Peer support1 encompasses a range of activities 

and interactions between people who have 

shared similar experiences of being diagnosed 

with mental health conditions. This mutuality—

often called “peerness”—between a peer worker 

and person using services promotes connection 

and inspires hope. 

Peer support offers a level of acceptance, 

understanding, and validation not found in 

1 This document focuses exclusively on peer support services 

related to mental health conditions.

many other professional relationships (Mead 

and McNeil, 2006). “I am an expert at not being 

an expert, and that takes a lot of expertise,” said 

one (anonymous) peer worker, highlighting the 

supportive rather than directive nature of the 

peer relationship (Promise Resource Network, 

2016). By sharing their own lived experience and 

practical guidance, peer workers help people 

to develop their own goals, create strategies 

for self-empowerment, and take concrete steps 

towards building fulfilling, self-determined lives 

for themselves.

WHAT IS PEER SUPPORT?

WHAT DO PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS DO? 

SUPPORT THE RECOVERY OF INDIVIDUALS

Peer workers offer encouragement, practical 

assistance, guidance, and understanding 

to support recovery. Peer support workers 

walk alongside people in recovery, offering 

individualized supports and demonstrating that 

recovery is possible. They share their own lived 

experience of moving from hopelessness to hope. 

They share tools that can complement or replace 

clinical supports by providing strategies for selfempowerment and achieving a self-determined 

life. They support people in recovery to connect 

with their own inner strength, motivation, 

and desire to move forward in life, even when 

experiencing challenges. Peer workers offer 

different types of support, including:

emotional (empathy and camaraderie)

informational (connections to information 

and referrals to community resources that 

support health and wellness)

instrumental (concrete supports such as 

housing or employment)

affiliational support (connections to 

community supports, activities, and events)

IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS

Peer support is valuable not only for the person 

receiving services, but also for behavioral 

health professionals and the systems in 

which they work. Peer workers educate their 

colleagues and advance the field by sharing their 

perspectives and experience in order to increase 

understanding of how practices and policies may 

be improved to promote wellness and resiliency. 

This is particularly important in mental health 

systems, where historical oppression, violence, 

and discrimination 

present significant 

barriers to 

recovery for 

many people. 

Peer workers 

play vital roles 

in moving 

behavioral 

health 

professionals 

and systems 

towards recovery 

orientation. 

“Peer support has been 

excellent. Helping us 

along the way, being there 

whenever you need people 

to talk to. I don’t know 

where to begin. They’re 

always there ... no matter 

what it is.”

—Mika

Because 

of peer 

support, I can 

stand on my own 

today. 

—John

Peers Supporting 

Recovery 

from Mental 

Health Conditions
IS PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT EFFECTIVE FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS? 

Decreased hospitalization 

(Davidson, et al., 2012)

Increased community 

engagement 

(Min, et al., 2007)

Increased quality of 

life & life satisfaction 

(Bologna & Pulice, 2010; 

Felton, et al., 1995)

Increased empowerment and hope 

(Chinman, et al., 2013, Cook, et al., 2010; 

Repper & Carter, 2011) 

Decreased costs to the 

mental health system 

(Trachtenberg, et al., 2013)

The research on 

peer support in mental 

health systems is still 

emerging, but findings are 

promising. The research to 

date suggests that peer 

recovery support may 

result in: 

Increased social functioning 

(Walker & Bryant, 2013) 

Reduced use of inpatient 

services (Chinman, et al., 2014; 

Min, et al., 2007; Sledge, et al., 2011)

Decreased self-stigma 

(Corrigan, et al., 2013)

Increased engagement and 

activation in treatment 

(Druss, et al., 2010; Short, et al., 2012; 

Bellamy, et al., 2012) 

Bellamy, C. D., Rowe, M., Benedict, P., & Davidson, L. (2012). Giving back and getting 

something back: The role of mutual- aid groups for individuals in recovery from 

incarceration, addiction, and mental illness. Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 

7, 223-236. 

Bologna, M. J., & Pulice, R. T. (2011). Evaluation of a peer-run hospital diversion 

program: A descriptive study. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 14, 272-

286. 

Chinman, M., Oberman, R. S., Hanusa, B. H., Cohen, A. N., Salyers, M. P., Twamley, E. 

W., & Young, A. S. (2015). A cluster randomized trial of adding peer specialists to 

intensive case management teams in the Veterans Health Administration. Journal of 

Behavioral Health Services Research, 42, 109-121. 

Chinman, M., George, P., Dougherty, R. H., Daniels, A. S., Ghose, S. S., Swift, A., & 

Delphin-Rittmon, M. E. (2014). Peer support services for individuals with serious 

mental illnesses: Assessing the evidence. Psychiatric Services, 65, 429-441. 

Coatsworth-Puspoky, R., Forchuk, C., & Ward-Griffin, C. (2006). Peer support 

relationships: An unexplored interpersonal process in mental health. Journal of 

Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 13(5), 490–497.

Cook, J. A., Copeland, M. E., Corey, L., Buffington, E., Jonikas, J. A., Curtis, L. C., ... & 

Nichols, W. H. (2010). Developing the evidence base for peer-led services: Changes 

among participants following Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) education 

in two statewide initiatives. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 34, 113-120.

Corrigan, P. W., & Sokol, K. A. (2013). The impact of self- stigma and mutual help 

programs on the quality of life of people with serious mental illnesses. Community 

Mental Health Journal, 49, 1-6. 

Davidson, L., Bellamy, C., Guy, K., & Miller, R. (2012). Peer support among persons with 

severe mental illnesses: A review of evidence and experience. World Psychiatry, 11,

123-128. 

Druss, B. G., Zhao, L., von Esenwein, S. A., Bona, J. R., Fricks, L., Jenkins-Tucker, S, 

Sterling, E., Diclemente, R., & Lorig, K. (2010). The Health and Recovery Peer (HARP) 

Program: A peer-led intervention to improve medical self-management for persons 

with serious mental illness. Schizophrenia Research, 118, 264-270. 

Felton, C., Stastny, P., Shern, D., Blanch, A., Donahue, S., Knight, E., & Brown, C. (1995). 

Consumers as peer specialists on intensive case management teams: Impact on 

client outcomes. Psychiatric Services, 46, 1037-1044.

Mead, S., & MacNeil, C. (2006). Peer support: What makes it unique? International 

Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 10, 29-37. 

Min, S-Y., Whitecraft, J., Rothbard, A. B., & Salzer, M. S. (2007). Peer support for persons 

with co-occurring disorders and community tenure: A survival analysis. Psychiatric 

Rehabilitation Journal, 30, 207-213.

Short, R., Woods-Nyc, K., Cross. S. L., Hurst, M., Gordish, L., & Raia, J. (2012). The impact 

of forensic peer support specialists on risk reduction and discharge readiness in 

a psychiatric facility a five-year perspective. International Journal of Psychosocial 

Rehabilitation, 16, 3-10. 

Sledge, W. H., Lawless, M., Sells, D., Wieland, M., O’Connell, M. J., & Davidson, L. (2011). 

Effectiveness of peer support in reducing readmissions of persons with multiple 

psychiatric hospitalizations. Psychiatric Services, 62, 541-544. 

Trachtenberg T, Parsonage M, Shepherd G, Boardman J. (2013) Peer Support in mental 

health: Is it good value for money? London: Centre for Mental Health 

Walker, G., & Bryant, W. (2013). Peer support in adult mental health services: A 

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