National Association of Peer Specialists

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More than 400 peer supporters came to Philadelphia in August to attend the 2nd Annual National Peer Specialist Conference. The event was a huge success. This year, the conference will be held at the Hyatt in downtown Phoenix in August. Hope to see you there!
Scroll down for more conference information.

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Acquire the Recovery Fire!
3rd Annual National Peer Specialist Conference
August 26-28, 2009Hyatt-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona 
         Since its founding in 2004, the National Association of Peer Specialists (NAPS) set a goal to offer a national forum where peer specialists (“peer providers” “peer recovery specialists”) from across the country could come together to share ideas and knowledge. Such sharing, NAPS officials believed, would help enhance the value of peer specialists and promote peer support.           
          In August 2007, about 225 people came to Denver, Colorado for a 1 ½-day conference that featured keynotes, workshops, plenary sessions and a variety of events. This first national conference for peer specialists was rated highly successful by participants and word quickly spread.           
         As a result, NAPS gained national recognition as the premiere organization for peer specialists. This recognition brought collaboration with key leaders of the peer support movement and their involvement in the second such conference in 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That two-day conference drew 425 participants and, again, the event was rated highly successful by participants.           
        Although the vast majority of participants at both conferences were peer specialists, some mental health professionals interested in promoting peer support attended and found themselves welcomed by all. 
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Financial Support            
       
         Support for the 2008 national conference came in the form of local, state and federal scholarships for participants who came from throughout the U.S. and as far away as Scotland and Australia. For the 2009 conference, the Substance Abuses and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hopes to offer at least as many scholarships as it did in 2008. That year, more than 100 applicants sought 12 scholarships. Because of budget uncertainties, SAMHSA is unable at this time to determine how many scholarships it will be able to offer.           
        Most attendees are supported by employers with others supported by community foundations and state and local mental health advocacy organizations such as USPRA, NAMI, and MHA chapters. Some states provided federal community development block grant funds to send attendees. 
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2009 Conference Summary            
        NAPS recognizes the financial burden national conference attendance can present. As a result, the organization strives to minimize costs to participants. This year’s registration fees will largely replicate last year’s fees. Those fees are: Member early bird registration (before July 20, 2009)--$200Non-member early bird registration--$225 (membership costs $10/year)Member regular registration (after July 20, 2009)--$275Non-member regular registration--$300 Advanced Peer Specialist Training--$75Laughter and Recovery Institute--$75     
  Conference Details
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Location 

            This year’s conference will be held at the Hyatt Phoenix—Downtown. The hotel offers many amenities, including a luxurious pool and ample air conditioning.

            The hotel location, in downtown Phoenix, offers convenient access to many restaurants and points of interest, including the world-famous Heard Museum of Native American Culture. Don’t worry about the heat! Sidewalks and outdoor cafes in the area have an unusual air-cooling system consisting of water sprayed in a light mist that evaporates quickly upon your skin. This makes even the hottest weather not just tolerable but enjoyable.

            Public transportation and taxis are also air conditioned and make downtown travel comfortable.

            The address of the hotel is: Hyatt Phoenix, 122 North 2nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004. The hotel’s phone number is: (602) 252-1234. It is best, however, not to call the hotel for reservations. See the “Lodging” section below for important information  that will assure you access to our group discount rate.

            More information about the hotel can be obtained from their website: www.phoenix.hyatt.com

 

Lodging           
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  Until August 4, conference participants can make reservations on-line and take advantage of our group discount rate of $117 per room per night (single/double occupancy) plus taxes (about 12 percent). The best way to make reservations and assure this rate is to go to the NAPS website: www.naops.org and click on “Conference Lodging” on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the home page.

            That page provides two links that will directly connect you with Hyatt’s reservation system specifically designed for our conference.

            It is advisable to make your reservations early as our room block may fill up before Aug. 4 and the group discount rate may not be available if you wait too long.

            The Hyatt hotel system does not permit smoking in rooms but smoking areas are available outside in designated areas. If you smoke in your room, you will be charge a cleaning fee.

            Please note that all conference attendees are required to make their own lodging arrangements and are financially responsible for lodging.

Meals 

        

    Due to the expense of food and beverage service through hotels, a limited amount of such service will be offered during the conference. This allows us to keep costs down and permits attendees to explore local restaurants.

            The food beverage service to be offered will be:

·         Wednesday, Aug. 26—afternoon refreshment break (the conference begins at 1 p.m. that day)

·         Thursday, Aug. 27—continental breakfast, a.m. and p.m. refreshment breaks. Lunch and dinner are “on your own.”

