A2 - Trust, Connection and Continuity: The Opportunity of Peer Support in Care for People With SMI

People living with serious mental illness, including schizophrenia, often navigate a fragmented care system marked by disrupted continuity, limited community-based supports, and persistent stigma, which ultimately contribute to crisis-driven care, avoidable hospitalizations, and social isolation. Peer support services offer an evidence-informed, recovery-oriented solution that bridges these gaps by pairing individuals with trained Peer Support Workers (PSWs) who bring lived experience, trust, and practical guidance into the care journey. Yet despite growing adoption nationwide, peer support remains inconsistently implemented due to variability in certification standards, workforce sustainability challenges, uneven clinical integration, and misaligned funding and reimbursement structures.

Panelists will explore what it takes to move peer support from a “nice-to-have” service to a core component of care for individuals with schizophrenia and serious mental illness. The discussion will highlight practical strategies for role clarity, supervision and workforce development, clinical team integration, outreach and engagement, measurement of impact, and policy approaches to strengthen sustainability and scale. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to expand access to peer support services and build more connected, person-centered systems of care for individuals and families affected by schizophrenia and serious mental illness.