East Buffalo Counseling Center team is remote | Williamsville School District appointments are telehealth only.
Services
Peer Services
Peer Support Specialists use their unique experiential knowledge to support the recovery goals of the individuals we serve. They are natural support and community resource experts, meaning that the relationships they establish lead to increased feelings of support, safety, and wellbeing among the individuals they serve. Peer Support Services are participant-centered, and include sharing personal knowledge related to utilization of coping skills, accompanying participants to medical appointments or court appearances, educating participants on public transportation, among many other skills and tools related to wellness and recovery.
Locations Offered
What to Expect
Our Commitment
Kindness & Compassion
Each one of our peer support specialists are in the position that they are in because they’ve walked through something similar. Now on the other side, their only hope is that you can overcome too.
Acceptance & Confidentiality
We believe that every person is valued, and it takes a large step of courage to ask for help. We promise to honor that step by treating you with respect and keeping everything that is shared between us.
Support & Encouragement
We believe with the right tools and help, that you can overcome anything. We’ll be here with you, every step of the way.
We have a dedicated family peer support advocate here on staff to help you.
A family peer support provider will have the capacity to offer all six categories of services based on the individual needs and preferences of the family. Listed here are some of the many ways we can serve you.
Outreach & Information
Empower families to make informed decisions regarding the nature of supports for themselves and their child through, sharing information about resources, services and supports and exploring what might be appropriate for their child and family.
Exploring the needs and preferences of the family and locating relevant resources.
Helping families understand the assessment process and identifying their child’s strengths, needs and diagnosis.
Engagement, Bridging & Transition Support
Based on the strengths and needs of the youth and family, connect them with appropriate services and supports.
Accompany the family when visiting programs including new schools or treatment facilities.
Facilitate meetings between families and service providers.
Assist the family to gather, organize and prepare documents needed for specific services including court appointments or child protection service appointments.
Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy & Empowerment
Advocate on behalf of and in collaboration with families to promote shared decision-making.
Regularly consult with families and providers to ensure that the family’s perspectives are included in all planning and decision-making.
Coach and model shared decision-making and skills that support collaboration.
Prepare families for meetings and accompany them when needed.
Empower families to express their fears, expectations and anxieties to promote positive effective communication.
Parent Skill Development
Supports the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their children’s mental, and physical health, development and well-being of their children.
Helps the family learn and practice strategies to support their child’s positive behavior.
Assist the family to implement strategies recommended by clinicians (e.g. medication management, behavior support, crisis plan) and talk to clinicians about their comfort with these plans.
Provide emotional support for the family on their parenting journey to reduce isolation, feelings of stigma, blame and hopelessness.
Community Connections & Natural Supports
Help the family to rediscover and reconnect to natural supports already present in their lives.
Utilize the families’ knowledge of their community in developing new supportive relationships.
Conduct groups with families to strengthen social skills, decrease isolation, and provide emotional support.
Promoting Effective Family-Driven Practice
Participate on teams that manage access to care, evaluate and work to improve quality of care.
Conduct training for service providers on topics including, strategies for partnering with families, engagement, family-centered care, and family-driven decision-making.
Attend and/or facilitate meetings to promote family voice and infuse a family perspective at all levels: individual provider, agency, schools, local and state programs.
We believe in you, and your ability to grow!
We can't make change happen, but we can sow seeds. It's our desire to work alongside you until those seeds begin to take root.
Heather Randolph
Senior Peer Support Specialist
Help is Here
Our Experience
Over the past ten years, Spectrum Health has employed a diverse group of NY Certified Peer Support Specialists, Youth Peer Advocates, and Certified Recovery Peer Advocates.
This group of individuals with many years of combined lived experience sets us apart. The Peer Team at Spectrum Health brings with them incredible stories of strength, resilience, education, experience, connection, and of course survival against all odds. We carry forth the ethical guidelines and provision of intentional peer support to walk beside those we serve every day. Whatever your need, Spectrum is equipped with the tools and the team necessary to provide you or your loved one with the care you deserve.
As one of the largest mental health outpatient provider in Western New York, we take pride in our unique and individual treatment approach. We provide highly specialized, evidence-based treatment procedures that lead to sustainable recovery for our clients. Our treatment strategy allows us to gather information from our clients to learn what’s effective so that we can better direct our services.
We are community resource specialists that can help those we serve reach their goals using all of the aforementioned tools at their disposal and much more.
Any member of our team would love the opportunity to sit with you until you find your answers, freely share our lived experience, and most assuredly ask for help from our team or any co-worker at Spectrum Health if the need were to arise. Our staff is licensed by the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Substance Abuse and Addiction by New York State.
We work with you to overcome the challenges related to mental health.
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