Pathways Vermont is a leader in the state’s peer workforce movement and is working to greatly improve consistency, infrastructure, communication, and resource sharing among the peer-workforce community. We are dedicated to ensuring that all Vermonters are in a position to lead healthy and meaningful lives in their community.
Pathways Vermont was awarded a grant for a Peer Workforce Development Initiative (PWDI) by The Department of Mental Health (DMH) in early 2020. The Peer Workforce Development Initiative grant was developed by DMH to help the state build and maintain an infrastructure for a statewide mental health peer workforce. Goals of the initiative include, creating a steering committee, evaluating statewide peer workforce needs, facilitating awareness and participation by providing resources and information to peer support workers, and ensuring the availability of peer support worker training.
“This is a great opportunity to help shift the paradigm around mental health services utilizing the collective voices of Vermonters with shared experiences. We are excited about the possibilities for transformative change by providing empowering connections throughout the statewide peer network.” – Pathways Vermont Executive Director, Hilary Melton
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our trainings
The mission of the PWDI includes the facilitation of various statewide peer support work trainings. Pathways Vermont is working to continuously provide peer workers with innovative and evolving opportunities to learn, grow and share experiences. Our regular trainings and discussions include, but are not limited to:
- Intentional Peer Support
- Harm Reduction
- Conversations About Suicide
- Conversation About Oppression and Privilege
Sign up for the PWDI newsletter above to be in the know on all upcoming trainings and to be alerted when new trainings are added!
Vermont peer Trainings & opportunities
Vermont SILC Olmstead Webinar #2
October 6th, 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm ET
The VT Statewide Independent Living Council and its partners are working to
address the issues around accessible housing in Vermont, and to reinvigorate the
state’s Olmstead Plan. We will be hearing from Vermont Psychiatric Survivors and
the Vermont Center for Independent Living about the state of accessible housing
and supported living in Vermont. We will then be having discussions on what we
want to see change and what we would like a new Olmstead plan to look like.
Goals:
1. Hear from organizations and individuals in our community about issues with
accessible and supported housing in Vermont
2. Identify key issues to be addressed
3. Put those issues into an updated VT Olmstead Plan
Registration: If you are interested in being a part of the discussion, or would like to learn more,
you can reach out to Tom at vtsilcdir@gmail.com for an invitation or more information.
relevant trainings & opportunities around the globe!
Free Webinar: “Doing More Harm Than Good—Why Psychiatric Drugs Fail Over the Long Term”
October 14, 2020, at 5:30am ET
Prominent investigative journalist and author Robert Whitaker will present a one-hour webinar on “why current pharmacotherapy treatments for chronic mental [health conditions] fail over the long term and the need for innovation to introduce new treatments to combat mental [health conditions].” According to webinar host Mind Medicine Australia, “A historical review of research on antipsychotics and antidepressants reveals that as early as the 1970s, researchers had begun to worry that these drugs might increase the ‘chronicity’ of psychotic disorders and depression.”
6th Annual Global Peer Support Celebration Day
October 15th, 2020
As peer support has become increasingly vital to the recovery and wellbeing of people around the world amidst the pandemic, Global Peer Support Celebration Day (GPSCD) 2020 appreciates and recognizes the outstanding efforts of peer supporters everywhere.
Led by N.A.P.S., GPSCD this year will feature a diverse panel of peer support voices, including peer support leaders and allies, as they speak on critical topics and advances in the field of peer support and recovery. We invite you to join this virtual celebration on October 15th, 2020, as we come together to celebrate peer support and peer supporters around the world.
GPSCD 2020 webinar (with Q&A segment) will run from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EDT on October 15th, 2020. Please register to join this worldwide celebration.
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Meet Our Trainers
Rebeka Lawrence-Gomez
Pathways Vermont
Rebeka Lawrence-Gomez
Pathways Vermont
Rebeka has been with Pathways Vermont since its inception in 2009. She is committed to human rights, opportunities for all, and individual choice. Prior to her work with Pathways she taught as a Peace Corps volunteer in Batangas, Philippines and worked with Disability Rights Vermont.
Lindsay Mesa
Pathways Vermont
Lindsay Mesa
Pathways Vermont
Lindsay has over 7 years of experience leading Housing First programs at Pathways Vermont. Prior to that, Lindsay worked with people experiencing homelessness in New York City in shelters and soup kitchens throughout the city. Lindsay holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from New York University. She currently serves as the Director of Housing First Programs at Pathways Vermont and looks forward to ending homelessness in the state.
J Helms
Pathways Vermont
J Helms
Pathways Vermont
J Helms is a psychiatric survivor, advocate, educator, and writer. J works with Pathways Vermont as a Training Institute Associate. They have previously worked as a service coordinator in Pathways' Housing First program and a peer advocate at a designated agency. J is a certified IPS Organizational Trainer, Alternatives to Suicide group facilitator, and Hearing Voices group facilitator. They've facilitated trainings and workshops on various topics including psych survivor allyship, trans 101 and trans allyship, LGBTQ+ youth and homelessness, and conversations about suicide.
Alex Ferguson
Pathways Vermont
Alex Ferguson
Pathways Vermont
Alexander is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. He has a background in sound & audio engineering. After having attended college in NYC, he spent time traveling around the country learning about different communities. Moved back to Vermont in 2013 and began volunteering with Pathways. He has been facilitating the IPS training for the past five years. Alexander is currently the Team Lead at the Pathways VT Community center.
Calvin Moen
Western Mass Recovery Learning Community
Calvin Moen
Western Mass Recovery Learning Community
Calvin Moen is a psychiatric survivor, advocate, educator, writer, editor, and performer. He is currently the Greenfield coordinator for the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community and a co-founder and organizer of the Brattleboro-based Hive Mutual Support Network.
Malaika Puffer
Health Care & Rehabilitation Services of Vermont
Malaika Puffer
Health Care & Rehabilitation Services of Vermont
Malaika (she/her) manages peer support services at HCRS, informed by her extensive experience receiving services and connection to the psychiatric survivor/mad pride movement. She is a trainer of Intentional Peer Support and A Harm Reduction Approach to Psych Drugs. Outside of work, Malaika is a co-founder of The Hive Mutual Support Network in Brattleboro where she lives with her partner.