·         Friday, Aug. 28—continental breakfast and a.m. refreshment break (conference ends at 12:30 p.m. that day)

           

Acquire the Recovery Fire!3rd Annual National Peer Specialist ConferenceRegistrationAugust 26-28, 2009

Hyatt Regency - Phoenix, Arizona 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To register, complete this form, including payment information. Please complete a separate registration form for each attendee. The National Association of Peer Specialists is NOT responsible for lodging, transportation or other costs. Participants must make those arrangements themselves and are responsible for those costs. The conference registration fee covers conference workshops, plenary sessions, refreshment breaks and breakfasts. The pre-conference events are listed separately and not included in the general registration fee. A confirmation letter will be sent upon receipt.

Name                                                                                                   Telephone #

Street Address or P.O. Box                                                    City                 State                Zip

E-Mail Address (if available)                                                  Special Needs (please indicate)

Please circle applicable selections
Full Conference(2 ½ days) Early Bird (before July 15, 2009)Full Conference After July 15One day attendanceLaughter and RecoveryPre-conference Institute(Tues.-Aug. 25)Annual NAPS MembershipTotal
$200—member$275-member$150 member$75-member$10 
$225-non-member$300-non-member$175 non-member$90-non-member  

Note: You may join NAPS now and receive the conference registration discounts.

 If your organization has special payment needs/considerations, please e-mail us at: steveh@naops.org

The advanced peer-employment training on Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 24-25) is offered through Recovery Innovations. For more information and registration, see www.recoveryopportunity.com

 Payment must accompany registration. Checks should be made payable to “NAPS” and sent with the registration form to: NAPS, 755 Alta Dale, Ada, MI 49301.  For hotel reservations, go to the NAPS website: www.naops.org, and click on the “Conference Lodging” page on the navigation bar on the left. The Conference Lodging page has two links that will take you directly to the Hyatt Reservation system and provide you with the group discount rates (single/double occupancy-$117 per night plus taxes). The special rate is available until August 4, 2009. Make your reservations early to avoid disappointment!

NAPS is a non-profit organization, Federal Tax I.D. # 30-0293174. For federal agencies, note that NAPS is CCR registered.

Don’t let the heat scare you away! The Hyatt-Phoenix offers a luxurious pool and ample air conditioning! 
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Transportation 

            The Sky Harbor Airport is served by most major airlines and is a short ride to downtown Phoenix. You may wish to try their new light rail system that will take you to within two blocks of the Hyatt-Phoenix for a nominal fee.

            If you are flying to Phoenix, you may wish to take advantage of reduced air fares offered by many airlines for those who stay a Saturday night. Many conference attendees do so and save enough to cover the cost of an extra night’s stay at the Hyatt. Although the conference “officially” ends at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, a special bus tour of local peer-run programs will be offered to conference attendees Friday afternoon.

            Taxi and shuttle services are also available from the airport. Phoenix is also served by commercial buses and Amtrak. For details, you may wish to check these modes of transportation on-line.

            Once downtown, there are many fine restaurants and sights to see within walking distance of the Hyatt. Many of the sidewalks and outdoor cafes are kept cool with an overhead system that sprays a fine mist of water. The water droplets evaporate quickly upon contact and keep visitors pleasantly cool even in the warmest weather.

            The Concierge Desk can provide information and maps that will help you find restaurants and other local destinations. The Concierge can also arrange for local ground transportation.

Special Events 

            In addition to plenary sessions with inspiring and informative keynote speakers and workshops that offer practical information for peer specialists, other events have been planned for conference attendees.

            Cathy Bolton, a nationally known folksinger who performs inspiring, hopeful songs, will present a free concert for conference attendees on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Earlier that evening, a group of local peer specialists will be graduating and all conference attendees are invited to share in their graduation ceremony and celebration.

            On Friday afternoon, a free bus tour of local peer-run programs will be offered. This will be an opportunity to see the variety of offerings and how such programs are run in the Phoenix area.

            A special photo exhibit, Through Our Eyes, will be displayed in conjunction with the conference. It will be a wonderful opportunity to see how peers view the world through their remarkable photos.

Preliminary Conference Schedule
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(Note: This schedule is preliminary, not complete and is subject to change) Wednesday, August 26

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.                       Conference registration.

1-1:30 p.m.                              Conference begins with welcoming remarks from NAPS President Gladys

Christian and Executive Director, Steve Harrington.

