Nancy Van DeMark, MSW, Colorado Social Research Associates, 3530 West Lehigh St., Denver, CO 80236, 3037811275, nancy@ahinc.org, Angela Bornemann, MA, Arapahoe House Inc., 8801 Lipan Street, Thornton, CO 80260, and Susan Williams, Metro State College, 1314 Emporia St., Aurora, CO 80010.

Background: Qualitative findings from the Colorado site funded within the SAMHSA Women with Co-occurring Disorders and Violence study demonstrate the importance of employing recovering persons in peer identified positions as translators, advocates and champions for women in residential treatment. Nonetheless, integration of peer and professional staff poses multiple challenges. Method: Structured interviews with women participating in services regarding their experience with the integration of recovering persons on the treatment team, focus groups with staff and participants and process evaluation data were collected over five years of implementation of a peer-professional team working in a residential treatment program for women. Results: This presentation highlights the benefits and challenges of integrating individuals who have personal experience as recipients of substance abuse service into the treatment team. Findings derived from qualitative data collection offer insights into the challenges and opportunities posed by integration of peer identified staff with a professional treatment team. Discussion: Lessons learned cover: (1) recruitment, training and supervision issues; (2) strategies to promote teamwork; (3) role and boundary concerns; and (4) the opportunities afforded by this approach to service delivery. Other programs interested in implementing a peer-professional approach to service delivery could benefit from anticipating some of the challenges and resolving these problems early, thus maximizing the benefits of this type of approach.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Develop an understanding of the key components of one model for integration of recovering persons identified as peer staff members within a professional treatment team.
• 2. Identify a minimum of five opportunities or advantages afforded by a peer-professional approach to service delivery.
• 3. Describe a minimum of five challenges to implementation of a peer-professional approach to service delivery and strategies to overcome each of these challenges.

Keywords: Advocacy, Treatment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment