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Hello, hello, hello.
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Tonight we have episode two of Pulling Your Coat podcast presented to you by Creative
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Restoration Diancy Christopher Harzinski, founder and president and Aaron McGilvray.
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Hello.
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So with us tonight.
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We just want to start off this podcast just by reassuring our listeners that what we
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do here, this forum is an open forum designed to provide individuals that are in the treatment
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professional space, whether as a clinician, a peer, etc.
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That they have the open forum to talk about things that are, you know, things that could
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be changed, things that are rubbing them the wrong way, what their experiences like providing
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services, etc., etc.
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So with no way shape or form, do we bad mouth agencies?
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Again, this is all our opinions, our viewpoints on things.
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And this is no direct, like I guess you would say shot at any person, agency, company, whatever
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the case may be.
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Right.
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Just an open space for people to share their honest opinions.
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So today, our topic is going to be a continuation of our first episode where we're going to
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be talking about workforce retention in the addiction field.
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But today we're going to be talking about nonclinical staff slash peers.
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And with us today, we have two wonderful guests.
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We have Miguel Sepulveda, Serpa, and Destiny Belter, Serpa.
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So Miguel and Destiny, welcome.
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Hi.
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Hi.
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Hi, also, welcome guys.
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Thank you so much for being here.
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Thanks for having us.
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Thanks for having us.
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Of course.
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So I guess first off, Miguel, could you introduce yourself and give us a little bit of your
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background with your personal and professional experience with addiction?
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Sure.
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My name is Miguel Sepulveda.
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I am a Serpa slash community health worker slash community advocate and coordinator.
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What I know about addiction basically is that I've actually gone through it.
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I've gone through the pain of addiction.
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I've done several years in prison due to my addiction and it's basically was a learning
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phase for me.
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And I now use that experience to try and help others just, you know, try and get out and
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exit that type of lifestyle.
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However, if they're not ready at the time, then what we do is we support them.
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And, you know, and it's something that I love to do.
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I have a passion for and I'm sure Chris understands that I am also a co-founder of creative restoration.
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So it's an honor to be on here and to, you know, talk about these important issues in
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our community.
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Awesome.
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Well, we're very glad to have you.
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Thank you so much for sharing.
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Destiny, how about you?
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Hi, guys.
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So I'm Destiny.
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I am a SERPA-P right now.
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I'm enrolled in my KSAC classes.
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I am a counselor and I'm the director of care management for creative restorations
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I and C. I was introduced to addiction very early on by some of my family.
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I've experienced myself on some of my loved ones, friends.
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I've just seen a lot of people struggle with this disease and, you know, the lack of resources
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and help is something that really made me motivated to want to get involved and help
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those who have been affected by this.
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Oh, that's wonderful.
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Thank you so much for sharing.
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Thank you.
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Yeah.
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So for those of our listeners who might not know, can I, I'll go to you, Miguel.
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Can you explain what a SERPA is and what the process is for obtaining that credential?
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Sure.
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A SERPA is a certified recovery peer advocate.
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And what, what we do is we help those that are attempting to recover from substance use
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disorder and we try and help them by encouraging them.
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We try and help them by giving them our lived experience and what we've gone through and
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what's worked for us and what may work for them because, you know,
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recovery has, you
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know, to each one person, it's different.
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So I wouldn't say that it's the same for everyone.
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So everyone has their own way of recovering.
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But that's where we come in and we encourage them.
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We try and support them as much as we can.
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We help them with social services.
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We help them with the programs that they need in order to establish themselves in the community.
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Again, so a SERPA is basically someone who understands and has gone through the same
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thing that that person's gone through, but has come out on the other side of that.
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Right.
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And so it differs from a counselor in that you guys are encouraged to share your lived
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experience with clients.
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Absolutely.
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Now, in obtaining your criteria, the actual certification, it takes some various classes
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and groups that you have to attend, but it's not a very long process at all.
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And it is so rewarding.
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It is such a rewarding thing.
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Could you tell us a little bit about, like, what kind of classes that you had to take
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to become a SERPA?
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Sure.
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I had to do ethics.
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I had to do trauma-informed care.
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They asked you, how would you feel, and when you're actually doing the training, they ask
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you how did you feel when you were recovering, or if you were in recovery, what would you
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want people to do, or how you would want to be treated?
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Oh, okay.
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Yeah.
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So this is something that we have to acknowledge because if you want to be treated a certain
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way, you would treat others a certain way, correct?
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Absolutely.
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Yeah.
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So if I want someone to treat me a certain way, I'm going to first give off and treat
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them that way so that way they can reciprocate them.
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Right.
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Let them know that they're not alone in what they're going to.
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Exactly.
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Gotcha.
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Okay.
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So, Destiny, you said you're a SERPA P. Can you explain what that P at the end stands
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for?
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Yeah, absolutely.
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That's your provisional credential.
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In order to get what we call that P dropped, there's a certain number of hours of coaching
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that you have to do and have signed off on, and then an exam through New York State, I'm
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pretty sure, that you have to take to get that full credential.
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So right now, mine is a provisional, and it's a work in progress in getting the full credential
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for the SERPA.
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Gotcha.
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Okay.
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Awesome.
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Well, thank you guys so much for explaining that for our listeners.
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So I guess let's just jump right into it.
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Why don't we?
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What do you guys feel like the biggest issues are affecting peers in the workforce?
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So I would say my biggest thing is kind of the, there's two, honestly, that I have.
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The first one would be that mental health and substance abuse are treated as two separate
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entities a lot of the time.
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And there's like this fine line in the sand, and we're just treating one and not the other.
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And as peers and going through this and having been through this in the past, you realize
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that mental health has a lot to do with substance abuse and addiction, because ultimately, you're
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self-medicating that undiagnosed problem you may have.
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So I think addressing the mental health and knowing where your bounds are and not really
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being trained on mental health and only specifically the substance abuse side is a real big hurdle,
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and it should all be encompassed under one kind of treatment, if that makes sense.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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So, so when you guys do the SERPA classes, do they include any mental health classes at
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all?
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I don't think they're touched upon, but I don't think it goes as far in depth as it should.
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Yeah, I definitely agree.
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One thing that I have to clarify is that SERPA are not clinical.
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Yeah, and there's a big line there too.
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Yeah, there's a difference between clinical and non-clinical, and clinical deals with
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the mental health aspect of the substance use disorder, if you will.
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Right.
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Right, but then you also have it in the same token for the peer aspect of things.
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You also have a mental health peer, which is a CPS designation, and that's the certification
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you would get if you were to take that training course for the mental health aspect of things,
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but to touch on what Destiny said, that ultimately brings us back to a piece of the first episode
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in the conversation that we had where there's that lack of cross-training and mental health
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when you're taking a substance use curriculum course or certification, and vice versa, and
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how far apart these two worlds are when in reality, they shouldn't be.
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Because of the high correlation between substance use disorder and mental health, there should
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be more, you know, the left hand knows what the right hand's doing, and they both come
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together to wash the face type of deal, you know?
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Right.
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But there's none of that.
