🌟 Exciting legislation just passed that will transform maternal care for countless families across the state and elevate lived experience professionals🌟 MassHealth will now cover doula services for pregnant people, extending vital support up to 12 months postpartum. Doulas are trained professionals who provide emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. They often bring their own lived experiences to the role, offering personalized, compassionate care that can make a world of difference—especially for Black parents who face significant disparities in maternal health outcomes. In addition, midwifery services are now covered, offering more holistic care options. Plus, insurance companies must now cover postpartum depression screenings for anyone who recently became a parent or experienced a pregnancy loss. This legislation is a powerful step toward health equity, ensuring that all families—especially those from marginalized communities—receive the comprehensive care and support they deserve. 💪 #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity #DoulaServices #Midwifery #PostpartumCare #MassHealth #BlackMaternalHealth #LivedExperienceProfessionals Read more about the legislation: https://lnkd.in/eGWJCnVd.
Kiva Centers
Mental Health Care
Worcester, Massachusetts 394 followers
Kiva Centers is an internationally recognized peer-run training, technical assistance, and peer support nonprofit.
About us
Kiva Centers is a peer-run training, technical assistance, and peer support nonprofit. Kiva Centers works to transform policy and practice in communities and systems.
- Website
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http://www.kivacenters.org
External link for Kiva Centers
- Industry
- Mental Health Care
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1987
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
209 Shrewsbury Street
Worcester, Massachusetts 01604, US
Employees at Kiva Centers
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Eliza T Williamson
Executive Director, NAMI Massachusetts
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Hector Acevedo
Passionate IoT & Tech Enthusiast | AI Advocate | Relationship Builder & Value Driver
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Vesper Moore
Indigenous political activist, leader, organizer, public speaker, and educator.
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Alexandria M.
Program Manager for the Massachusetts Certified Peer Specialist Program
Updates
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🌟 Calling All Peer Support Specialists and Allies🌟 Did you know the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) doesn't have a specific category for peer support specialists? 🤔 It's time to change that! OMB is seeking comments to revise the Standard Occupational Classification System (SOC), a process that only happens once every 10 years. 🕒 We need YOUR voice to help the federal government understand the importance of recognizing peer support specialists in the workforce. Why is this important? ✅ Greater recognition of peer specialists nationwide ✅ Better data on our wages / income ✅ Accurate data on where we serve and our impact Let's shine a spotlight on the incredible work of peer support specialists and advocate for the recognition they deserve! 🌟 Thank you - Mental Health America -- for creating this easy link to submit comments! It takes less than 1 minute! https://lnkd.in/geP8-5Bk #PeerSupport #WorkforceRecognition #SOC #BehavioralHealth #MakeAChange #Advocacy #CommunitySupport
Act Now to Help Improve Access to Peer Specialists
mhanational.salsalabs.org
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Kiva Centers reposted this
📢 Help Advocate for Peer Support Specialists! 📢 Peer Support Specialists in the US aren't officially tracked, making it hard to recognize their crucial work. This needs to change. The SOC system, vital for workforce data and policy decisions, lacks a specific category for Peer Support Specialists. This oversight affects recognition and resources for the entire peer support profession. The OMB is inviting public comments for the 2028 SOC updates. This is our once-in-a-decade chance to advocate for a dedicated classification. Accurate data could lead to better policies, funding, and training programs. Share your experiences and advocate for change. Visit this link to submit a comment: https://lnkd.in/ef3hxcsp. Your voice can help ensure Peer Support Specialists receive the recognition and support they deserve. The deadline to submit a comment is August 12, 2024. #peersupport #peerspecialist #peersupporter
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Our new short film, "Ambassadors of Dignity: Stories From the Certified Peer Specialist Movement," premiered last week during the Certified Peer Specialist Award Ceremony at the Massachusetts Statehouse. If you missed the premiere, you can now watch the video on our YouTube channel! https://lnkd.in/eneqgWcf
Ambassadors of Dignity: Stories From the Certified Peer Specialist Movement (Short Film)
https://www.youtube.com/
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Wow, what a beautiful celebration of the advocacy and peer support work across the state. Kiva Centers' held our MA Certified Peer Specialist Award Ceremony at the statehouse this year. From uplifting Black voices in recovery to building young adult access centers to advocacy for higher wages, this event was a huge honor to plan, execute and attend. Thank you to everyone who is championing our work, our allies and our sponsors -- MASSACHUSETTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP, Senator Michael Moore, UMass Chan Medical School, Riverside Community Care, The WooSox Foundation, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Wegmans Food Markets, Euan Davis' BarberTime Media Network, NAMI Massachusetts
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Peer support workers are experts in our field and are uniquely qualified to supervise other peer support workers. Here at Kiva Centers our interest is in shifting the question away from "should peer workers supervise other peer workers?" and towards tangible strategic planning asking, "What kind of leadership skills, continuing education and value systems should guide peer supervision? How do we maintain the integrity of our roles, including advocacy, the "in but not of the system" principle and more when peer supervisors are further built in to healthcare organizations that are not peer-run entities?" We welcome feedback and invite all lived experience professions to continue the conversation during the Massachusetts Peer Workforce Coalition!
