Social Workers and Self-Help Services: Forging Positive Relationships.
Self-help and peer-provided services for mental health and addictions have grown rapidly in recent years. Many individuals who seek professional social work services are also involved in peer-provided recovery activities. Although many social workers have positive relationships with peer-provided organizations in their communities, there is a need for social workers to increase their understanding of the goals and principles of peer-provided services, so that collaborative relationships can be established. This article provides an overview of several kinds of self-help and peer-provided services, detailing the ways in which these services can be helpful and outlining how social workers can work more closely in partnership with peer providers.
Melissa Anne Hensley, PhD, is associate professor and field education coordinator, Department of Social Work, Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Avenue CB 51, Minneapolis, MN 55454; e-mail: hensleym@augsburg.edu. Christine Dawson, MSW, is a social worker and HeroCare veterans' services advocate, Regions Hospital, Saint Paul, MN.
Melissa Anne
MA
Hensley
Melissa Anne Hensley, PhD, is associate professor and field education coordinator, Department of Social Work, Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Avenue CB 51, Minneapolis, MN 55454; e-mail: hensleym@augsburg.edu. Christine Dawson, MSW, is a social worker and HeroCare veterans' services advocate, Regions Hospital, Saint Paul, MN.
Christine
C
Dawson
D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012947:Social Work
addictions; mental health; peer-provided services; recovery; self-help