatively new to the field, clarifying professional boundaries will be necessary. The certified peer specialist can initiate an ongoing conversation within the agency in several ways: • Discussions with leadership. Ask leadership to review the employer toolkit provided on the Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist Employment Initiative website. This toolkit provides information about the role of a certified peer specialist. Schedule time to meet, review, and discuss. • Discussions with a supervisor. Share the following documents: Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist Scope of Practice , Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist Core Competencies , or Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist Code of Ethics . Schedule time to meet, review, and discuss. • Discussions with co-workers. There are many opportunities for informal discussions with co-workers as well as formal discussions during team meetings about the philosophies, values, and approaches of peer support. Through these discussions, challenging perceptions of the world also is critical to moving in a collective direction with co-workers. In all these discussions, you can demonstrate skillful communication to model the practice. Use O pen Questions, A ffirmations, R eflections, and S ummary (OARS) skills to draw out various perspectives, affirm willingness and interest to engage discussion, and listen carefully with reflection (see Section 4). Provide information in a skillful manner (see Section 7). Use advocacy strategies (see Section 12). You are never alone in these advocating conversations. Advocating for systemic or organizational change is inherently disruptive. It challenges current processes. Yet, this is necessary disruption to better meet people where they are at in their journey. Creating a community of system disruptors or challengers who understand and value our existence can prepare peers for these discussions. The certified peer specialist community is a space to begin building these connections. Your agency leadership can also reach out to the certified peer specialist program manager at the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative for questions or support.
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