Abstract
Last week the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released guidelines, called “national standards,” for a peer workforce in substance use disorders and mental illness. The standards are not meant to be adopted by states for certification, according to SAMHSA (although they could be), but rather just as guidelines, SAMHSA noted. One sentence in the announcement grabbed our attention: “A peer worker is someone who, through their own lived experience of addressing a substance use or mental health issue, works to help others.” ADAW would love to see the word “lived” eliminated from the definition. Just “experience” should be enough. Once “lived experience” becomes codified, it will be just another stigma‐based euphemism in a field that has too many of them already. Also important to note: The peer definition combines peer workers in substance abuse, mental illness and families. For the announcement, go to https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press‐announcements/20230606/hhs‐publishes‐national‐model‐standards‐substance‐use‐mental‐health‐family‐peer‐worker‐certifications.
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