In a recent Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC, 2016) survey of providers and people receiving services in the Texas state behavioral health system, respondents ranked the availability of peer services as one of the top strengths of the current behavioral health system; however, the survey also identified limited access to peer services as a service gap. The use of peer services was listed as Gap 8 in the Texas Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan (HHSC, 2016), with increasing access to peer services identified as a cost-effective strategy to expand the behavioral health workforce and reduce reliance on crisis, inpatient, and other restrictive levels of care. In an effort to address this service gap, it is important to better understand peer specialists’ experiences working in the Texas mental health system.
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