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And to kind of touch, based on what Miguel said with the clinical aspect as compared
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to the, you know, non-clinical aspect, I did, I struggled very hard going from a SERPA
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to a counselor, but even as a counselor on the clinical side, mental health is very
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kind of taboo to touch upon during counseling, and everything needs to be back to substance
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abuse because we need to, you know, stay in our lane and stay in the clinical substance
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abuse side or sub-side.
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And if you touch on mental health, you're not trained.
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That's not your area of expertise.
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You're really not supposed to be doing that in a clinical setting.
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Right.
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But it's very hard not to.
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Like it's very hard not to.
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Absolutely.
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Yeah.
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If you have a client who's going through a crisis, I mean, obviously you're going to
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want to help them navigate that crisis, and that involves, you know, utilizing mental
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health techniques and not necessarily substance use techniques.
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Yeah.
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Right.
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So I'm informed care, right?
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And we also, you know what?
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I think that when we do this and we are touching clinically, I believe that we are borderline
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clinical because the thing is, it's like we deal with those mental health aspects.
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When they're going through the trauma at that moment, we're the ones that are there.
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So we have to actually be the ones to try and talk to them and try and reason with them
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so they can start feeling better.
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Right.
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And essentially that is mental health.
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Absolutely.
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So you actually started to touch on my next question, which was, do you consider peer
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work to be clinical and why or why not?
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And Destiny, I'll throw it to you because I feel like, Miguel, you kind of answered
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that already.
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So I was, like I said before, I've been both in the peer coach.
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I've been in the peer coach position and now in the clinical counseling position.
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And peer coaching is not clinical.
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There are some aspects of it that may be clinical, but overall there is a stricter guideline.
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You kind of have more structure.
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You have less freeway.
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I felt like as a peer coach, I was kind of a cross between a counselor and a sponsor.
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Right.
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I had those credentials.
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I had that training, but I could also do some of that care management, help them out.
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If they need help getting housing or things like that, I had more leeway and could actually
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do it for them.
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With the actual clinical case hack and the counseling, you are stuck.
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Like I said, on that one train, you got to focus on their goals just specifically for
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recovery.
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Right.
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You need branch out on other aspects or other life goals, but your main focus, your main
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notes, your main clinical goal with them is solely substance abuse, where I felt peer
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coaching was encompassing
the whole of a person more than a clinical side.
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Right.
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I think definitely, personally, I feel like peer work should be considered clinical.
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I absolutely agree.
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You guys do clinical work.
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And the fact that you guys aren't compensated and you guys aren't considered qualified health
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professionals personally, I feel like is a slight to you.
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Because when you come down to it, you're obtaining of your credentials.
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The only difference between the case hack and the SIRPA in terms of the work that you
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guys do to get that SIRPA, I think is just the education part of it is you don't need
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a formal program.
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You actually do more work as a peer coach than a counselor because you have, like I
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said before, that care management aspect.
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You're connecting them with resources.
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You're meeting them at maybe Tim Hortons because they don't have the transportation to get
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to you where as a counselor, they're mandated to go to you.
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So you're doing a lot more and you're out a lot more as a peer coach than in a clinical
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counseling setting.
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It's okay.
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I wanted to pose a question and I want you to like really think about this, right?
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Okay.
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If someone is going through a mental health crisis, right?
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And a peer is there, right?
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Yeah.
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And they suffer from substance use disorder and they feel like using and they talk to
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the peer, the peer actually is doing a clinical job when you are talking this person down
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from using a substance that they feel like using.
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Right.
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That is psychology.
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Yeah.
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That, that and essentially is clinical.
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I agree.
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Yeah.
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I mean, honestly, I think the main difference would be as counselors were able to diagnose
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a substance abuse disorder and give it, you know, like alcohol use disorder, mild, moderate
245
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or severe, whereas peer coaches, we can't have that diagnosing factor.
246
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But like I said, other than that, same as what Miguel said, you're getting that, you're
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giving them that psychology that, you know, you're using a specific training, a specific
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course, some type of, you know, tool that you learn to provide that service to the peer.
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I was just going to say that I feel like, I feel like you guys should be able to diagnose
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because a lot of the times you guys can see what the counselors don't because like the
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yeah, well that and also I feel like the clients have a little bit more of like, because it's
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not just a solely clinical relationship.
253
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Right.
254
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Yeah.
255
00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:47,640
It's they have more trust with you guys because you don't have that like clinical aspect of
256
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it.
257
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So, yeah, that boundary they put up because they're in a clinical aspect gets taken down
258
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and they see you more of as a confidant than they do as somebody they have to report to.
259
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Right.
260
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Or even think about this, ready?
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So, as for, this is what I've seen, you know, working as a clinician at these, at some of
262
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these agencies where they are, some of the administrators are nervous with putting peers
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in front of clients, right?
264
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Because they're worried about boundaries, et cetera, scopes, practice, et cetera, right?
265
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So what they, some of these administrators do is they'll train a peer in so many different
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areas, mental health, first aid training, community health worker, criminal justice
267
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involved peer, right?
268
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So they'll keep on here.
269
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Exactly.
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So they're going to make a peer take more trainings and certification courses than they
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would an actual clinical counselor.
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And also just a touch base on what something you said Chris, self disclosure in a clinical
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setting is so taboo.
274
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They really kind of don't want you to self disclose to others.
275
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Whereas a peer coach, like, it's not on that builds like we said before, they see you as
276
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that confidant rather than someone they report to.
277
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Right.
278
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Right.
279
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And as a case act, okay, you have to build like 15 minute increments, okay?
280
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And it's like, that's nonsense.
281
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In 15 minutes, like, and you get a caseload as a counselor, you get a huge caseload and
282
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you have to have a certain amount of clients.
283
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You have to meet a quota.
284
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You know, there's so many different variables about being a counselor that I was, I was
285
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actually going for my case act.
286
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And then when I became a peer, it just like opened my eyes to a whole new world.
287
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The thing is, I see that I can make more, more of a conscious, a connection with the
288
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individual as a peer than I would as a counselor because as a counselor, 15 minutes, yeah,
289
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I'm not going to build the rapport that I need in order to help that person the way
290
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that I need to.
291
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Well also too, in a clinical setting, you're getting a lot of people who are court mandated.
292
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They don't even want to be there.
293
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Yes, exactly.
294
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And as a peer, these are people who are making the conscious choice, seeking you out where
295
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they want the help.
296
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They have the willingness, they have the readiness to begin the recovery journey where a lot
297
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of the people who are in clinical settings and court mandated, like Chris said, they
298
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don't even want to be there.
299
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Chances are they're, you know, just doing what they can to skirt by their toxic, fake
300
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year end.
301
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They're doing whatever they can just to get through the program.
302
00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,280
And once they're done and they don't have probation or parole or anything like that,
303
00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:36,720
they go right back to using again.
304
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Never see them again.
305
00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:38,720
Yeah.
306
00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:39,720
So let me ask you guys a question.
307
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Let me ask this brings up a further issue.
308
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So do you feel that the peer is more essential to the recovery movement, I guess you would
309
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say, or the recovery type of space?
