Wisconsin Peer Recovery Conference
April 15-17, 2025
Kalarhari Resort and Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells
Health and Human Services, Mind and Body, See Stevens Point Offerings

​
Wisconsin Peer Recovery Conference | April 15-17, 2025

Kalahari Resort and Convention Center
Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Details

Conferenc​​​e Objectives 

Demonstrate aspects of effective peer support within community services mental health and substance use recovery, enhance individual skills to provide more effective personal support, and explore innovative applications of peer support in communities. 

Who Should Att​​​end

This event is highly recommended for Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) and Certified Parent Peer Specialists (CPPS) who are looking to deepen their skills, expand their knowledge, and strengthen their network within the field of peer support. Whether you are an experienced professional or new to the role, this conference offers valuable insights tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by CPS and CPPS.
In addition to peer specialists, the event is also ideal for:
  • ​ Mental health and substance use professionals
  • Community advocates
  • Social workers
  • Counselors
  • Healthcare providers
  • Educators and school support staff
  • Anyone involved in the mental health and wellness space​

Keynotes:


Kristina Padilla is world-renowned as a national speaker and educator, advocating the principle of “living out loud.” They foster safer environments nationwide by conducting 2S/LGBTQIA+ educational talks and training sessions globally. They are a motivational speaker and author of Kristina with a K: A Rainbow Person’s Journey from Addiction to Recovery, an explosive expose into the lives of LGBTQ people experiencing addiction. Kristina is a leader with CCAPP, where they serve as the organization's Vice President of Education and Strategic Development.

Mx. Padilla led California’s innovative criminal justice program, serving as the Offender Mentor Certification Program Director for three years. There, they managed 12 in-prison programs for training counselors. For the duration of the contract, they worked closely with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) in California prisons, bringing innovation and growth to the state’s in-custody treatment programming.

Mx. Padilla sat on SAMHSA’s Technical Expert Panel on Peer Support certification and helped SAMHSA develop National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification. They also Facilitated the First SAMHSA LGBTQIA2+ Office of Recovery Meeting at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco in May 2024.

Mx. Padilla was also the previous Program Director/Adjunct Faculty of the Peer Support Training and Placement Program, which trained peers in Recovery/mental health to become certified and how to work with other peers in recovery, such as self-direction, advocacy, ethics, person-centered approach, personalization, empowerment, strength base, goal setting, respect, cultural sensitivity, and competency, responsibility, hope and at the very core of the program.

 Mx. Padilla has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology, emphasizing Marriage and Family Therapy. Mx. Padilla is a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LAADC) and an International Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (ICAADC). They are also a Certified Gang Specialists of the National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC) and a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Candidate (C-SAT).

Mx. Padilla is on the Board of Directors as the Vice president of the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and their Allies (NALGAP). Mx. Padilla is the Chief Academic Officer for the CCAPP Academy at CCAPP and is a past Board member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Sacramento chapter.

Mx. Padilla sits on the board of (NATI) Native American Institute in New Mexico and is Treasure and a consultant for Faces and Voices NRI (National Recovery Institute) & on their DEI Committee. Mx. Padilla graduated from the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) in 2023 and is the Chair of the (DEI) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at the California Society of Association Executives (CALSAE).

Mx. Padilla is on multiple DEI and LGBTQIA2+ boards nationwide and is deeply impacting the provision of Training, Advocacy, and Education to all professionals. They are also independent consultants on LGBTQIA2+ Program Development and design/issues/services/Counseling/Mentoring/Training and Coaching and travel the Nation providing training and lectures at conferences and in-service training for non-profits, for-profits, county, and state workers.

Mx. Padilla is also an Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Trainer and "Equality California" Leadership Academy fellow. Mx. Padilla obtained their "Higher Education Teaching Certificate '' at Harvard, The Derek Bok Center For Teaching and Learning in July 2020, and their Women Leadership Program (WLP) Certificate from Yale University School of Management in 2022.

In their spare time (lol), Mx. Padilla owns two businesses, Rainbow Global Collective and Native American 2-spirit Sacred Circle. Both businesses provide consulting and training worldwide and have a podcast inviting monthly guests to discuss topics such as Recovery, Addiction, LGBTQIA2+, Advocacy, Allyship, peer support, Harm reduction, and therapy on all levels.

 In closing, Mx. Padilla is a parent to a beautiful 8-year-old girl named Karisma. They are also part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ (Rainbow) Community and identify as indigenous, Western Apache, Cherokee, Aztec, 2Spirit-Transgender, Gender-Fluid, non-binary, same-gender loving, biologically born Women. Kristina’s pronouns are They/Them and goes by the prefix Mx. Padilla.


