Payment must be provided to complete registration. You may add multiple registrants during the registration process.

Kennedy Wilbert , Certified Youth Peer Supporter – Lorain County

Jose Flores , LCADA WAY, Peer Supervisor Lorain County

John Stuart , Certified Youth Peer Supporter – Meigs County

Angela Lariviere, YouthMOVE Ohio Director, Peer Supervisor, NAMI Ohio 

YouthMOVE peers and mentors have developed a strategic plan to support young professionals to be successful. This presentation will help guide agencies and supervisors through the unique obstacles young people with lived experience have working in the Behavioral Health field. Hear from Certified Youth Peer Supporters about their experiences and what to be aware of when working with young professionals. You will also be given tips and resources to take back to your local communities.

Julli Griesheimer , Wings Support and Recovery

Tracie-Gordon-Nelson, PhD Wings Support and Recovery 

This session will be an interactive presentation about family peer support. The panel will discuss the new Ohio certification, the process to become certified, what trainings are eligible for certification, and areas of implementation in local communities.

Guadalupe Velasquez , Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competency (MACC) 

This workshop will focus on lessons learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on marginalized communities. Participants will examine health disparities within vulnerable populations and the need for having a culturally competent approach to client care through a social justice lens.

John Dellick, YouthMOVE Ohio Program Director, Certified Youth Peer Supporter, Mahoning County

Jon Lange, Certified Youth Peer Supporter, Trumbull County

Terry Green, Peer Supporter and Executive Director of Think Make Live Youth

Angela Lariviere (Moderator), YouthMOVE Ohio Director, Peer Supervisor, NAMI Ohio 

This presentation will explore the challenges and barriers that youth encounter when dealing with the juvenile justice system and look at these experiences from the views of certified Youth Peer Supporters and youth who have been through the criminal justice system.

Tameika Wright, NAMI Ohio Family Peer Support Coordinator

Many peers with a lived experience with mental health and/or substance use disorder also have experience as a parent/caregiver of a child living with MH/SUD. As peers pursue dual certification, situations may arise that challenge the ability to remain family-centered in peer support. This presentation will give guidance to those interested in family peer support and focus on the following goals:

1. Identify similarities and differences between Family Peer Support and Peer Support.

2. Explain scenarios that may trigger conflict between the roles.

3. Practice self-correcting tactics to ensure integrity in your identified role.

Guadalupe Velasquez , Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competency (MACC) 

This workshop will focus on lessons learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on marginalized communities. Participants will examine health disparities within vulnerable populations and the need for having a culturally competent approach to client care through a social justice lens.

Shira Collings, National Empowerment Center 

Emotional CPR (eCPR) is a program designed by people with lived experience to teach people how to connect with and support those in distress, drawing from the principles of trauma-informed care and mental health recovery. Recently, eCPR was adapted to meet the needs of youth in a collaborative process with young people and those who work with them. In this presentation, the presenters will provide an overview of Youth eCPR and how this was developed in collaboration with youth peer leaders and those who work with youth. Presenters will also share their own personal experiences of engaging in eCPR as youth and training other youth peers in this approach.

8. Family Track: The Role of Peer Support in Engaging and Supporting Families Affected by Substance Use Disorder & Child Maltreatment

Jennifer Millisor, Ohio START

Jennifer McClelland, Ohio START

Brychelle Marie Mullins, Ohio START

This session will provide an overview of the Ohio START model focusing on the critical role of family peer recovery support. The presenters will be joined by a panel of OhioSTART Family Peer Mentors who have lived experience with substance use disorder and child protection involvement. By including expertise from professionals with lived experience, the session will be interactive with ample opportunities for engagement. The presenters will describe how family peer recovery support improves engagement with families affected by substance use disorder, enhances collaboration with community treatment providers, and reduces stigma in child protection.

Guadalupe Velasquez, Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competency (MACC)

This workshop will focus on lessons learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on marginalized communities. Participants will examine health disparities within vulnerable populations and the need for having a culturally competent approach to client care through a social justice lens.

Himali Pandya, People USA

People USA’s innovative model called The Rose House is a 24/7/365, short-term, peer crisis respite that is a home-like alternative to hospital psychiatric ERs and inpatient units. This presentation will share the implementation process and key metrics to measure success and explore methods of fiscal sustainability for building a Rose House model.

Dr. Jody Hurt, CompDrug

This presentation will educate and increase awareness of the significant role childhood trauma plays in the subsequent development of substance and behavioral addictions. “Sense of Self” rehabilitation will be presented as a key factor in recovery from substance and compulsive behavior addictions.

Heather Rodriguez, Indiana Recovery Network

Niki Howenstine, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration – Division of Mental Health and Addiction

Indiana is well-regarded for having developed a strong infrastructure of recoverysupports across the state. State leaders will be presenting on their recovery model and share some best practices.

Joe Powell, Association for Individuals Affected by Addiction

Annie Powell, One World Recovery Network

In this presentation, attendees will learn how Peer Support Services and the Peer workforce has spread throughout behavioral health systems and communities of care. We will review the current national workforce data and provide resources that support the advancement of the workforce. Lastly, presenters will discuss culturally congruent workforce development for honoring all paths of wellness and recovery.

