The Peer Counseling Training Program 2010 Graduates.

The Peer Counseling Training Program (PCTP) which began in January 2009, aims to address two issues – continuing to provide competitive employment opportunities to our consumers, and finding suitable qualified Peer Counselors to work at our programs. The PCTP has proved a huge success, and at this year’s Annual Gala, held on June 9th, we asked our guests to fund the Peer Counseling class of 2011.  We are happy to announce that thanks to the extreme generosity of a number of individuals, we raised enough money to ensure that there will be a PCTP Class of 2011.

The power of having a person who has been there, gone through some of the same challenges and succeeded is immeasurable.  Peer Counselors act not only as a role model but as an advocate.  In the past, Peer Counselor positions had a high turnover rate and were unsuccessful as an integral part of the staff team. This all changed with the introduction of the SUS Peer Counseling Training Program.  The Peer Counseling Training Program establishes the recovery power of giving back by demonstrating a multiplier-effect upon the lives of others still struggling to manage mental illness and achieve self-fulfillment.

It is well documented that employment is a fundamental part of the recovery process.  Graduates achieve a 60% placement rate and a 64% job retention rate as Peer Counselors. Work is an important element to their identity. It provides a source of self-worth and well being.

The Peer Counseling graduating class of 2010 were previously homeless and diagnosed with a mental illness. Many have recent histories of incarceration and substance use.  The Peer Counseling Training Program is an extremely inspiring and successful project. Many of the consumers involved experienced much difficulty with their own recovery process.  They have now begun to accept the challenges that the recovery process brings: accountability, transparency, commitment and patience.

Congratulations to the Graduating class of 2010, and good luck to the incoming class of 2011!

View the photo gallery here.

Advocacy at SUS

Written by Judith Jackson, Chief of Staff

The budget woes in Albany are about to hit social service organizations directly and profoundly.  We, who provide the services that help so many New Yorkers in need, are being asked to cut our budgets by large percentages.  SUS has decided to try to do something about it.

SUS has begun a more proactive stance on advocating for the issues that are related to the programs and individuals we serve.  For many years, we have been members of associations that represent similar service organizations to ours in New York City and New York State.  These groups, such as the New York State Association of Community and Residential Agencies (NYSACRA), Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies, Inc., the AIDS Housing Network, and the Home Care Council have provided advocacy work on behalf of us by lobbying in NYC and Albany.  These associations are extremely important in what they do – but are also not enough.

SUS has also begun to organize ourselves internally to better support and advocate for our mission.  We have organized letter writing and email campaigns and are encouraging our staff and consumers to attend rallies.  The parents and families of our developmentally disabled consumers have even formed their own group to advocate for their family members.  And we have been participating in awareness days, such as the recent Spread the Word to End the Word Day on March 3^rd, a day that was organized to help end the use of the r-word.

As the state of New York continues to tighten its belt, SUS realizes that we must advocate even harder for our consumers, our programs, and for our issues. Please click here to join our mailing list and learn more about how you can get involved.