1:30-2:15 p.m.             Welcoming from local and state officials2:15-3:00 p.m.             Keynote address by Lori Ashcraft, Ph.D., co-founder of Recovery Innovations2:30-2:45 p.m.                         Refreshment break2:45-4:00 p.m.                         Breakout Workshop Session I4:15-5:30 p.m.             Breakout Workshop Session-II 5:30-7:30 p.m.             Dinner on your own 7:30-8:45 p.m.             Evening entertainment--screening of the film Open Spaces followed by discussion 

Exhibits open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

 Thursday, August 278:00-9:00 a.m.             Continental Breakfast 9:00-9:15 a.m.             Welcome to second day-general session9:15-10:00 a.m.                       Keynote by Mary Blake, SAMHSA10:00-10:30 a.m.                     Plenary session-Award Presentations10:30-10:45 a.m.                     Refreshment break10:45 a.m.-Noon                     Keynote by Dr. Nelson, State of ArizonaNoon-1:30 p.m.                       Lunch on your own1:30-2:45 p.m.             BreakoutWorkshop Session-III2:45-3:00 p.m.             Refreshment break3:00-4:15 p.m.             BreakoutWorkshop Session-IV4:30-6:30 p.m.             Graduation ceremony for local peer specialist graduates4:30-5:45 p.m.             BreakoutWorkshop Session-V5:45-7:30 p.m.                         Dinner on your own7:30-9:30 p.m.             Free concert by Cathy Bolton 

Exhibits open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

 Friday, August 288:00-9:00 a.m.                         Continental Breakfast9:00-9:15 a.m.                         Welcome back9:15-10:15 a.m.                       Keynote by Larry Fricks, President, Appalachian Group Consulting and Vice-President of Peer Services, DBSA10:15-10:30 a.m.                     Refreshment break 10:30-11:45 a.m.                     Workshop Session-VI11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wrap up, raffle, closing remarks2:00 p.m.                                 Free bus tours of local peer-run programs. (Space limited, free ticket required)

Exhibits open from 9 a.m. to Noon

What to Expect at the Conference 

For those who have not attended a major mental health conference, we wish to inform you as to what to expect from the 3rd Annual National Peer Specialist Conference.

First and foremost, if you attend any event or experience any discomfort that might be a trigger for a

mental or physical health problem, please do not hesitate to excuse yourself from the session or event. Do what you must to be healthy.

Such things rarely happen but it is important to be aware of the possibility and act if it occurs. Taking care of yourself in this way is NOT a sign of weakness. One should be congratulated for doing what they must to take of themselves. Please do not hesitate to contact a conference volunteer if you need assistance.

A group of volunteers from the Phoenix area are helping with the conference. They will be wearing ball caps and will be ready to help you find a room or assist in any way needed. Thanks, volunteers! We couldn’t do it without you!

Plenary sessions are sessions where the entire conference group meets. During these sessions, keynote speakers will address conference attendees. The plenary sessions are often inspiring and provide general information generally not otherwise available.

Breakouts are those 75-minute periods where workshops are held in smaller groups and rooms. Because seating is available on a first-come first-seated basis (as with most conferences), plan to come early if you have your heart set on a particular session. Breakout sessions consist of workshops that provide practical skills and information that should be immediately useful to peer specialists in their practices.

Many conference attendees find they wish to attend more than one session offered at a particular time. If you are with a group, it may be possible to ask others to attend particularly important sessions.

Conferences such as this are wonderful networking opportunities. During breaks or after sessions and meals, you will have the opportunity to meet new people and learn about peer specialist programs in other areas. Expect to make new friends. You may find it handy to bring along a small stack of business cards to conveniently share your contact information with others.

Exhibitors will have tables on the upper level where virtually all our events will occur. These exhibitors provide information about mental health related products and services. Most exhibitors will be sharing information about their programs. Please be certain to visit the exhibitors. You may be surprised
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 Exhibitor Information 
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A limited number of exhibit tables will be available at the conference. NAPS is especially encouraging organizations related to mental health and peer support and peer-run micro-enterprises to participate. The cost is $50 per table.For details regarding exhibits, consult the NAPS website: www.naops.org   Be certain to scroll down on the “Conference Information” page to access all relevant information. Sales of products WILL be permitted! 

      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Acquire the Recovery Fire

3rd Annual National Peer Specialist Pre-Conference Institute 
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Advanced Peer Practices Training Registration
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August 24-25, 2009  Hyatt Regency Phoenix – Phoenix, Arizona

 

     

To register, please complete this form including payment information.   The Advanced Peer Practices registration fee covers workbook, modules one-four of online courses (take at your own pace), and modules five-eight as classroom training at the conference.   Login details will be emailed to you or mailed with your workbook. 

Training Information:  Please note: Modules One-Four AND Modules Five–Eight will both be in session at the conference at the same time.  Please indicate which training schedule you will be enrolling in.  The first option is highly recommended.

£    I am taking Modules 1-4 Online Training then Modules 5-8 at the Pre-Conference Institute.

£    I am taking Modules 1-4 at the Pre-Conference Institute then Modules 5-8 Online Training.

Details will be emailed to you or mailed with your workbook. 

