Role of Peers for the Behavioral Health Workforce: 2026 Recordings

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About this course

Join this course to watch our pre-recorded webinars on important topics related to integrating peers in the behavioral health workforce.

Recording 1: Hiring and Retaining Peers

If you’re new to hiring peers it can be daunting to figure out all of the ins and outs. What does a job description for peer workers look like? How do you interview for the role and who should be on the interview team? This workshop will cover all those questions and more! 

Emily Poitrast (she/her), SHRM-CP, is the Operations Manager at C4 Innovations. Emily leads Human Resources functions spanning recruiting, onboarding, employee benefits, and payroll, and manages the organizations' contracting process. Previously, Emily worked in the hospitality industry as a Meeting and Events Coordinator. Emily has a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of South Carolina and is a Certified Human Resources Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management.
 
Kiya Kennebrew, MPA, is a self-starter with a flexible and innovative approach to housing justice, economic mobility, early intervention and prevention, positive youth development, racial equity, and self-determination. Kiya is a connector who has demonstrated the capacity to improve and develop projects, programs, and initiatives by using equitable and entrepreneurial methods to handle difficult social challenges in private and public systems, institutions, and policies. She is a strategic thought-partner and problem solver dedicated to investing in racially and economically disadvantaged communities with limited access to opportunity. Before joining C4 Innovations as a Community-Based Senior Program Manager, Kiya worked at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, providing program and administrative support across teams. Kiya has over 10 years of experience working with youth and housing programs in the eastern region and nationally. She received her Master of Public Administration from George Mason University. 
 

Recording 2: Peers are Hired, Now What?

After learning about hiring and retaining peers, it’s time to dive into building out a program where peers succeed and thrive as service providers! This workshop will cover the nitty gritty pieces of successful peer programming, from including peers in decision making to the difference between peer writing for Medicaid billing and clinical writing.

Jill Amos, MHR, has spent her career working to support both clients and workers in the behavioral health care system. As a woman on her own mental health recovery journey, she has tremendous gratitude for the individuals she has met through her work that she believes made her who she is. Prior to working for C4 Innovations, she worked for the State of Oklahoma’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as a direct care, community-based case manager with adults diagnosed as having severe mental illnesses. From that work, she recognized and began her own mental health recovery journey and interest in advocacy. She continued into her career as a consumer/patient advocate for ODMHSAS gaining experience with Oklahoma’s mental health law and conducting site visits at substance use and mental health treatment centers statewide to connect with both clients and workers. The relationships she was able to make during that time gave her a unique opportunity to step into the role of coordinator/manager of the state’s Peer Recovery Support Specialist certification program. After 8 years of working in the PRSS program, she was able to use her peer support and wellness coach skills to manage the Oklahoma State Employee Assistance program during the stressful years of the pandemic that served all state of Oklahoma workers. She now works for C4 Innovations, Inc. and loves using what she learned in her work to connect with people all over the country to share ideas about recovery and wellness.   

Recording 3: Peers + Clinicians: Where the Magic Happens

When bringing peers onto a team, you will need to prepare for a new team dynamic! Some team members may have never had the chance to work with peers before and may need some assistance in figuring out how to make the magic happen.

Daisy M. Hernandez, MSW, LCSW, MBA serves as a Trainer and the Director of REC Peer Recovery TA at C4 Innovations. She earned her Master of Social Work as a fellow of the Integrated Behavioral Health Fellowship from Westfield State University and her Master’s in Business Administration from Elms College.  Ms. Hernandez has dedicated her clinical social work career to community mental and behavioral health organizations within under-served communities.  Her professional experience spans the entire spectrum of substance use disorder (prevention through recovery). As a native of Puerto Rico, she has leveraged her lived experience, bilingualism, and education to support and advance racial justice and empower individuals who are over-represented in behavioral health and social services as a result of negative impacts of social determinants of health, including re-entry. 
 

Who Should Take This Course:

Staff at all levels of health and human service agencies, behavioral health organizations, and recovery-centered organizations, including Human Resources, executive and program leadership, supervisors, etc. 

System Technology Requirements: 

Please ensure your viewing device complies with the following recommendations:

  • Must be on a device that allows you to view MP4 files
  • Ensure you have a strong enough internet speed to stream
  • Ensure you don't have firewalls blocking the video (some firewalls block some HTTP addresses)

Accommodations: 

If you need accommodations, please contact Project Coordinator, Isabel-Kai Fisher at rhodetta@c4innovates.com.

Grievances: 

If you would like to report a complaint, please contact Director, Rachel Ehly at rehly@c4innovates.com. 

In order to fully complete this course and receive a continuing education certificate from one of the following boards, you must pass each of the five weekly quizzes with an 80% or higher (you will have unlimited retests) along with the final evaluation. The required posttest questions will be at the end of each week's section and the required evaluation will be provided at the completion of the course. Upon successful completion of this course, you can request a certificate using the certificate request form posted with the evaluation and on your learning page. C4 Innovations will then review your course completion and email you a certificate within 2-3 weeks in PDF format. If you are social worker, you will need to write in your license number in the certificate request form for us to be able to include it in your certificate. 

C4 Innovations, Provider #1457, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. C4 Innovations maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 10/17/2023-10/17/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 4.5 continuing education credits.  

C4 Innovations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6576. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. C4 Innovations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

This course has been approved by C4 Innovations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #100990, C4 Innovations is responsible for all aspects of their programming. 

Curriculum

  • Orientation
  • Welcome!
  • Course Overview
  • Hiring and Retaining Peers
  • Recording 1: Hiring and Retaining Peers
  • Peers are Hired, Now What?
  • Recording 2: Peers are Hired, Now What?
  • Peers + Clinicians: Where the Magic Happens
  • Recording 3: Peers + Clinicians: Where the Magic Happens

About this course

Join this course to watch our pre-recorded webinars on important topics related to integrating peers in the behavioral health workforce.

