The Promise and Perils of Using Peers and Other Paraprofessionals as Mental Health Service Professionals
By Alexandra Werntz, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Director of the UMass Boston Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring.
A timely new opinion piece in JAMA Psychiatry by Areán, O’Connor, and Sherrill of the National Institute of Mental Health highlights both the promise and challenges of integrating paraprofessionals into mental health service delivery. As the behavioral health workforce shortage continues to leave many Americans without access to care, peer support and other paraprofessionals are an important part of the solution.
The authors note that peers and paraprofessionals bring unique strengths to mental health service delivery, including shared lived experiences that help build trust and understanding. They provide emotional support, fostering connectedness, and can deliver psychoeducation services in ways that reduce stigma and institutional barriers. However, the authors also note the potential pitfalls, including limited research on efficacy, unclear models for service delivery, and challenges with billing for reimbursement.
In the piece, the authors call for research on “optimizing integration of peers and paraprofessionals into health care” as it s a “critical research gap.” At the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, we are excited to see the work that receives this funding!
For the first time, our team is offering open-enrollment in our Certification for Therapeutic Mentoring through our partnership with MentorPRO Academy. This is an intensive, 12-week
on-line course, taught be me, and includes a live course of lectures, role-plays, and in-depth discussions. Like peer specialists, therapeutic mentors can serve as valuable bridges between clinical services and youth needs. When properly trained and supervised, therapeutic mentors can help implement treatment plans, provide emotional support, and foster skill development in real-world settings. Until now, the course has been restricted to UMass Boston undergraduates in a Boston Public Health Commission-funded fellowship program and a National Center for School Mental Health grantees in Maryland. By offering the certification through MentorPRO Academy, we are able to reach a wider audience and scale access to care for youth.
Research suggests that paraprofessionals, including therapeutic mentors, can effectively support mental health service delivery when properly integrated into care teams. As we all work to address the youth mental health crisis, therapeutic mentoring represents a promising approach that aligns with emerging best practices in paraprofessional service delivery. If you or your organization are interested in learning more about our training program, please contact me at alex.werntz@umb.edu or visit our website.
