title: National survey on implementation of peer specialists in the VA: implications for training and facilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peer support is fundamental to the promotion of recovery as indicated in the President's New Freedom Commission Report. Five years into the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) initiative to hire Peer Specialists (PSs)-individuals with serious mental illnesses assigned to clinical teams to support others with serious mental illnesses-this study explored challenges, facilitators, and progress of PS implementation from a stakeholder group involved in their management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two VA Local Recovery Coordinators (LRCs) from across the nationwide VA mental health system were surveyed about their perceptions about PS hiring, status of implementation, impact, barriers and facilitators to successful employment of PSs, and willingness to support implementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data suggest that PS implementation is going well overall, but challenges remain such as hiring delays, lack of understanding about the PS role, and lack of funding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation challenges can undermine the employment of PSs. The VA and other organizations using PSs could improve implementation by monitoring the challenges and proactively facilitating the process on an ongoing basis.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. chinman@rand.org
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chinman
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salzer
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Brien-Mazza
mesh_terms: D006282:Health Personnel / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010379:Peer Group; D010560:Personnel Selection; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D058014:Veterans Health