Hi all, I'm curious what experiences people have had using peer recovery specialist positions as employer based internships? We have recently started an online BSW program and I am getting ready to work on placing our first cohort. Several of them currently work as peer support specialists and are interested in doing employer based placements. Our program in general is pretty supportive of employer based placements and we have good policies and practices about how we vet, approve, and support them. However, I'm really wondering about the element of being a peer that relies on using personal experience as a primarily intervention and how that could be in conflict with practice as a professional social worker, considering the need to be more intentional about when to self disclose or not as well as other potential interventions.
I would love to know if others have experience with this and if there are lessons learned that have been helpful.
Thanks!
------------------------------
Lindsey Rinehart
Field Education Director
West Virginia University
Morgantown WV
304-293-3501
------------------------------