310
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Or do you feel the clinician is more important?
311
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Or do you feel like it's even?
312
00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:05,240
So what I can say for my own personal opinion, for
my own personal past experiences, I personally
313
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would benefit more from a peer counseling does have its benefits in a clinical setting.
314
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I'm not knocking it.
315
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But what I needed when I needed something was more of a peer, somebody to help me, like
316
00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:21,960
I said, and the overall aspect of my life, just not this singular thing, because addiction
317
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causes problems in every single aspect of your life.
318
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And it's not just this singular like pigeonhole that you have to focus on.
319
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So personally, I think a peer was more effective in some cases, absolutely.
320
00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:36,480
My go.
321
00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:37,640
What do you think?
322
00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:45,920
I honestly, when I've talked to my clients in the past, they feel that they don't want
323
00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:51,360
to talk to their counselor, and they want to talk to me and serve at the peer.
324
00:19:51,360 --> 00:19:58,120
And they have so they have they open up so much more, because they you identify with them.
325
00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:04,000
Now, as a case act, you're not allowed to say, well, I identify with you because I went
326
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:05,000
through the same thing.
327
00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,920
You're also mandated to report a lot of this to right exactly.
328
00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:15,240
And they tell and like, when when people divulge like their deepest feelings and secrets to
329
00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,880
me, I'm taking that to the grave.
330
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Because the thing is, they're trusting me with this.
331
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And that's where the difference comes in, because we can we can talk to them freely
332
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and openly and candidly.
333
00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:36,480
And as a counselor, I mean, you can't divulge any information.
334
00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:42,480
So it's like, they come in, I'm going OK, I'm going to classes by.
335
00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,280
Yeah, basically.
336
00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:49,360
And it's like, you know, if they're court mandated, we have to do court reports and some
337
00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:53,920
of the stuff if it's red flags or, you know, if they're nervous about getting in trouble,
338
00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:58,320
basically, and having to serve more time in the clinical setting.
339
00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:03,120
And so like Miguel said, they're not going to open up until their deepest darkest secrets.
340
00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:05,600
And they don't have that same trust for you.
341
00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:06,800
No, they don't.
342
00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:13,560
And honestly, with when it comes to this is just to reiterate Oasis rules on, you know,
343
00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,480
self disclosure in the counseling position, like you have to make sure it's going to be
344
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solely beneficial for the client.
345
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So that way it doesn't take the focus of the treatment and the session off of the client.
346
00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:32,240
So my thing is in whose eyes is this judgment being made as far as being beneficial?
347
00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:36,280
Is it the counselor that's providing the service or is it the supervisor that's overlooking
348
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the service you're providing?
349
00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:45,000
And if it's the supervisor that's overlooking that service, how do they know in that moment
350
00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:50,040
what your judgment was and why you felt it was beneficial to the client?
351
00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:55,080
So there's those little things that I agree with you guys wholeheartedly that kind of
352
00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,440
handcuffs, so to speak.
353
00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:58,440
Handcuff.
354
00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:04,240
I'm glad you used it because you're handcuffing people and not allowing them to do what they
355
00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,120
need to do in order to help those individuals.
356
00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:08,120
Yeah.
357
00:22:08,120 --> 00:22:11,280
So I have a question for you guys that I want to pose.
358
00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:17,400
Do you guys feel like as peers that your roles are defined pretty well for you?
359
00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:18,400
Defined people?
360
00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,520
I feel like we are whatever role our peer needs us to be in that time.
361
00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,520
So it's very fluent.
362
00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:25,520
Gotcha.
363
00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:26,520
Absolutely.
364
00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,720
If they need me to just be an ear and not say anything, that's exactly what I'm going
365
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:36,680
to do because people sometimes they just want to, you know, unload and just, you know, get
366
00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,600
things off their chest.
367
00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:39,600
Right.
368
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,360
They just don't want to hear any feedback.
369
00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:43,840
They just want to be heard.
370
00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:48,680
And then other times they need solutions to a problem and they're coming you and whether
371
00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:55,000
that be referrals, resources, finding a home, getting benefits, things like that, you know,
372
00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,640
they're coming to you to kind of get that assistance.
373
00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:02,240
So you can be a care manager like Miguel said, you can be a confidant, you can be an ear
374
00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,520
to listen to, you can give them that life advice.
375
00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:11,680
Now, kind of piggybacking off of Aaron's question, you know, with the defined lanes or roles of
376
00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:17,360
your position, do you feel that peers
within their scopes and within the, you know, the
377
00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:20,320
agency they work for, do you feel that they're respected?
378
00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:25,680
Do you feel that they are, yeah, respected for the work that they do, that they're, you
379
00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:29,880
know, welcomed for the work that they do, or do you feel that they are not and this
380
00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:34,720
could potentially be reading to, you know, a shortage of peers in the workforce.
381
00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:36,960
What are your guys' opinions on the shortages?
382
00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:41,200
There's quote unquote saying that we're having in the peer workforce.
383
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:42,200
May I go first?
384
00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:43,280
Yeah, absolutely.
385
00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:51,720
I feel that we are not acknowledged for the work that we do.
386
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:59,240
I feel we're not acknowledged and I feel that the people that are at the helm since
387
00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:06,000
they hold positions and sort of, and, you know, titles and, you know, these college
388
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:12,480
degrees, right, they look down upon us because we have less education.
389
00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:13,480
Gotcha.
390
00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:15,160
However, this is not about education.
391
00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:16,160
Right.
392
00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,160
It is, but it isn't.
393
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:23,240
Yeah, I mean, the whole point of your guys' position is for you guys to be able to share
394
00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:24,240
that lived experience.
395
00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,960
So that should be what is valued over education.
396
00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,600
Destiny, what about you?
397
00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,360
Do you feel like you're respected in your role?
398
00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:39,240
I feel no, and I feel like there's a big push for anybody who is a peer to get that case
399
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:43,720
act, to go into that clinical role, which like you said, is causing those shortages
400
00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:48,200
because it's this big push and everybody needs that degree or that credential and everything
401
00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:54,400
needs to be a more clinical setting and follow, you know, these New York State Oasis regulations
402
00:24:54,400 --> 00:25:00,240
more to a T and things like that. And like Miguel said, if we don't have that bachelor's
403
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:05,160
or that piece of paper to say that we went to school for so and so long, then yeah, we're
404
00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:06,440
automatically undermined.
405
00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:10,200
We're automatically less than those who may have that.
406
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:11,200
Yeah, I agree.
407
00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:15,000
You know, I can, I can see how that, that is, that comes into play.
408
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,600
Like I kind of took the opposite course of some individuals.
409
00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:24,520
Like I got my case act team, my degree first, and then I got the peer certification.
410
00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:30,280
So like I saw how things were from the clinical side of things, right from the get go, how
411
00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:31,280
things operated.
412
00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:37,440
And then I was so handcuffed in that role that I felt it was best to transition to the
413
00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:43,840
peer role because we're better able to provide those true person centered levels of care
414
00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:49,680
that they talk about and aspire to get to with the individuals, with the peer certification.
