Advocacy and Peer Support Services

OMH supports hope, resilience, and recovery for all New Yorkers. This includes people of all ages and families across the state.

Two ways we do this are through advocacy and Peer Support Services.

Advocacy

At OMH, advocacy means giving voice and choice to everyone who gets mental health services.

What our advocacy looks like:

• A team that works directly with the OMH Commissioner to make sure your voices are heard.
• Talking to people all over the state and including them when we plan our services.
• Funding, training, and supporting agencies that work with people and families who get OMH services.

Peer Support Services

Peer support happens all the time in life. It is when people who have gone through challenges help others going through similar challenges. It is the same idea in mental health care, except the support is given by people who are trained and certified. This support is called Peer Support Services.

At OMH, supporting these services looks like:

• Making these services better and easier to get.
• Adding these services to all sorts of care settings.
• Funding the agencies who train and certify Peer Specialists, Family Peer Advocates, and Youth Peer Advocates.
• Supporting professional development and building trust in the field.

Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams (INSET)
INSET is a peer-led engagement approach that supports individuals on their recovery journey.

Resources

Office of Consumer Affairs
The staff of the OCA, having first–hand knowledge of what assists or hinders one’s journey of healing and recovery, focuses on improving all aspects of the mental health system.