Cost: Special Offer - $75.00 per participant        Dates:  Monday & Tuesday, August 24-25, 2009

 Name:                                                                          Agency (if applicable) __________________                                     Address:                                                                        City:                             State:              Zip:               _______ Email (if available):                                                                     Phone:                                             ______________ Method of Payment:  check one   £ Check    £ Invoice my Agency   £Visa/MC#                                         exp:                    3digit__       Card Name & Billing address:                                                                                                                     £ Please ship my workbook to the same address is same as my Registration address aboveOr: Alternate shipping address:                                                                                                      ___________________________  Please note: This registration is for Advanced Peer Practices only and does not include Conference Registration. To register, you can fax your completed form to (602) 636 5228 or call or email:Lisa Anderson                 or                PJ Simonson

lisaA@recoveryopportunity.com          peggyjoS@recoveryinnovations.org

(602) 636-4411                                   (602) 636-4563 Toll Free Number (866) 481 5362

For additional information or to enroll online, go to:  www.recoveryopportunity.com

                       

 Serious Side of Laughter:
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A Hearty Ha-HaCan Help Our Mental/Physical Health 

            Something many of us already knew has been proven with scientific research: A good laugh is good for our mental and physical health. A pre-conference institute, Laughter and Recovery, will be offered in conjunction with the national peer specialist conference.

            The institute will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with 90 minutes allowed for lunch) on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at the Hyatt Phoenix Hotel. Laughter expert Grace Sweet will share how and why laughter—even fake laughter—can promote mental health. She will demonstrate techniques and practices peer specialists can use with peers.

            The cost of the institute is $75 and does not include lunch. To register, see the conference registration form on page 5.

Advanced Peer Specialist Course Offered 

            An advanced course for peer specialists is being offered in conjunction with the national peer specialist conference.

            The course will involve a combination of web-based and live instruction. Students may take the web portion of the course before or after the live sessions, which will be held Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 24 & 25 at the Hyatt Phoenix) before the conference. The cost of the course, which was developed by Lori Ashcraft, Ph.D., of Recovery Innovations, is $75 and includes a course manual.

            No meals are provided for the live sessions and are the responsibility of students. See page 9 of this newsletter for registration information. More information is also available by going to: www.recoveryopportunity.com
       
        Registration fees cover all conference events except for pre-conference institutes (advanced peer specialist training offered by Recovery Innovations and Laughter and Recovery by Grace Sweet). The conference will begin at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26 and run through 5 p.m. that day with an afternoon refreshment break. The conference will resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 27 with a continental breakfast between 8-9 a.m. and a morning and afternoon refreshment break. Lunch will be “on your own.” The conference will end that day at 5 p.m. with dinner “on your own.” An entertaining offering, such as a play, video or other feature will be available on Thursday evening, which will be open to the public.
         On Friday, August 28, the conference will begin at 9 a.m. (continental breakfast 8-9 a.m.) with a morning refreshment break. The conference will end at noon on that day. Some conference participants complain because more meals are not provided. Meals provided by the hotel, however, are extremely expensive and would more than double the conference registration fees. There are many, quality local restaurants in or close to the hotel.The conference will feature both plenary and breakout sessions. The plenary sessions will address broad peer specialist issues while the breakouts will be dedicated to workshops that focus on specific topic areas. About 30 workshops total will be offered.
        The NAPS conference committee will seek out workshop proposals in the following areas: ·         Leadership and advocacy skills.·         Veteran Administration issues.
·         Specific “tools” peer specialists can use to encourage others on their recovery journeys.
·         Substance use disorders/co-occurring issues.
·         Any presentations that provide particularly valuable “tools” for the peer specialist practice.
·         Family support, and
·         An exploration of the variety of peer specialist duties including in-patient and corrections settings. 
        A variety of exhibitors will be invited to inform participants of products and/or services. The cost for exhibitors will be $50 for non-profit and peer owned/operated organizations and $100 for all others. A limited amount of exhibit space will be available.            
        Travel, non-conference provided meals, and lodging will be the responsibility of participants. The conference room block rate at the Hyatt will be $117 per night/single or double occupancy. You can access the Hyatt Phoenix reservation website (and take immediate advantage of the group discount) by going to the "Conference Lodging" page or simply clicking on the link below that says "Hyatt Phoenix!"
Laughter and Recovery--Pre-Conference Institute on August 25
This is a six-hour exploration of the role of laughter for both physical and mental health. Peer specialists will learn how to incorporate laughter in their practice for those they serve as well as for their personal lives. Recent scientific studies have shown that laughter can provide stress relief, lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety. This pre-conference institute will be presented by Grace Sweet who has presesnted this seminar for many mental health providers organizations in California. Join us for a day of fun and education. Cost is $75.

Hyatt Phoenix!

  
                                            

For conference registration forms, please see the "Conference Registration Forms" page. Just click on that tab on the navigation bar of our home page.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

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