415
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,280
You guys want to know something crazy though.
416
00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:58,440
So in the leap meeting earlier in October, the whole point of, or the whole topic of
417
00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,640
the meeting was about peers.
418
00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:07,080
They gave us some like very interesting information where the SERPA right now, like through Oasis'
419
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:11,360
data, the SERPA is being obtained by more individuals than the case act is.
420
00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:13,560
It's actually becoming a requirement, I think.
421
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:14,560
Really?
422
00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:21,840
Yes, because where I work at, I know a lot of the higher ups are having to go back and
423
00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:28,760
get the SERPA because now to have their certain criteria for whatever their credentials are,
424
00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,640
the SERPA is now actually becoming required.
425
00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:37,320
But like Chris said, you're so handcuffed into this role, it's hard to switch bases
426
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:41,080
to the peer coaching and see it from that aspect, especially people who have been in
427
00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:47,360
this field for years and this is the role that they've known for 10, 20, 30 plus years.
428
00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:48,360
Yeah.
429
00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:50,040
Well, also that's interesting too.
430
00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:51,840
So wait, okay.
431
00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:56,000
How are they able to differentiate between who has lived experience and who doesn't?
432
00:26:56,000 --> 00:27:00,360
Because a lot of people that are higher ups in these agencies do not have lived experience.
433
00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:02,760
Yeah, I was just going to ask that too.
434
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:08,720
I thought that the peer, if they're doing that and making the peer role certification
435
00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:14,080
mandatory, if that's really what's happening, then that totally takes away from the whole
436
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:15,360
purpose of the peer.
437
00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:19,960
The peer is based off of lived experience, whether it be in your own personal addiction
438
00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,440
and recovery or your family member or friend.
439
00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:24,440
Right.
440
00:27:24,440 -->
00:27:27,640
Stopper from that and you have that family perspective and that allows you to get that
441
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:28,640
family.
442
00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:29,960
And you are the other side of receiving.
443
00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:30,960
Right.
444
00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:34,920
So like if they're just saying, no, you got to take this just because we need peers on
445
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:38,440
staff, then dude, you're not really a flippant peer, man.
446
00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:39,440
You're just a fraud.
447
00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:40,440
You're just a number.
448
00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:41,440
Yeah.
449
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:42,440
You are basically.
450
00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:51,040
I feel that you're going to take the peer, I'm telling you, this should be for lived
451
00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,080
experience only.
452
00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,640
And that goes back to the lack of respect that we get or the lack of recognition.
453
00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:57,640
Absolutely.
454
00:27:57,640 --> 00:27:58,640
Absolutely.
455
00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:03,440
Because just like if you want a case that you have to have an associates, right?
456
00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:04,440
There's a requirement.
457
00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:05,440
Right.
458
00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:14,040
I mean, as far as like to become a case that you need a college degree.
459
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:15,040
You know what I'm saying?
460
00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:16,040
Yeah.
461
00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:20,000
And like it's like that's the we went to school of hard knocks.
462
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:26,400
So let me ask you guys this, like, why do you think personally, why do you guys think
463
00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,520
it is that these agencies are pushing for the higher ups to get that surprecredential
464
00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,320
even if they don't have lived experience?
465
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,760
Because it's all just a credential, it's that name or that, you know, those letters after
466
00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:41,400
name that piece of paper, you know, why they wouldn't just make them get it if they really
467
00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:42,920
needed that lived experience.
468
00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:49,480
The more like Miguel said earlier, the more, you know, schooling or whatever title or degree
469
00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:54,200
you have is more important than anything else in the big scheme of things.
470
00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,200
Right.
471
00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:56,200
No, that's not that.
472
00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:57,400
No, it shouldn't be.
473
00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:58,400
There should be.
474
00:28:58,400 --> 00:28:59,400
I'm going to be perfectly frank with you.
475
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:04,760
I know certain certifications give you like if you're going to like renew or like acquire
476
00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:07,760
a certification, some of them give you that lived experience.
477
00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,240
Some of them take that into consideration.
478
00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:15,520
But I honestly feel like, and this is my opinion, that lived experience with a little bit of
479
00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:20,280
training, with a little bit of guidance, with a little bit of room to grow should supersede
480
00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:21,880
that of a person that has none.
481
00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:26,960
I'm not taking anything away from their hard work to get that degree and to get all that.
482
00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,160
I think you need to be in the trenches a little bit longer.
483
00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:31,160
Right.
484
00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:32,160
You know what I'm saying?
485
00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:33,160
Yeah.
486
00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:34,160
Yeah.
487
00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:35,560
To make it fully broad.
488
00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:36,560
Yes.
489
00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:38,440
What these people are really going through.
490
00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:39,440
Right.
491
00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:44,080
Well guys, I think we're going to take a little break here to do a little ad break.
492
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:49,440
So we will be back after this ad read and enjoy.
493
00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,880
Hello, everyone.
494
00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:55,720
So I'd just like to give a few shout outs to some of our community supporters.
495
00:29:55,720 --> 00:30:02,480
We have a lot of community businesses that show support to some of our initiatives.
496
00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:07,880
And one of the big shout outs I'd like to give is to Franco's Pizza.
497
00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:12,800
They're donating all of the pizza that we have to serve our guests for our holiday basket
498
00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:18,720
raffle on Saturday, December 7th from 11 a.m. right here at Trinity Church here in Buffalo,
499
00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,220
New York.
500
00:30:20,220 --> 00:30:24,800
Inside this raffle, you'll have multiple different baskets that were also donated by
501
00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,680
Coleman's Cleaners.
502
00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:31,640
Anderson's Custards, Sign Memorabilia from the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Savers and the
503
00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,280
Buffalo Bandits.
504
00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:37,720
So we're hoping to see as many people as we can here and a big shout out and big thank
505
00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:43,360
you to those businesses for donating another big shout out to Wegmans.
506
00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:50,480
They donated some 200 hour gift cards to our Thanksgiving turkey dinner drive last year.
507
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:52,600
We were able to feed 60 families this year.
508
00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:57,120
We were able, we're trying to serve double that number and thanks to Wegmans, we're
509
00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,920
on a good path to make that number.
510
00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:03,360
And then last but not least, Public Auto Connect.
511
00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:04,360
You've seen the rest now.
512
00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:05,360
Deal with the best.
513
00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:10,120
If you're looking for a new or used car, please don't hesitate to reach out to Public Auto
514
00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:11,120
Connect.
515
00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:16,840
They're located at 1754 Abbott Road right here in the city of Buffalo.
516
00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:21,120
Also thank you again, last, last, lastly.
517
00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:26,880
Thank you again, big shout out to Eric White at Big Indian Drip Fit for their donations
518
00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:32,720
and time spent helping hurricane, plowing, cleanup efforts.
519
00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:34,880
They're wonderful people.
520
00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:36,960
Eric is always about community.
521
00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:41,200
I just want to give him a shout out and let him know that we here at Creative Restorations
522
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,280
I&C, we see you Eric.
523
00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:47,800
We appreciate all that you do for the community and we'd love to be a part of anything else
524
00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:48,800
you have going on.
525
00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:53,680
So everyone, I just gave a shout out to thank you so much.
526
00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,120
All right.
527
00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:01,280
So now we want to get into what solutions do you guys feel like can be implemented to
528
00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:05,440
try and make things a little bit easier for people that want to become peers or that are
529
00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:06,440
currently peers.
530
00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:10,880
So yeah, before we start too, let's just do a quick recap, right?
531
00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:14,120
So we discussed in a synopsis type of format, right?
532
00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:16,680
So we recap, we're going to recap what we talked about.
533
00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:21,960
So what we talked about first was the lack of respect, right?
534
00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:26,360
The peer position, not being offered a seat at the table potentially when it comes to
535
00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:31,120
the clinical aspect of things being viewed as non-clinical when potentially we are providing
536
00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:32,960
certain services that are clinical.
537
00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:33,960
Yeah.
538
00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:39,400
And the last one was the some certain mandates that we're hearing about potentially, again,
539
00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,360
this is all allegedly until we have the facts, right?
540
00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:47,600
That certain administrators at certain agencies are being mandated to take the peer course
541
00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,240
and have that added to their, quote unquote, repertoire of credentials.
542
00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:52,480
Why?
543
00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,160
We don't know.
544
00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,520
But that's the last one I think we'll discuss.
545
00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:57,520
Right.
546
00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:02,280
And specifically why if they don't have lived experience, why are they taking these courses?
547
00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,760
Like it's one thing if they have the lived experience, but why are people who don't have
548
00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,320
lived experience in a higher up position taking these courses?
549
00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:10,320
Absolutely.
550
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:11,320
So let's start.
551
00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,960
And whoever wants to, let's start with a solution to any one of these problems or a solution
552
00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:18,600
to a problem that we potentially didn't list.
553
00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,800
Maybe you have something that you thought of while we took our advertising break that
554
00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,040
you might want to talk about as well.
555
00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,800
So whoever like to take the floor, it's all yours.
556
00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:34,400
So I'll start and I will say first and foremost, you know, the big thing, like I said before,
557
00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:39,440
is encompassing that mental health aspect and training peers and an overall aspect with
558
00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,880
it, but also to touch on the credentials.
559
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:48,840
I think that surplus should be people with that lived experience, not mandated for a higher
560
00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:54,120
ups, not just another credential or a diploma, because you're not going to go see an orthopedic
561
00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:57,920
surgeon if you have cardiovascular issues, right?
562
00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,600
We are a specific, you know, service.
563
00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:02,600
We're a specific.
564
00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,360
We specialize in a certain area, specific area.
565
00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:06,360
Yes.
566
00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:07,360
Absolutely.
567
00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:12,520
Honestly, I think what we need is more people, like I said, how we have the mandates through
568
00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:14,280
court and things like that.
569
00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:19,520
Not many of those people have their own personal experience with addiction or have gone through
570
00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:20,520
addiction.
571
00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:24,640
So I really do believe that we need more people who have that experience or peer coaches to
572
00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:30,000
be at the table like we've discussed in decision making overall with Oasis regulations or court
573
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:31,760
mandates or what have you.
574
00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:37,440
We need more of a say, more of a input and a view and a perspective that's being taken
575
00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:38,440
seriously.
576
00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:39,440
More of a voice.
577
00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:40,440
Exactly.
578
00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:41,440
Yes.
579
00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:42,440
Yeah.
580
00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:47,120
And to piggyback off of that, I mean, there is the LEAP panel, but as a member of the LEAP
581
00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:52,360
panel, and I'm going to talk about this because it is directly from
Oasis, the LEAP panel has
582
00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:58,600
not been what it has been advertised to be in terms of like having that voice at the table.
583
00:34:58,600 --> 00:34:59,600
Yeah.
584
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:00,600
Right.
585
00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:05,400
And even though it seems like Oasis is having these initiatives to have people at the table,
586
00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:10,120
I can tell you as somebody who's on one of those panels, it's not what it's all cracked
587
00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:11,600
up to be, unfortunately.
588
00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:12,600
So unfortunately.
589
00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:13,600
Yeah.
590
00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:14,600
Yeah.
591
00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:15,600
It's really sad.
592
00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,520
I mean, there are so many people on the panel that are peers and also clinical staff that
593
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,960
have like that perspective that's needed.
594
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:28,200
And Oasis is almost like dangling this forum in front of us.
595
00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,360
We selected you for this panel, but we're not actually really listening to what you're
596
00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:32,360
saying.
597
00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:33,360
Yeah.
598
00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,360
They hit you with that dirty dance.
599
00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,720
It's more for a show and pony dance than an ad.
600
00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:39,480
They hit you with that dirty dancing.
601
00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:40,960
No one puts my baby in the corner.
602
00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:44,680
They basically put you in the corner and telling you to sit down.
603
00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:49,400
And that doesn't make sense, especially when we've touched on that.
604
00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:50,400
It's like, come on.
605
00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:51,400
You know what?
606
00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:53,920
We're your first line of defense.
607
00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:58,840
First time, some of the reasons why some of those court mandated clients stay in treatment.
608
00:35:58,840 --> 00:35:59,840
Yeah.
609
00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:00,840
Right?
610
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:01,840
We're the reason behind that.
611
00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:02,840
Yeah.
612
00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:03,840
Yeah.
613
00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:04,840
We're that boots on the ground.
614
00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:05,840
We're that first line of defense.
615
00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:11,280
So to not be able to respect that position or have clear defined roles with that position
616
00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:16,800
or to offer that position, to seat at the table when it comes to operations or planning
617
00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,680
or policy changes, it makes no sense.
618
00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:20,680
I have a question.
619
00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:21,680
I have a question.
620
00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:22,680
Sure.
621
00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:23,680
Okay.
622
00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:27,040
Now, as peers, right?
623
00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:36,120
When a client comes in and expresses their needs, we are there to help them reach those
624
00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:38,600
goals and obtain those needs, correct?
625
00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:39,600
Yes.
626
00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:43,840
Now, what is the purpose for a counselor?
627
00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:51,800
The counselor is supposed to allow them to connect resources to help them to get through
628
00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:54,160
some difficult moments, right?
629
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:55,160
Yeah.
630
00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:56,160
Okay.
631
00:36:56,160 --> 00:37:02,880
And this is exactly what the peer is doing also when the person is going through a moment
632
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:06,360
of anxiety, an emergency.
633
00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:08,680
They feel like they're going to use.
634
00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:12,240
Do you think they're calling their counselor or their peer?
635
00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:13,440
Most likely their peer.
636
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,160
I think the difference is like, okay.
637
00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:18,800
So as somebody who's right now, I'm a clinician.
638
00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:23,800
So one of the things that we have to put in all of our notes is what therapeutic technique
639
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:25,960
we utilized during the session.
640
00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:30,880
And that I think is where the difference is where like, you know, let me put it this way.
641
00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:32,400
So like, personally.
642
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,800
So that's exactly what we get trained for.
643
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:35,800
Trauma-informed care.
644
00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:36,800
Well, you know.
