CAIRE is a quality-improvement project to help the Southeast Recovery Learning Community (SERLC) become more culturally diverse and have a more vibrant and engaged presence of BIPOC and other minoritized individuals in the communities it serves. We are working on implementing this project at the SERLC sites of Brockton, Hyannis, Fall River, and Quincy. 

A community needs assessment was conducted with the leadership of various SERLC centers, and a six priorities and implementation strategies emerged from these assessments. The main objectives focus on reaching minority groups, underrepresented populations, hiring more diverse staff, increasing social events and community engagement, and improving the SERLC spaces.

• OBJECTIVE 1: Enhance Marketing of the South East Recovery Learning Community (SERLC)

Marketing plans, including brochures published in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, have been developed through the collaboration of our PC team with the Area Program Directors of the individual Recovery Connection Centers (RCC) in Hyannis, Fall River, Quincy, and Brockton.

SERLC is in the process of forming a Community Engagement and Diversity Committee, comprised of young adults from minoritized groups, with the goal of increasing outreach to young people from diverse backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE 2: Strengthen Connections Between the SERLC and the Local Under-Represented Communities

The Community Navigator position will be key to connecting to the community. SERLC is currently hiring for diverse staff to fill this position. 

Although we have not yet been able to assess RCC attendance by race/ethnicity/other minoritized group status, we do know that attendance (both virtual and in-person) increased at almost all of the RCCs in the past year. Attendance at the Quincy RCC increased by 79%, the Hyannis RCC increased by 68%, and the Brockton RCC attendance increased by 13%. Due to limited programming as a result of staff shortages, attendance at the Fall River RCC decreased by 38%.

OBJECTIVE 3: Hire More Diverse Staff and Enhance Staff Training Among Existing Staff Around Cultural Sensitivity and Humility

The Temple University Collaborative diversity training was completed by two PCs and five Brockton RCC staff. Highlights of this training was presented to other RCC staff, program directors, and management.

One of our PCs, Valeria Chambers, completed the White Bison training, which teaches a twelve-step program based on values of Indigenous culture. Cheryl Coblyn, a member of the Cree tribe who lives in the southeast area, also attending this training. Cheryl and Valeria will offer the twelve-step White Bison program to different communities in the southeast including the Wampanoag tribe located in Mashpee and Martha’s Vineyard as well as to diverse groups in Falmouth and Hyannis.

The CAIRE initiative has clearly resulted in increased hiring and promotion of BIPOC individuals in the RCCs; Vinfen hired a Black young adult into the Transitional Aged Youth position at the Hyannis RCC and Ziona Rivera, a Black staff member at the Brockton RCC, was promoted to a position designed to increase diversity outreach through Brockton Area Multi-Services, Inc.

OBJECTIVE 4:  Provide More Social Activities

As a first step towards providing more social activities in accessible community spaces, we have compiled a database of community centers, churches, markets, colleges/universities, and restaurants across several communities in the southeast order to advertise job descriptions, information on the SERLC and/or hold future events at these locations. 

The Brockton RCC has hosted a gathering for the LBGTQIA+ community where there were vendors, resource tables, and fun activities and handouts for over 60 visitors.  This event was spread by word of mouth, on the BAMSI and SERLC websites, and through flyers posted throughout Brockton community settings. Brockton RCC has sponsored and initiated additional social activities including trips to Watson Pond, the Brockton Symphony, and Nantasket Beach as well as a monthly potluck dinner featuring a guest speaker from a historically minoritized group in an effort to attract new members. The Brockton RCC also partners with the Veteran’s Administration in Brockton and co-hosts an art group twice a month, which enhances racial diversity at the RCC.   

OBJECTIVE 5: Increase Engagement of Different Communities Using Technology

Boston Medical Center (BMC) has invested some of their Department of Mental Health (DMH) funding to purchase ten laptops and five tablets for use by SERLC peer members who do not have access to a computer, which has been invaluable for promoting attendance to virtual RCC meetings.

The SERLC Program Director has had the idea of using avatars on Zoom and social media to increase RCC engagement with young adults, who may prefer this layer of anonymity. Education and policies regarding the use of avatars will be shared with members.

The SERLC website, https://www.southeastrlc.org/, has been redesigned to be more representative of diverse members. We now have data analytics available to us on this website, which show over 6000 visits in the past year.

OBJECTIVE 6: Improve the Aesthetics and Inclusiveness of the Meeting Spaces

The individual RCCs have made great progress on enhancing the aesthetics and inclusivity of their spaces. RCCs have all purchased soft furniture and decorative tables to enable more social engagement and a more comfortable environment. All centers have added an “OWL” video device (a 360 degree camera for virtual groups) and a large screen for Zoom groups.

