Peer Support

Peer support involves trained specialists working one-on-one or in groups with people with developmental disabilities (DD) who have not yet been fully integrated into their communities and may find it hard to imagine the opportunities they have. Peer-support specialists have experience living independently and can help others see what is possible for themselves by identifying ways to achieve goals and address barriers. Using person-centered principles, specialists can also provide objective encouragement, guidance, listening, teaching, suggestions, and a bridge to other community support.

TCDD’s Contribution to Peer Support

Recent peer-support projects funded by TCDD focused on connecting people with DD who receive Medicaid waiver services that require person-centered plans with well-informed peers who can support them in taking control of their planning processes. Projects have trained peer-support specialists to work in community and institutional settings.

The following TCDD-funded projects developed and tested programs for peer support:

• Peer Support for People in Institutions (Project Amistad)
• Peer Support for People in Institutions (Texas State Independent Living Council)
• Peer Support in Communities (Imagine Art)
• State Community Services Peer-Support Specialists (UMass Chan Medical School)
• Transition to Adult Care Mentorship (Baylor College of Medicine)

Resources

Self-Advocate Central
Developed by the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and Strategic Education Solutions with TCDD funding, selfadvocatecentral.org includes peer support resources and information.

Peer Support Videos
As part of a TCDD-funded project, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and Strategic Education Solutions developed a series of videos featuring peer-support specialists offering advice on topics such as transportation, employment, independent living skills, and living on your own.