Making Ethical Decisions for Peer Support Specialists
for professionals in peer support
Presented by Jean Dukarski & Deborah Monroe
Videos
The following videos are of Jean Dukarski and Deborah Monroe’s training on “Making Ethical Decisions for Peer Support Specialists.”
Making Ethical Decisions for Peer Support Specialists – Part 1
(Jean Dukarski & Deborah Monroe)
Making Ethical Decisions for Peer Support Specialists – Part 2
(Jean Dukarski & Deborah Monroe)
Description:
This presentation outlines a framework for ethical and professional boundaries in peer support. This ensures that peer specialists provide the best support to individuals without compromising self, the person served, or the integrity of the profession. Learning to handle ethical dilemmas is not about learning what to think, instead, it is about how to think. Taking any course of action may have consequences or violate rules, beliefs, convictions, or commonly accepted practices. Learning to decide upon the best and most appropriate course of action is the key to strong ethical decision-making.
Date Presented: Tues., Feb. 18, 2025 9:00am – 12:00pm (Central)
Date Training Expires: Feb. 18, 2027
Objectives:
- Describe challenges to good ethical decision-making.
- List three (3) entities to which Peer Specialists have an ethical obligation.
- Identify three conditions that invite ethical violations.
- Identify reasons people make poor ethical decisions.
- Explain how peer drift can impact ethical decision-making.
- List multiple questions to consider when making ethical decisions.
Supporting Material
About the Speaker
Jean Dukarski
CPSS
Jean Dukarski is a Peer Support Specialist and the Trainer at the Appalachian Consulting Group. With over 30 years of experience as a behavioral health advocate since 1992, she has been a driving force in organizing peer-run groups and advancing the peer support specialist workforce. As a seasoned consultant for workforce development, Jean has trained peer support specialists in over 40 states and has served as a subject matter expert on topics such as health and wellness, advanced directives, ethics, crisis services, and peer supervision. She is deeply passionate about empowering individuals.
Deborah Monroe
CPSS
Deborah Monroe is a Peer Support Specialist, Recovery Coach, and Community Health Worker because of her experience. She is the founder and CEO of the peer-owned nonprofit Hope365 and the for-profit Recovery Concepts, a peer-run organization that provides consultation, training, and recovery-based support services. She is an Advanced WRAP facilitator and has worked as a research assistant for a peer-to-peer suicide intervention study conducted by the University of Michigan. Deborah also co-launched and supervised peer warmline and established the first peer-run respite in Michigan.
These trainings were funded in whole or in part by funds from the SAMHSA Community Mental Health Block Grant, SAMHSA Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant and state funds sub-granted from the Nebraska Department of Health and Services, Division of Behavioral Health.