The Promise and Practice of Family Peer Support in Early Psychosis Services

Cheryl Y.S. Foo, PhD and Ken Farbstein MPP

This presentation reviews the evidence base for family peer specialists and how they can be a resource in early psychosis treatment. Drawing on successful approaches in Massachusetts and other programs, we'll explore training, service delivery and integration models, and implementation challenges.  The presentation will include a segment presented by a family peer specialist who will share practical insights from his role supporting families. A family peer specialist will share practical insights from his role supporting families.

Cheryl Y. S. Foo, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and researcher focused on making evidence-based treatments for individuals with serious mental illness more accessible and used in community care settings. She is the Associate Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center of Excellence for Psychosocial and Systemic Research, Director of Family Services of the MGH First Episode and Early Psychosis Program, and an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School.

Ken Farbstein, MPP is a Family Partner in JRI's PEACE team, a program of treatment for early psychosis.  As an advocate, he helped win CMS approval of two billing codes for Coordinated Specialty Care for Early Psychosis.  He wrote Getting Your Best Health Care:  Real-world stories for patient empowerment.

Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Yy_TV53XQ66p3KzcRipUqg