U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas has introduced two bills in Congress that are aimed at expanding patient access to peer support specialists, who are in recovery or have grappled with mental health issues.
The first bill would help eliminate some of the barriers that peer support specialists face when entering the profession. In Oregon, about 3,700 certified peer recovery specialists are registered with the Oregon Health Authority, state data show.
The bill would require the federal government to create a distinct classification for the job for federal agencies to track labor statistics across different industries to generate accurate data about these workers.
The bill also would direct the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which collects addiction and mental health data nationwide, to recommend procedures for training, certifying and supervising peer support specialists.
“It really reduces that barrier, that stigma barrier, when people understand that there are people just like them who have been through the same issues and problems,” Salinas said in an interview. A Democrat, she represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes some or all of Beaverton, Gervais, King City, Newberg, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin, Wilsonville and Woodburn. She formerly served in the Oregon Legislature from Lake Oswego.
The bill also directs federal officials to research and make recommendations on structuring criminal background checks so they are fair and don’t create unnecessary barriers for people to enter the profession.
U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Kansas Republican, introduced the bill with Salinas. A companion bill is in the Senate, with backing from U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, and Mike Braun, R-Indiana.
A variety of national and state behavioral health organizations support the bill, including the Oregon Council for Behavioral Health, which represents mental health providers, and the Oregon chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America, a nonprofit that advocates for equitable access, said the bill is needed to help eliminate gaps in the system.
“As our nation grapples with workforce shortages and challenges accessing care for mental health and substance use conditions, this bill moves us forward by providing funding for peer support services and authorizing a federal office to provide technical assistance and support recovery,” said Mary Giliberti, chief public policy officer of Mental Health America.
Bill to help firefighters
The other bill would allow fire departments to seek federal grants for peer support programs through an existing Federal Emergency Management Agency program.
That program already allows fire departments to seek grants for equipment, training and other needs.
Data show that more firefighters have died of suicide than in the line of duty, national studies show , and they are often unwilling to seek help for mental health challenges.
Salinas said visits with firefighters inspired the idea.
“That peer support counseling — firefighter to firefighter — would be something that would make a big difference in this group of workers,” Salinas said.
The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, and has backing from national and Oregon firefighting groups, including the International Association of Fire Fighters, Oregon Fire Chiefs Association and Oregon State Fire Fighters Council.
“The exposure to traumatic events, the physical demands of the job and the need to maintain constant vigilance can take a toll on their mental health,” Chris Heppel, president of the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, said in a statement. “Fellow firefighters trained as peer supporters have proven effective in providing front-line care to those experiencing chronic stress and acute crisis.”
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