Folk-Time Inc

Specialists have created a comfort room for de-escalation and meet one on one with clients who are in severe distress. Peers participate in community visits and conduct outreach efforts for county residents with chronic hospitalizations. The crisis clinic and peers provide alternative to emergency room visits and traditional crisis care that may not be effective for all individuals. In the first collaboration of this kind in oregon, folk-time has peers in two outpatient clinics operated by clackamas county behavioral health. Peer support specialists are adults who have a diagnosis of mental illness and have been trained in intentional peer support and mental health first aid. They are able to leverage their shared experiences with clients to foster trust, decrease stigma, and create a forum for seeking help and sharing information about support resources. Whether on site, at clinics, in a peer lounge, or out in the community, peer support specialists are members of the treatment team. They work with case workers and mental health providers in planning client care. Benefits of peer support include: offers nonjudgmental support and validation, provides advocates/supports in the community, fosters social networking, helps improve quality of life, promotes wellness, builds coping skills, supports acceptance of illness, reduces concerns, and increases satisfaction with health status. 22-23 started support groups to address isolation, agoraphobia and also increased participation in hearning voices network group (hvng).

Folk-time training program bringing international peer services training in-house was able to offer more trainings as pandemic restrictions were eased. We continue to offer these courses oregon wide. Due to covid restrictions folk-time also added on-line options for the trainings. 2023 saw the training program provide over 20 trainings and technical assistance to certify peer support specialists and support the behavioral health workforce development. Provided ongoing core-reflection/supervision statewide. Stood up a workforce support program. Develop culturally specific and responsive trainings and professional development.