title: Defining "peerness" in peer-delivered health and wellness interventions for serious mental illness.
abstract: Comments on the original article by Silver and Nemec (see record 2016-43088-001) regarding the recent special issue on peer-delivered services. Silver and Nemec thoughtfully raised important topics for further explanation. Especially intriguing was their commentary on what constitutes "essential peerness"; that is, what qualities or experiences are necessary/sufficient to make a peer a peer? With this editorial, the authors add to that conversation, specifically with regard to the role of peer specialists in health/wellness interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Capitol Healthcare Network (VISN 5) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System.
authors.forename: Anjana
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9155-5524
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muralidharan
authors.affiliation: VISN 5 MIRECC, Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System.
authors.forename: Amanda D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Peeples
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucksted
authors.affiliation: VISN 5 MIRECC, Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Goldberg
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D010379:Peer Group; D013038:Specialization