Recording 1: Hiring and Retaining Peers

If you’re new to hiring peers it can be daunting to figure out all of the ins and outs. What does a job description for peer workers look like? How do you interview for the role and who should be on the interview team? This workshop will cover all those questions and more! 

Emily Poitrast (she/her), SHRM-CP, is the Operations Manager at C4 Innovations. Emily leads Human Resources functions spanning recruiting, onboarding, employee benefits, and payroll, and manages the organizations' contracting process. Previously, Emily worked in the hospitality industry as a Meeting and Events Coordinator. Emily has a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of South Carolina and is a Certified Human Resources Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management.
 
Kiya Kennebrew, MPA, is a self-starter with a flexible and innovative approach to housing justice, economic mobility, early intervention and prevention, positive youth development, racial equity, and self-determination. Kiya is a connector who has demonstrated the capacity to improve and develop projects, programs, and initiatives by using equitable and entrepreneurial methods to handle difficult social challenges in private and public systems, institutions, and policies. She is a strategic thought-partner and problem solver dedicated to investing in racially and economically disadvantaged communities with limited access to opportunity. Before joining C4 Innovations as a Community-Based Senior Program Manager, Kiya worked at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, providing program and administrative support across teams. Kiya has over 10 years of experience working with youth and housing programs in the eastern region and nationally. She received her Master of Public Administration from George Mason University. 
 

Recording 2: Peers are Hired, Now What?

After learning about hiring and retaining peers, it’s time to dive into building out a program where peers succeed and thrive as service providers! This workshop will cover the nitty gritty pieces of successful peer programming, from including peers in decision making to the difference between peer writing for Medicaid billing and clinical writing.

Jill Amos, MHR, has spent her career working to support both clients and workers in the behavioral health care system. As a woman on her own mental health recovery journey, she has tremendous gratitude for the individuals she has met through her work that she believes made her who she is. Prior to working for C4 Innovations, she worked for the State of Oklahoma’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as a direct care, community-based case manager with adults diagnosed as having severe mental illnesses. From that work, she recognized and began her own mental health recovery journey and interest in advocacy. She continued into her career as a consumer/patient advocate for ODMHSAS gaining experience with Oklahoma’s mental health law and conducting site visits at substance use and mental health treatment centers statewide to connect with both clients and workers. The relationships she was able to make during that time gave her a unique opportunity to step into the role of coordinator/manager of the state’s Peer Recovery Support Specialist certification program. After 8 years of working in the PRSS program, she was able to use her peer support and wellness coach skills to manage the Oklahoma State Employee Assistance program during the stressful years of the pandemic that served all state of Oklahoma workers. She now works for C4 Innovations, Inc. and loves using what she learned in her work to connect with people all over the country to share ideas about recovery and wellness.   

Recording 3: Peers + Clinicians: Where the Magic Happens

When bringing peers onto a team, you will need to prepare for a new team dynamic! Some team members may have never had the chance to work with peers before and may need some assistance in figuring out how to make the magic happen.

Daisy M. Hernandez, MSW, LCSW, MBA serves as a Trainer and the Director of REC Peer Recovery TA at C4 Innovations. She earned her Master of Social Work as a fellow of the Integrated Behavioral Health Fellowship from Westfield State University and her Master’s in Business Administration from Elms College.  Ms. Hernandez has dedicated her clinical social work career to community mental and behavioral health organizations within under-served communities.  Her professional experience spans the entire spectrum of substance use disorder (prevention through recovery). As a native of Puerto Rico, she has leveraged her lived experience, bilingualism, and education to support and advance racial justice and empower individuals who are over-represented in behavioral health and social services as a result of negative impacts of social determinants of health, including re-entry. 
 

Who Should Take This Course:

Staff at all levels of health and human service agencies, behavioral health organizations, and recovery-centered organizations, including Human Resources, executive and program leadership, supervisors, etc. 

System Technology Requirements: 

Please ensure your viewing device complies with the following recommendations:

  • Must be on a device that allows you to view MP4 files
  • Ensure you have a strong enough internet speed to stream
  • Ensure you don't have firewalls blocking the video (some firewalls block some HTTP addresses)

Accommodations: 

If you need accommodations, please contact Project Coordinator, Isabel-Kai Fisher at rhodetta@c4innovates.com.

Grievances: 

If you would like to report a complaint, please contact Director, Rachel Ehly at rehly@c4innovates.com. 

In order to fully complete this course and receive a continuing education certificate from one of the following boards, you must pass each of the five weekly quizzes with an 80% or higher (you will have unlimited retests) along with the final evaluation. The required posttest questions will be at the end of each week's section and the required evaluation will be provided at the completion of the course. Upon successful completion of this course, you can request a certificate using the certificate request form posted with the evaluation and on your learning page. C4 Innovations will then review your course completion and email you a certificate within 2-3 weeks in PDF format. If you are social worker, you will need to write in your license number in the certificate request form for us to be able to include it in your certificate. 

C4 Innovations, Provider #1457, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. C4 Innovations maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 10/17/2023-10/17/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 4.5 continuing education credits.  

C4 Innovations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6576. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. C4 Innovations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

This course has been approved by C4 Innovations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #100990, C4 Innovations is responsible for all aspects of their programming. 

Curriculum

  • Orientation
  • Welcome!
  • Course Overview
  • Hiring and Retaining Peers
  • Recording 1: Hiring and Retaining Peers
  • Peers are Hired, Now What?
  • Recording 2: Peers are Hired, Now What?
  • Peers + Clinicians: Where the Magic Happens
  • Recording 3: Peers + Clinicians: Where the Magic Happens