I spend my days thinking about how peer workers in mental health systems can make the world a better place
Should peer workers be supervised by social workers? Ive met some amazing social workers, who embrace anti-oppressive practices. I know from my research that peer workers and social workers working together can do great things. But...should peer workers be supervised by social workers? What if the situation was flipped? Would social work, as a profession, be okay with having peer workers as supervisors? What about psychologists? Psychiatrists? (oof- imagine the power being flipped in that scenario!!) For me, peer work is a distinct discipline, with specific practices grounded in a specific social justice movement. It requires specific supervision. In WA, we've had some amazing social workers who fought hard (and continue to fight hard) to embed peer workers in mental health (and other) systems. We now have a bunch of peer workers who are trained up in lived experience (peer) supervision. Listening to the knowledge and skills of peers at the WAPSN conference yesterday was testament to this. We no longer need social workers filling this space - a move that was only ever supposed to be temporary. Social workers and peer workers should absolutely work together - we have a lot to learn from one another. Recognising our similarities and differences, the different power imbalances we face within systems, within society, our different approaches, means we can work in solidarity - side by side. Not with one discipline positioned as higher than the other, determining what is appropriate or not appropriate, being paid more than the other, without any reciprocal exchange. But Im open to being convinced otherwise... What relationship do you think peer workers and social workers should have?
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Kiva Centers reposted this
We are excited! - Our upcoming Certified Peer Specialist Award Ceremony will celebrate the remarkable achievements of change agents, activists and innovators in the field of peer support in Massachusetts. Thank you to our sponsors, Senator Michael Moore, UMass Chan Medical School, Riverside Community Care, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, The WooSox Foundation, Wegmans Food Markets, MASSACHUSETTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP, BarberTime Media Network Euan Davis, and NAMI Massachusetts
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We are excited! - Our upcoming Certified Peer Specialist Award Ceremony will celebrate the remarkable achievements of change agents, activists and innovators in the field of peer support in Massachusetts. Thank you to our sponsors, Senator Michael Moore, UMass Chan Medical School, Riverside Community Care, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, The WooSox Foundation, Wegmans Food Markets, MASSACHUSETTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP, BarberTime Media Network Euan Davis, and NAMI Massachusetts
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Kiva Centers reposted this
MDiv Candidate | Coalition Builder & Holistic Wellness Advocate | Empowering Individuals & Communities
What better way to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month then raising awareness all year long! Are you someone with lived mental wellness experience? Have you considered how sharing your story and experience could help others navigate their own wellness journey? Consider becoming a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS). Kiva Centers has extended their deadline until May 27th for their next class of CPSs. To learn more and/or apply visit: https://lnkd.in/eMnUGYgs. #mentalwellness #mentalhealth #peers #certifiedpeerspecialists #IveBeenThere #Itsokay
Certified Peer Specialist - Kiva Centers
https://kivacenters.org