 

Vikki Reynolds (PhD RCC) is an activist/ therapist and community organizer who works to bridge the worlds of social justice activism with community work and therapy. Vikki is a white settler on the territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam nations. Vikki's people are Irish and English folks, and she is a heterosexual woman with cisgender privilege. Her experience includes supervision and therapy with People with Lived/Living Experience and other workers responding to the drug poisoning catastrophe, refugees and survivors of torture - including Indigenous people who have survived residential schools and other state violence, sexualized violence counsellors, mental health and substance misuse counsellors, housing and shelter workers, activists and working alongside gender and sexually diverse communities. Vikki is an Adjunct Professor and has written and presented internationally. Articles & speaks free at: www.vikkireynolds.ca   ​

​​



Lisa Clemons is a retired Minneapolis Police Sergeant and the founder of A Mother’s Love Initiative, a boots-on-the-ground grassroots organization. One of seven children born into poverty in Chicago and raised by a strong single mom, Lisa was inspired as a child to pursue a career in law enforcement after witnessing an act of kindness toward her and her mother by Chicago
Police. She later moved to Minneapolis with her family when she was 15 years old and became a Minneapolis Police Officer nearly a decade later. Lisa has stated that her time as a Minneapolis Police Officer further ignited her belief that it is vital to create a safe space for African American women and their families. Throughout her 13-year career, she served as a Patrol
Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Investigator before retiring in 2000 due to a diagnosis of Lupus. Lisa is a single mother of five and currently serves as Executive Director of A Mothers Love Initiative, an organization she founded in 2014 to uplift and empower African American mothers and daughters, two groups she believes are often forgotten. A Mother’s Love’s grassroots outreach work looks at both the causes and effects of violence against women as well as the correlation between violence against African American women and poverty. The AMLI team of Black mothers and fathers offer tutoring, mentorship and employment to local residents, including those making unsafe choices. Because of her work with A Mother’s Love, Lisa was recently appointed as a representative of the Missing and Murdered African American Women Task Force. In partnership with the Office of Violence Prevention and the Minneapolis Police Department, the AMLI team of mothers and fathers, ranging from ages 18-62, responds to both shooting scenes and homicide scenes to offer grief and trauma assistance to families and youth. The team also holds personal success training classes for mothers and women of color as well as offers mentoring and tutoring services for kids
ranging from kindergarten through third grade. The A Mothers Love Team, under Lisa’s leadership, works with Hennepin County on a program called “Sisters Helping Sisters-From Probation to Prosperity” to keep Black mothers, women and girls out of the
prison system. Lisa is state-certified in Peer Recovery and trained in Harm Reduction and Forensic Peer Support. From
all that she saw in her life, including growing up in the projects in Chicago and the years she served in the Minneapolis Police Department, Lisa witnessed how easily a child can slip through the cracks without direct, culturally specific intervention during the formative years. However, Lisa believes it's never too late ​to build a village that can keep children and families whole.
A Mothers Love's motto is:
Save the mother, you save the child.
Save the father, you save the family.
Save the family, you save the communit

2025 ​​Call for Proposals

The WI Peer Recovery Conference Planning Committee, in conjunction with Independent Living Resources, and UW-Stevens Point (made possible by funding from the WI Department of Health Services, Division of Care and Treatment Services) is now accepting proposals for interactive 90 minute workshops! Presenters may submit multiple prop​osals, panels, or proposals with a part 1 and part 2 if desired. Compensation for presenters includes a complimentary conference registration and one night of lodging.​​

Please use this link to review all proposal submission questions prior to starting the process.

​

If you have any questions regarding the proposal submission process, please contact Nicole Ravens at nicole.ravens@ilresources.org.​

2025 ​Conference Registration - Closed!

​​​Registration Fees:

  • Pre-Conference Only, April 15 a.m.​​ (Ethics and Boundaries) $75.00
  • Conference Only, April 15 noon-April 17 p.m. $150.00 Early rate/$175.00 Late rate.
  • Pre-Conference (Ethics and Boundaries) Plus Conference April 15- 17th $225.00 Early Rate/$250.00 Late rate


Early rate ends February 21​, 2025​

​2025 Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities ​​

 Sponsor Opportunities

GET RECOGNIZED as a key partner in a highly regarded training event for Wisconsin Peer Recovery professionals! 

Your organization can be a partner in keeping this conference affordable to participants and to maintain its relevance and viability to peer recovery professionals throughout the state. Your support will also allow the conference to maintain its reputation for top notch keynoters and relevant professional training topics.

The conference offers four levels of participation for your consideration, and we would be happy to consider other arrangements that you may offer.

Diamond $3,500 | Platinum $2,500 | Gold $1,750 | Silver $1,000 

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Printable sponsorship tier list​
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To pay by check, fill out this paper registration form​ and mail it to UWSP. 