Brockton added small wall shelves throughout the center to display art and posted affirmations and hopeful messages throughout the center. They have also expanded into the kitchen space of the adjacent clubhouse, which is being used for larger social gatherings, presentations, and potluck meals.

Fall River added a meditation and mindfulness space for the use of peer members.  Several peer members painted a 5’ x 6’ mural on the wall in the group room of the Fall River RCC depicting hope, recovery, and a sense of belonging. The Fall River RCC also added a 20’ square area for yoga and other exercise groups. 

Hyannis started growing and nurturing vegetables and herbs at their center this past spring which has provided the opportunity for their use in cooking demonstrations at the center. More peer members seem engaged in social discussion and creative projects as the center has opened the art space and the social areas for use during the day.

Quincy moved to a new space which is adjacent to the local clubhouse.  They have created areas for relaxing and socialization, art, food preparation, and a group room. They are also displaying peer member art, are growing vegetables and herbs for healthy eating, and have made both their kitchenette and art space constantly available to the peer members throughout the day. 

All centers are working on multilingual signage tailored to their local area needs.

“Welcoming and safe place” LBGTQIA+ stickers will be displayed on the front door of each center.

The art that is displayed in each center is created by their peer members which has created a sense of ownership for the peer members in the RCC. 

In the coming year we will focus on the following goals: 

1) Hire a Community Navigator and an Assistant Community Navigator (ACN): This will enable us to implement a “buddy system.” All individuals who express interest in learning more about the SERLC will be connected with a Community Navigator who will facilitate introductions at their local Recovery Learning Center, be available for questions, and offer to accompany the newcomer to a few groups to make the experience more comfortable. 

2) Enhance Marketing: Create an email welcome packet and expand social media efforts.

3) Strengthen Connections: The SERLC Program Director will visit the RCCs each month to plan local outreach and diversity recognition with the Area Program Directors.

4) Provide Better Staff Development: Goal of dedicating one hour per month for all RCC staff to engage in training and conversations with local speakers from diverse neighborhoods.

5) Offer More Social and Inclusive Activities: Continue to support RCC efforts to sponsor social activities, including holiday events and celebrations for each location.

6) Decrease Barriers to Access: Continue to post flyers describing RCC general programming and special events (as well as virtual options for participation) in local neighborhood community centers.

7) Modify Physical Spaces: Advertise diverse celebration events throughout the year. Create opportunities for peer members to become involved with maintaining and further enhancing the aesthetic environments of the RCCs.

8) Distribute a demographic survey throughout the RCCs to enable us to assess the diversity of SERLC membership.

The purpose of the Peer Integration Project (PIP) is to assess the challenges and successes of integrating peer support into care systems across Massachusetts, and to provide subsequent recommendations in an effort to optimize the efficacy and career satisfaction of Peer Specialists.

The PIP project consisted of four virtual listening groups. Participants were Certified Peer Specialists (CPSs) who identified as having worked for at least 10 hours per week for a minimum of one year in Massachusetts, were proficient in spoken English, and gave permission for the group to be audio-recorded. Participants were recruited through email network listservs to various organizations (e.g., CBHCs, hospitals, etc.) across Massachusetts. COE peer consultants and a clinical research coordinator facilitated each group before the sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed by a HIPAA-compliant transcription service. Participants completed a brief demographics questionnaire prior to the group. Groups were facilitated using a semi-structured interview guide broken into four primary topics: organizational culture, resource availability, training and education, and role definition. During each topic, members were prompted to consider barriers to providing quality peer support services as well as recommendations to better integrate peer support services in the future. 

• Data Analysis
  The coding team conducted a rapid analysis to systemically identify themes from transcripts. They developed a template that allowed coders to generate concise codes under each of the four topics, list impactful quotations, and generate a summary paragraph. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify common ideas that were frequently referenced in participants’ responses, and transferred the data into one primary template. Efforts were made to create themes that were inclusive of participants’ responses. 

  Results
  Our assessment of Peer Specialist working conditions, through listening groups and rapid qualitative analysis, revealed several areas of improvement desired by this group and subsequent recommendations to aid in the implementation of peer support services in healthcare organizations across Massachusetts. These areas of improvement fall into the four content areas the listening groups were structured around: organizational culture (e.g., interactions with clinical colleagues, supervision, number of CPSs at an organization, data collection), resource availability (e.g., access to transportation, office supplies, and reintegration programs, time management, collaboration, low salary), training and education (e.g., access to peer-focused, substance use, DEI, and technology training), and role definition (e.g., trust between clinical staff and CPSs, lack of career ladder and understanding of the peer role, inconsistent salary and benefits, and burnout). As a result, in Y7 we will make recommendations to policy makers, behavioral health providers, and fellow Peer Specialists and other peer workers, with the goal of improving the working conditions, effectiveness, and satisfaction of CPSs. 

  For the full methodology, procedures, data analysis and results, please see the PDF – Full Report tab.