Diane Banks (Moderator), NAMI National

Jeremiah Rainville

Janise Kaufman-Young 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Peer Leadership Council (PLC) will host a H.O.P.E. (Hold On Pain Ends) Panel. The panel will discuss a variety of topics from the lived experience perspective of peers living with a mental health diagnosis that are currently thriving in recovery. The panel will focus on their journey of holding on to hope and their roadmap to recovery.

Amy Brinkley, CRS/CHW, CAPRCII, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD)

In this presentation, Amy Brinkley, a National Recovery expert with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors) – (NASMHPD) will present on the current national landscape of peers in crisis services. NASMHPD represents 44+ states and territories responsible for the public mental healthsystem across the United States which includes existing peer/recovery leads from each state and territory. In this presentation, participants can expect to leave with the most relevant data available onthe integration of peer support services within the crisis continuum in the U.S. Participants will also leave with knowledge of existing national and federal recommendations and best practices on the inclusion of people with lived experience for crisis service providers as well as the knowledge on how states and territories are interpreting the recommendations and actually implementing peer services into the crisis service continuum across the country.

Shira Collings, National Empowerment Center 

Experiences of trauma and treatment often stifle our voice leaving persons with a lived experience angry. We want to be involved in policies affecting our lives but our helplessness and anger prevent us from participating in policy formation in a meaningful way. We have learned, however, that connecting with others with shared experience and engaging in authentic dialogue enables us to transform our anger into our passionate voice, realize we have a future, use our voice to inspire others, and fashion a joint vision. This presentation will introduce the National Empowerment Center’s Finding Our Voice, a program that provides an opportunity for emerging peer leaders to come together to dialogue and develop a shared vision for system change. Participants will be introduced to the principles of heart-to-heart dialogue and practical skills they can utilize to engage in advocacy. They will learn about presentations and proposals that have been developed during the Finding Our Voice training that has been utilized to advocate for change in mental health policy and service delivery.

James Wineinger, Director of Clubhouse Ohio

Chris Pedoto, Executive Director, Recovery Center of Hamilton County

Natalie Centers, Director of Queen City Clubhouse

There has been a recent and significant increase in the number of Clubhouses in Ohio following the internationally accredited Clubhouse Model. With funding support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), along with technical assistance being provided by Magnolia Clubhouse and the Clubhouse Ohio coalition, seven new startups were formed in 2022. Queen City Clubhouse, a program of the Recovery Center of Hamilton County is one of those new Clubhouse programs in Ohio.

Greg Klima, Special Projects Manager, Let’s Get Real, Inc.

Stefanie Robinson, Executive Director, Hope Recovery Community,

Jessica Easterling, Executive Director, Open United Recovery

This workshop will be a panel discussion about boundary issues that Peer Recovery Supporters encounter in connection with their work as peer supporters. The workshop will focus on how to establish a friendly and open relationship with a peer without becoming a personal friend and how to deliver specific services in an appropriate way.

Rick Zwelling, Right Path Financial Coaching 

Money issues are one of the biggest stress points in life. Acquiring better financial skills will lead to increased savings, improved credit scores, and reduced debt. Qualitatively, individuals experience less stress and a higher quality of life. Knowledge gained from this presentation will help attendees take actionable steps to improve their financial foundation, make more thoughtful financial decisions, and reduce stress.

Justin Volpe, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors

In this presentation, Justin will share his incredible story to encourage participants to take a different perspective on trauma, mental health issues, and substance use disorder. His story is one of hope and about how becoming a peer specialist can open doors to different career opportunities.

Kelly Davis, MHA National

Dana Fogelsong, Peer Support Works

Many challenges exist in implementing peer support services to fidelity including maintaining the values and integrity of peer support. The solution is not at the community level alone, as multi-level systemic policies impact peer support practice. During this session participants will have the opportunity to share challenges specific to peer support practice in Ohio and will learn about the latest developments in national policy related to peer support. This highly interactive session will equip participants with knowledge to advocate effectively for systems change.

Stacy Frohnapfel-Hasson, OhioMHAS

Scott Anderson, OhioMHAS, PGNO

The addition of sports betting has drastically changed the gambling landscape in Ohio. As access and opportunity increase, so do the risks for consequences associated with gambling. This presentation will discuss Gambling Disorder, training available for treatment, screening and identification, and resources available to mitigate harm.

Keith Johnston, Running2Bwell

This session will explore how physical fitness can benefit and be complimentary to one’s recovery.

Kim Ewing, National Empowerment Center

Participants will learn that Emotional CPR (eCPR) is a public health education program designed to teach people to assist others through an emotional crisis through three simple steps: C = Connecting, P = emPowering, and R = Revitalizing. The Connectingprocess of eCPR involves deepening listening skills, practicing presence, and creating a sense of safety for the person experiencing a crisis. The emPowering process helps people better understand how to feel empowered as well as to assist others to feel more hopeful and engaged in life. In the Revitalizing process, people re-engage in relationships with their loved ones or their support system, and they resume or begin routines that support health and wellness which reinforces the person’s sense of mastery and accomplishment, further energizing the healing process. The skills of eCPR can be used by anyone in any setting.

Space is limited for the dinner event, Wednesday, August 16.