645
00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:37,800
Well, to expand on that.
646
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:43,800
It's the justification for billing for the insurance company.
647
00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:48,320
That's why you have to put that in your note because if you don't put that in your note,
648
00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,200
then they can't bill for that billable service.
649
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:57,240
Well, it's that, it's that, but it's also like certain agencies have certain policies
650
00:37:57,240 --> 00:38:01,400
when it comes to like what specific counseling styles that you can use.
651
00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:03,400
So like, for example, I'll give you an example.
652
00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:09,600
So like an agency that I worked for in the past was abstinence based where like my general
653
00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:15,320
like wheelhouse is harm reduction, but I couldn't tell somebody that was using, oh, you know,
654
00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:17,080
go to a needle exchange, for example.
655
00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:21,920
Whereas a peer could appear can say that because they have that lived experience as an account
656
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:22,920
sir.
657
00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:25,920
I can't say that because it's not what advice we can get.
658
00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:26,920
Right.
659
00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:27,920
Exactly.
660
00:38:27,920 -->
00:38:29,520
That's where the difference, the difference lies in my opinion.
661
00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:30,520
Right.
662
00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:34,800
Because it goes from whatever advice you do give it, it then differentiates between the
663
00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:36,520
clinical lane and our clinical lane.
664
00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:37,520
Right.
665
00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:38,520
Yeah.
666
00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:43,000
I have clinical value, but now you have to acknowledge what happens when that, when
667
00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:45,160
that happens, right?
668
00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:46,160
We're saving lives.
669
00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:53,680
We're saving lives and people, people like they really discount the peer because when
670
00:38:53,680 --> 00:39:00,360
a person is going through an event or a difficult moment at that, you know, an emergency or
671
00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:02,360
whatever have you a mental breakdown.
672
00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:03,360
Okay.
673
00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:07,800
They feel like using and they want to escape because I knew I wanted to.
674
00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:08,800
That's how I felt.
675
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:09,800
I wanted to escape.
676
00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:12,360
I didn't want to feel what I was feeling.
677
00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:18,640
Now, if I had someone that I can talk to when I was going through those stands, I probably
678
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:22,040
wouldn't have got high and I did.
679
00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:29,640
And that's where the difference, the difference maker is you want to have those people calling,
680
00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:30,640
reaching out.
681
00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:37,600
You want to have them make them feel as comfortable and as loved and as accepted as possible.
682
00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:41,600
And I feel like to appear, you have more like the way of time.
683
00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,760
With counselors, you are a time slot in the schedule.
684
00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:47,160
It is very addictive.
685
00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:49,440
You have a certain set of sessions.
686
00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:53,800
You are mandated to go to a week, a certain time schedule where I feel like there's more
687
00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:59,160
fluent, you know, less restraints with being a peer.
688
00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:03,920
And also an interesting fact that I just want to like touch on too is me having that lived
689
00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:08,480
experience, me being a peer before a counselor and absolutely no knock to my fellow counselors
690
00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:13,440
and my colleagues, but I have seen I have better success rate with the patients that
691
00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:19,560
I see, whether it be retention, attendance, you know, less inpatient or more willing to
692
00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:25,400
go to inpatient, more people willing to, you know, look at math services and just all around
693
00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:28,560
like higher success in that patient care.
694
00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,240
So my thing is for a possible solution to this, right?
695
00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:35,520
And I think we touched on it a little bit in the first episode.
696
00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:43,280
I think the first thing that we should do, right, is make cross training, cross certification
697
00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:45,920
in the mental health and substance use sphere, right?
698
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:52,120
If you have a counseling certification, you should also be trained as in depth as you
699
00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:54,920
were for substance use for mental health.
700
00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:59,840
And you should gain both license-sures or certification upon your graduation because
701
00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:04,160
then you can provide both services because of their high degree of correlation.
702
00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:05,160
Peers?
703
00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:06,160
Yeah.
704
00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,080
Peers should be cross-trained in CPS.
705
00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:13,080
If you're a CPS, which is the designation for the mental health peer, then you should
706
00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:17,600
be cross-trained as a surpa or a car depending on where you plan to work and utilize that
707
00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:18,600
certification.
708
00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:19,920
So that's the first thing, right?
709
00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:22,520
I think that cross training should be there.
710
00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:27,240
Second thing, and tell me if this could be a good idea, guys, there should be a hybrid
711
00:41:27,240 --> 00:41:34,440
position between the peer and counselor, a combined position where you have the clinical
712
00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:40,280
ability to diagnose a potential mental health disorder and provide clinical services, but
713
00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:47,440
you can also fall back into your lived experience and work as a peer for those cases that we
714
00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:52,800
feel that's needed or where you're able to utilize that skill to break them, walls of
715
00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,840
ambivalence, and form that therapeutic alliance a little bit better.
716
00:41:56,840 --> 00:42:04,400
I think maybe if we have a hybrid position, maybe that then kind of solves multiple problems
717
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:07,320
in one solution potentially.
718
00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:09,120
I agree with that, yeah.
719
00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:10,120
Yeah.
720
00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:13,720
And then the last one, and I'll get off my high horse because I can do this for fucking
721
00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:18,240
days, man.
722
00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:26,920
The time for, well, hey, you don't have a degree, you don't have XY and V clinical, right?
723
00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:28,600
I think the days for that are over.
724
00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:37,200
I think the days for offering peers $15, $16 an hour when people at McDonald's are making
725
00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,080
$19.20, I think that those days are over.
726
00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:41,080
That's an insult.
727
00:42:41,080 --> 00:42:45,280
Yeah, it's an insult for an individual that's made it through the trenches, the mud, the
728
00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:50,280
muck, the mire in their life to make it to the point they've been able to turn around
729
00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:54,800
and make it, to be able to offer those services to individual struggling like them.
730
00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:55,800
The miracle.
731
00:42:55,800 --> 00:43:01,280
That's worth, right, that's worth more to me than any fucking degree I will ever earn.
732
00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:02,280
Hell yeah.
733
00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:03,280
Right?
734
00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:04,280
Hell yeah.
735
00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:07,480
Let's get that seat at the table.
736
00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:08,960
Can I propose something?
737
00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:09,960
Yes.
738
00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:15,280
Okay, so do you guys feel like it would be beneficial to have a lived experience panel
739
00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:18,680
at the local level, like at local health departments?
740
00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:19,680
Absolutely.
741
00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:21,840
Oh yeah, without a doubt.
742
00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:22,840
Absolutely.
743
00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:25,960
I would say yes as long as they're not in charge of running it.
744
00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:26,960
No, that's fair.
745
00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:27,960
No, no, no, no.
746
00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:28,960
I agree, I agree.
747
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:34,280
I think the people with the lived experience should be running the panel and they should
748
00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:40,520
have someone there from the local county to provide guidance, right, assistance, support,
749
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:44,360
but they shouldn't be running it unless they themselves have lived experience.
750
00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:45,360
Right.
751
00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,680
Right, like if we're trying to make it to where like we want that seat at the table,
752
00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:50,880
we want her to be able to have our own panel.
