Engaging in Community & Systems Advocacy
Lesson: Advocacy & Peer Leadership
Time Estimate: ~15 minutes
- Reading Time: ~9 minutes (1,575 words / 175 wpm)
- Activity: Advocacy planning exercise (5-7 minutes)
📖 Learning Objectives
By the end of this topic, you will be able to:
✅ Differentiate between community advocacy and systems advocacy
✅ Identify ways to engage in advocacy while maintaining ethical boundaries
✅ Develop a simple advocacy action plan to support recovery-friendly policies and services
🔍 Why Advocacy Matters Beyond Individual Support
Peer specialists don’t just support individual recovery—they also play a role in shaping recovery-friendly communities and policies. By engaging in community and systems advocacy, peer specialists help:
✔ Reduce stigma surrounding mental health and substance use recovery
✔ Expand access to recovery support services through policy improvements
✔ Create recovery-friendly communities where people feel safe and supported
🗣️ “Peer support changes lives—but advocacy ensures those changes are possible for everyone.”
🏛️ The Two Levels of Peer Advocacy
Advocacy happens at different levels, and peer specialists may choose to engage in community-level or systems-level advocacy depending on their interests and role.
✅ 1. Community Advocacy (Local Level)
✔ Raising awareness about recovery, stigma, and harm reduction
✔ Speaking at community events, schools, or town halls to share recovery stories
✔ Partnering with local organizations to improve recovery-friendly services
✔ Advocating for workplace and housing policies that support recovery
🔹 Example: Helping to establish a recovery-friendly workplace initiative in a local business.
✅ 2. Systems Advocacy (Policy Level)
✔ Supporting laws and policies that expand peer support services
✔ Working with state or national organizations to improve recovery access
✔ Engaging with legislators and policymakers to advocate for funding and program expansion
✔ Ensuring equitable access to recovery services for marginalized communities
🔹 Example: Testifying before a state legislature to advocate for Medicaid reimbursement for peer support services.
✅ Key Takeaway: Community advocacy raises awareness and shifts attitudes, while systems advocacy leads to long-term policy change.
📌 How Peer Specialists Can Engage in Advocacy
Peer specialists can get involved in advocacy while staying within professional role boundaries. Here’s how to engage effectively:
✔ Educate & Inform – Share recovery-friendly information with local communities and decision-makers
✔ Collaborate with Advocacy Groups – Partner with organizations working to improve recovery services
✔ Share Lived Experience Responsibly – Use your story to influence change while maintaining ethical boundaries
✔ Stay Non-Partisan – Advocacy is about recovery and access, not personal politics
🚫 What NOT to Do:
❌ Engage in advocacy without respecting confidentiality or role limitations
❌ Use peer support spaces for personal activism instead of community-based advocacy
❌ Speak on behalf of others without their consent
✅ Better Approach: Instead of saying, “We need to force businesses to hire people in recovery,” say, “Let’s work with employers to develop recovery-friendly hiring policies.”
🗣️ “Advocacy is about opening doors, not forcing people through them.”
📌 Key Takeaways
✔ Community advocacy raises awareness, fights stigma, and promotes local recovery support.
✔ Systems advocacy focuses on policies and laws that improve access to recovery services.
✔ Peer specialists can engage in advocacy ethically by focusing on education, collaboration, and empowerment.
✔ Advocacy is most effective when it respects individual choice and maintains professional role boundaries.
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📚 References & Research
📖 SAMHSA’s Guide to Peer Advocacy in Recovery Systems (SAMHSA.gov)
📖 National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS) Best Practices for Peer Advocacy (NAPS.org)
📖 The Role of Peer Advocacy in Expanding Recovery Services – Journal of Behavioral Health Policy