Peer to Peer, also often referred to as "consumer to consumer" or "consumer as provider"
is a person - a consumer living with depression, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder,
anxiety/panic disorder, schizophrenia, dissociative identity  disorder, multiple personality
disorder, and/or a personality disorder such as  borderline personality disorder - sharing
one's own personal/professional self with another consumer in order to achieve recovery,
success and freedom - however that is defined by ourselves.

USPRA Texas, and DBSA Texas sponsor frequent Certified Peer Specialist, Certified Peer
Specialist Facilitation, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) trainings for interested
consumers to attend and participate in Certified Peer Specialist trainings to work with other
Texans, their friends, families and treatment teams in formal or informal sites.

Locally in Texas trained CPS consumers work to spread and develop rehabilitation and
recovery throughout. Currently Rod Pfiester, Program Manager, Peer to Peer Services at
Austin State Hospital is developing consumer based services at the Texas Department of
State Health Services Adult Psychiatric Services acute and forensic units based at the
historic original and first psychiatric facility in Texas built in 1857.  Shannon Carr, Director,
Self Help Advocacy Center (SHAC), provides peers to ASH.

A brand new Consumer Advocacy Advisory Committee meets this Thursday, March 5,
2009 from 1-3 PM at ASH, in the Administrative Room, led by Pfiester.
Austin State Asylum, 1857
Austin State Hospital, 2009
Shannon Carr, Director, Self Help Advocacy Center (the SHAC) has providing peer to
peer services inside the Austin State Hospital and Austin Travis County Mental Health
Mental Retardation behavioral health services host peer to peer and consumer support
groups throughout the week.
USPRA Texas

Peer Services