753
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:55,200
We don't want to have it the same thing happening again at a local and smaller level.
754
00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:56,200
You know what I mean?
755
00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:57,200
Yeah.
756
00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:01,000
Like if we want to make, yeah, like so if I just, nothing bad against the county, like
757
00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:02,000
I love that.
758
00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:03,000
I work with them directly.
759
00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:07,040
I love, you know, everything about what they're doing, but I just feel to stay consistent.
760
00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:08,680
You gotta have lived experience.
761
00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:13,600
It has to be some of your peers that are working with the county that are a part of it, right?
762
00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:14,600
Yeah.
763
00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:15,600
Absolutely.
764
00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:22,600
So, I guess like what steps
do we feel like we can take or even other agencies or maybe
765
00:44:22,600 --> 00:44:24,600
government officials can take?
766
00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:26,600
And Miguel, I'm going to throw it to you for that.
767
00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:27,600
Okay.
768
00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:29,600
Hey, Miguel, to add on to that buddy.
769
00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:35,680
What do you think the community as well can do to assist us in getting these things addressed
770
00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:36,680
and brought to life?
771
00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:39,680
Do you think we can collaboratively do some things with the community?
772
00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:41,680
What are your thoughts on that?
773
00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:42,680
Absolutely.
774
00:44:42,680 --> 00:44:48,040
I think we can do a lot of things with the community, but first, right, we need to stop
775
00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:49,040
competing.
776
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:51,800
We need to stop treating this field like it's a competition.
777
00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:52,800
Yeah.
778
00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:56,400
And like, you know, I want to get to this client.
779
00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:57,400
Money grab.
780
00:44:57,400 --> 00:44:59,040
There's plenty of clients to go around.
781
00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:01,480
Believe me, there's plenty of clients to go around.
782
00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:06,200
Now the thing is, if you wouldn't treat each other like it's a competition, we'd be helping
783
00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:07,200
each other.
784
00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:08,200
Yep.
785
00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:09,880
Which is what we're supposed to be doing.
786
00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:10,880
Yeah.
787
00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:13,240
We're the first solutions that we need to get.
788
00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:14,240
Absolutely.
789
00:45:14,240 --> 00:45:19,440
Because as long as we have this competitive attitude, we're not going to touch as many
790
00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:21,880
lives as we can if we didn't.
791
00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:26,600
And I think we really miss in the mark when we think about it, because the thing is, why
792
00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:30,240
are we here to help people, to help them?
793
00:45:30,240 --> 00:45:31,240
Yeah.
794
00:45:31,240 --> 00:45:36,600
And we start making it about us and our company and how, you know, we need to compete with
795
00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:39,520
this person and that person for a grant.
796
00:45:39,520 --> 00:45:41,080
There's enough money to go around.
797
00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:46,040
The thing is, it's like certain grants go to certain people, certain grants go to some
798
00:45:46,040 --> 00:45:51,200
other people, but everybody gets a fair share.
799
00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:52,200
You know what I'm saying?
800
00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:58,640
If that was fair across the board, then we would touch so many more lives.
801
00:45:58,640 --> 00:45:59,640
I agree.
802
00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:00,640
And I see it every day.
803
00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:01,640
Yeah.
804
00:46:01,640 --> 00:46:07,440
Getting back on track with as far as like solutions, the solutions for the community is getting
805
00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:08,440
involved.
806
00:46:08,440 --> 00:46:10,120
Community needs to get involved.
807
00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:13,360
They need to understand and go and learn something.
808
00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:22,400
If you don't know about substance use disorder and mental health, go attend an Alenon class
809
00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:27,360
or group and learn about it so that that way you can educate yourself.
810
00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:30,520
It can happen to anyone at any given moment.
811
00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:33,680
So people need to understand how serious this disease is.
812
00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:37,080
How do you guys feel like the respect issue can be solved?
813
00:46:37,080 --> 00:46:39,320
Make it that we are an actual professional.
814
00:46:39,320 --> 00:46:42,040
I don't think we're viewed as professionals.
815
00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:47,840
Don't allow these people who don't have the experience or the lived stuff that we've gone
816
00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:53,720
through to attain these credentials just because they need it for some type of certification
817
00:46:53,720 --> 00:46:54,720
or mandation.
818
00:46:54,720 --> 00:47:00,800
Like I said before, I can't just go and get my doctorates just because I need it, right?
819
00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,560
I need to have that certain specialty about me.
820
00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:05,560
Right.
821
00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:06,560
Yeah.
822
00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:13,240
So I think to piggyback off of that, a solution is that serpas need to be QHPs.
823
00:47:13,240 --> 00:47:14,240
Yeah.
824
00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:16,520
They just do.
825
00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:18,720
And wages, like I said before, need to match.
826
00:47:18,720 --> 00:47:19,720
Yes.
827
00:47:19,720 --> 00:47:20,720
Right?
828
00:47:20,720 --> 00:47:26,320
We are kind of like, serpas don't get paid the same as counselors or what they say, mental
829
00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:28,600
health professionals or things like that.
830
00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:29,760
And we're doing the exact same thing.
831
00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:32,360
Or like I said, sometimes even more of the work.
832
00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:34,640
And are wages really reflect that?
833
00:47:34,640 --> 00:47:35,640
Yeah.
834
00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:41,360
And now this is also guys that if you use substances in the past and you have that lived
835
00:47:41,360 --> 00:47:46,240
experience, someone that hasn't had that lived experience, right?
836
00:47:46,240 --> 00:47:49,760
And hasn't used drugs, looks down on you sometimes.
837
00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:53,080
And sometimes they're only even on Kylie.
838
00:47:53,080 --> 00:47:54,080
Stake-wise huge.
839
00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:55,080
Absolutely.
840
00:47:55,080 --> 00:48:00,400
It even comes from our own colleagues at times that haven't even gone through their experience
841
00:48:00,400
--> 00:48:01,400
themselves.
842
00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:02,400
It happens sometimes.
843
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:03,400
And you know what?
844
00:48:03,400 --> 00:48:04,400
It's unfortunate.
845
00:48:04,400 --> 00:48:08,320
Yeah, honestly, we touched on this on the first episode too, where there's things that
846
00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:12,200
happen in the overall picture, right?
847
00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:19,480
At different agencies that if systemically it wasn't happening, our bad policy wasn't
848
00:48:19,480 --> 00:48:21,320
in place for these things to happen.
849
00:48:21,320 --> 00:48:22,880
These things never would have happened.
850
00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:25,760
So a lot of the culpability, right?
851
00:48:25,760 --> 00:48:28,120
It goes back to that bad policy.
852
00:48:28,120 --> 00:48:31,240
And that bad policy breeds bad work environments.
853
00:48:31,240 --> 00:48:36,800
Three bad supervision, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, right?
854
00:48:36,800 --> 00:48:39,600
So with that being said, it's just, you know what?
