Peer-based Recovery Support Services
Peer-Based Recovery Support Services (PRSS) are recovery support services designed, developed, and delivered by peers. Peers are uniquely qualified because they have practical experience in both the process of recovery and how to sustain it. In addition, peers derive significant benefit from helping others, known as the “helper principle” (Riessman, 1965, 1990).
PRSS provides social support to individuals at all stages on the continuum of change that constitutes the recovery process. Services may be provided at different stages of recovery and may:
- Precede formal treatment, strengthening a peer’s motivation for change
- Accompany treatment, providing a community connection during treatment
- Follow treatment, supporting relapse prevention
- Be delivered apart from treatment to someone who cannot enter the formal treatment system or chooses not to do so
Research shows that recovery is facilitated by social support (McLellan et al., 1998), and there are four types of social support (Cobb, 1976; Salzer, 2002) that peers can ethically provide. Note, the four categories below refer to types of social support and are not discrete services or service models.
| Social Support | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional | Demonstrate empathy, caring or concern to bolster a person’s self esteem, hope and confidence | Peer Mentoring Recovery Coaching Peer-led Support Groups |
| Informational | Share knowledge and information and/or provide life or vocational skills training. | Parenting class Job readiness training Wellness seminars |
| Instrumental | Provide concrete assistance to help others accomplish tasks that are connected to (re)building their life in their community | Child Care Transportation Help accessing community health and social services Housing Supports |
| Affiliational | Facilitating contact with other individuals to promote learning of social and recreational skills, create community, and acquire a sense of belonging. | Recovery centers Alcohol and drug free socialization opportunities |