Peer Support Specialist (PSS) training helps people positively change their lives. As the learning and development division of Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC), Tarzana Treatment Centers College (TTCC) now offers PSS training and courses for incarcerated individuals at Lancaster State Prison. Indeed, TTCC recognizes the pressing need to support individuals transitioning from incarceration to community life.
In response to this need, TTCC addresses this issue with a comprehensive Reentry Education and Employment Initiative called XRoads. Hence, the goal of the XRoads Initiative at Lancaster State Prison is to positively impact those willing to take a new path. Moreover, the mission of TTCC is the belief “that a progressive education empowers and results in exemplary healthcare professionals committed to addressing the healthcare needs of their community.”
Consequently, implementing progressive education in a prison environment is a perfect example of realizing this vision. TTCC helps incarcerated people rebuild a part of their lives.
More About Peer Support Specialist Training
As defined by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), “Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists provide recovery-oriented, culturally appropriate services that promote engagement, socialization, self-sufficiency, self-advocacy, natural supports and are trauma aware.” Thus, a significant aspect of being a Peer Support Specialist is sharing lived experiences. By sharing what happened to them, incarcerated individuals possess the influence to alter the course of a person’s life. Such an alteration is particularly impactful if a young person is heading in a dangerous direction.
With a track record of achieving project goals and delivering tangible results, TTCC fits the role of bringing Peer Support Specialist courses into Lancaster State Prison. Thus, TTCC knows how to present this opportunity to incarcerated individuals, understand their unique needs, and develop a culturally responsive curriculum. Indeed, the XRoads Initiative at Lancaster State Prison will realize a series of goals and benchmarks to make this project successful.
Five Goals of the Peer Support Specialist Program
Understanding the significance of this opportunity, the XRoads Initiative’s goals include:
- Expand education and employment programs in the prison by increasing their scope
- Enhance reentry services through support like vocational education and job readiness training
- Forge strategic partnerships beyond the prison, including educational institutions, workforce development organizations, and potential employers of Peer Support Specialist graduates
- Implement evidence-based practices in the programs and services at the prison
- Focus on equity and underserved populations to ensure inclusivity and accessibility
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides integrated care options like mental health services, substance use support, and primary care. Moreover, TTCC fosters holistic education, personal growth, and sustainable success in the Peer Support Specialist training. Thus, the ongoing goal is to promote resilience, restore hope, and create pathways to a brighter future for incarcerated individuals. Indeed, you open the door to true potential by offering the possibility of change.
Ashley McGowan, Program Operations Supervisor for TTCC, explains, “The X-Roads program is a significant opportunity to connect with incarcerated students and equip them with the skills to rebuild their lives. It gives them hope. Since I have done this work before, I know these students are truly motivated. They give life to the program, laying the groundwork for future reentry initiatives.”
The XRoads Initiative and Peer Support Specialist Training
Most importantly, this program supports incarcerated individuals willing to make a legitimate effort. Beyond the XRoads Initiative mission values of empowering, rebuilding, and transforming lives, there is rigor and focus. Through its Reentry Education and Employment Initiative, TTCC makes a significant difference in the lives of individuals reentering society after incarceration. At the same time, the program is a two-way street and requires work and commitment.
The good news is the response at Lancaster State Prison to the PSS training and courses is impressive. When you offer a thirsty person a cup of water, they tend to drink it. Peer Support Specialist training is a refreshing move in the right direction for these men.