855
00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:44,280
There's going to come a time where I think, and it's going to be really close in the future
856
00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:49,440
where there's going to be so much pushback the way money is being spent with the opioid
857
00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:55,200
settlement, the way everything that we discussed in this podcast episode, we're going to have
858
00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:59,840
so many individuals that are coming to Oasis that are going to go to the governor and say,
859
00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:02,640
well, some things need to change, right?
860
00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:03,640
Things need to change.
861
00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:08,360
If things don't change, who's going to provide these services to these individuals that are
862
00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:11,600
struggling because as you can see, everybody's leaving the field.
863
00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:13,320
And we're in an epidemic.
864
00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:18,600
So to be in an epidemic and to have that need and to have the lack of resources and people
865
00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:21,720
to fill those positions is horrible.
866
00:49:21,720 --> 00:49:25,560
It shouldn't be even be a thing right now.
867
00:49:25,560 --> 00:49:31,080
So this is one of the crucial initiatives that we do at Creative Restorations is we
868
00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:34,120
help individuals that are going through what we've went through, right?
869
00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:39,120
We've talked about this, that journey that they're on, whether it's in current addiction
870
00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:44,440
or whether they're working their version of recovery and they're just seeking out our
871
00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:47,480
services, you know, whether it be peers or care management.
872
00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:51,680
So we get those individuals, if they express a desire, you know, I love seeing you guys
873
00:49:51,680 --> 00:49:52,880
do what you do.
874
00:49:52,880 --> 00:49:53,880
I have an interest.
875
00:49:53,880 --> 00:49:54,960
How do I do that?
876
00:49:54,960 --> 00:49:59,080
We give them that information and we're going to link them to an agency that's going to
877
00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:06,360
get them trained as a peer so we can get that person back out here with us if they so choose
878
00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:08,200
to do what we're doing.
879
00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:14,040
So what I think the purpose of me saying this is what I think is happening is an oasis probably
880
00:50:14,040 --> 00:50:15,040
doesn't realize this.
881
00:50:15,040 --> 00:50:17,600
Things, the things are not right.
882
00:50:17,600 --> 00:50:23,680
You're taking away that one avenue of marketing, that one avenue of workforce retention that
883
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:27,840
you would have there if you would just do some things different because if people are
884
00:50:27,840 --> 00:50:32,160
so stressed out, they're so overworked and underpaid, they're not going to go out there
885
00:50:32,160 --> 00:50:35,760
and hit the ground for you and market for you and say, Hey, let's, hey, why don't you
886
00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:36,760
come in this field?
887
00:50:36,760 --> 00:50:38,760
They're going to tell people to stay the fuck away from you.
888
00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:39,760
They're exhausted.
889
00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:40,760
Absolutely.
890
00:50:40,760 --> 00:50:41,760
Don't do, don't get this job.
891
00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:42,760
Go be a welder.
892
00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:43,760
Go be an electrician.
893
00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:44,760
People are exhausted.
894
00:50:44,760 --> 00:50:45,760
Yeah.
895
00:50:45,760 --> 00:50:46,760
Right.
896
00:50:46,760 --> 00:50:52,440
And listen guys, we mentally, we're mentally exhausted sometimes and we're under overworked
897
00:50:52,440 --> 00:50:53,760
and underpaid.
898
00:50:53,760 --> 00:50:54,760
Okay.
899
00:50:54,760 --> 00:51:00,240
Because the thing is, surplus are taking the client's problem and making it their own.
900
00:51:00,240 --> 00:51:01,240
Yeah.
901
00:51:01,240 --> 00:51:02,240
It's so hard to catch.
902
00:51:02,240 --> 00:51:08,520
And helping the right and it's science helping the client, the client solve it.
903
00:51:08,520 --> 00:51:14,440
It's finding a solution for, for your client, you know, and, and while dealing with our
904
00:51:14,440 --> 00:51:16,720
own personal problems at the time.
905
00:51:16,720 --> 00:51:18,880
So you can take multiple approaches, right?
906
00:51:18,880 --> 00:51:20,920
Guys, we can take multiple approaches.
907
00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:23,160
We can take multiple ways to solve the problem.
908
00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:26,200
So let's just say in the nutshell, tie this thing on up.
909
00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:27,200
Right.
910
00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:29,280
Let's just, let's just listen a little bit more.
911
00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:31,120
Let's just be a little bit more empathetic.
912
00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:32,120
Right.
913
00:51:32,120 --> 00:51:37,600
Let's just be a little bit more cognizant of the environments in which we place our employees
914
00:51:37,600 --> 00:51:38,600
in.
915
00:51:38,600 --> 00:51:39,600
Right.
916
00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:42,880
Let's be more cognizant of the policy that we put in place for the individuals that are
917
00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:44,640
seeking out these services.
918
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:48,480
So at the end of the day, we're going to, we're going to, we're going to keep our colleagues.
919
00:51:48,480 --> 00:51:49,480
Yeah.
920
00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:50,480
And how we treat our colleagues.
921
00:51:50,480 --> 00:51:52,080
We're going to keep grinding for this change.
922
00:51:52,080 --> 00:51:53,680
We're going to keep striving for this change.
923
00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:55,920
We're going to keep having these tough conversations, right?
924
00:51:55,920 --> 00:51:56,920
Miguel, right?
925
00:51:56,920 --> 00:51:57,920
Absolutely.
926
00:51:57,920 --> 00:51:58,920
Absolutely.
927
00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:00,560
We're going to have these tough conversations.
928
00:52:00,560 --> 00:52:01,560
Right.
929
00:52:01,560 --> 00:52:07,240
So I think leading into our next episode, Aaron, do we have some esteemed guests from
930
00:52:07,240 --> 00:52:08,240
Nami coming in?
931
00:52:08,240 --> 00:52:09,240
Are we working on that?
932
00:52:09,240 --> 00:52:11,640
We sure do have some esteemed guests.
933
00:52:11,640 --> 00:52:14,640
We have Sherry and we have, I believe, Carla.
934
00:52:14,640 --> 00:52:15,640
Yes.
935
00:52:15,640 --> 00:52:16,640
Carla from Nami.
936
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:20,000
Are you going to be on our next episode where we're going to be talking about the link
937
00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:21,960
between mental health and addiction.
938
00:52:21,960 --> 00:52:25,560
I want to thank you guys so much for coming on the podcast and sharing your thoughts with
939
00:52:25,560 --> 00:52:26,560
us.
940
00:52:26,560 --> 00:52:27,560
We really appreciate it.
941
00:52:27,560 --> 00:52:28,560
Thank you.
942
00:52:28,560 --> 00:52:29,560
Thank you for having us.
943
00:52:29,560 --> 00:52:30,560
Yeah.
944
00:52:30,560 --> 00:52:32,360
And to all of our listeners, thank you for listening.
945
00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:38,640
You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com slash creativerestaurationsinc716.
946
00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:44,000
You can visit our website at www.creativrestaurationsinc.org.
947
00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:49,800
And obviously you can find us on YouTube as well, creativerestaurationsinc for subtitled
948
00:52:49,800 --> 00:52:52,080
versions of this podcast episode.
949
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:56,800
Thank you guys again and we'll see you on the next one.
950
00:52:56,800 --> 00:53:23,560
Bye.