Thank you for partnering with us to send as many peers as possible to this amazing conference!

To guarantee inclusion in conference materials, please email your name and/or logo no later than March 19, 2025 to the UWSP Conference Planning Team at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu​. If you have questions, please contact uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu.

Sponsorships are non-refundable.

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Exhibitor Opportunities

Exhibit booth space is waitlisted.If space becomes available those on the waitlist will be contacted.

For Profit Exhibit Booth Fee: $350

Not for Profit Exhibit Booth Fee: $200​​

Extra Exhibitor: $100

Exhibit registration comes with the following: ​

  • 8 ft. Exhibitor Table
  • One Conference Registration ($150 value!)
  • *Company or Organization Name Included in Conference Materials

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To pay by check, fill out this paper registration form​ and mail it to UWSP. ​

Exhibit space is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Exhibitor registration closes April 2, 2024 or until full. 

If you have questions, please contact the UWSP Conference Planning Team at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu.

Exhibit Booths are non-refundable.​​

​​​Click on the drop down menu below to find the 2025 conference agenda.

Tuesday​, April 15​, 2025

 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Pre-Conference

Ethics and Boundaries​

Presenter(s): Karen Iverson Riggers, ​and Lynn McLaughlin

In peer support, we are constantly navigating situations that challenge our boundaries. We also share a Code of Ethics that helps guide our work and support. Join members of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative as they lead an interactive and collaborative session on exploring the practice of utilizing our Code of Ethics and exploring how boundaries show up in our work. Learn tools for exploring and setting boundaries with a special focus on exploring emotional boundaries.​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 12-1 p.m. | Lunch

​A boxed lunch will be available to participants.

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 1-4 p.m. | Pre-Conference

Ethics and Boundaries​

Presenter(s): Michael Sersch, LPC,CSAC, CS-IT Gundersen Health System, Tamra Oman, Dennis Franklin, and Delilah McKinny​

The Ethics & Boundaries Preconference Training will include a combination of lecture and small group work. The presenters have backgrounds in Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery. They are very well-rounded as they represent a Mental Health drop-in, a Substance Use drop-in, and a Peer Respite.  This training will more than fulfill the Continuing Education Unit (CEU) requirement for Ethics & Boundaries Training for Peer Specialists.​

Processing the Revision of the CPS Curriculum​​

​Presenter(s): Marguerit Galindo, Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), CPS Trainer, Peer Services and Peer-Run Respite Coordinator at DHS Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Carmella Glenn, Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), CPS trainer and is currently the Violence Intervention Coordinator for Public Health Madison and Dane County & Gaochi Vang, Peer Specialist Program Manager for the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative (WIPSEI).​

Join us as we discuss the process that we navigated to complete the latest revision of the Certified Peer Specialist curriculum.

  1. Participants will learn to how the presenters integrated cultural and linguistic considerations into peer support practices throughout the curriculum, ensuring accessibility and relevance across diverse communities. 
  2. Participants will gain knowledge on how the presenters incorporated feedback and adapted the curriculum within a set timeframe, maintaining its effectiveness and alignment with best practices. 
  3. ​Participants will learn about the expectations of trainers to develop the skills to facilitate difficult conversations, apply a trauma-informed approach, and adapt teaching methods to meet diverse needs, enhancing the overall learning experience for all peers.

Thursday, April 11, 2024​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 8-8:30 a.m. | Welcome

Presenter(s): Nicole Ravens, Statewide Coordinator, Peer Run Recovery Centers, Certified Peer Specialist, Independent Living Resources, La Crosse, Wis.

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 8:30-10 a.m. | Breakout Sessions A

Session A1. Cancelled ​​

We apologize for any inconvenience. This session has been cancelled. 

A2. Keeping Peer Support Alive in a Clinic Environment

Presenter(s): Charlie Sheehan, Peer Support Specialist, Jail Transition Coordinator Waukesha County Health and Human Services​

Participants will take a deep dive into the obstacles and opportunities that Peer Support Specialists experience working within a clinical setting. Having the ability to be strongly rooted within our scope of practice and code of ethics is imperative when surrounded by those in the clinical realm. We should feel confident setting healthy boundaries in the clinical environment without feeling like we're bringing anything less to the table than the others. This workshop will present real life examples, tips, and tricks in navigating how to collaborate and thrive in the the clinical world. ​​

  1. Collaborators not Competitors. What makes us different, but equal to those we work alongside those with clinical experience. 
  2. Examples of the most common misunderstandings Clinicians have about Peer Specialists role and how to overcome them. 
  3. The struggle is real! How to advocate for your peers path to recovery that might not align with the clinicians on their treatment team. ​

A3. Supporting Peer Providers Using Technology-Based Solutions to Deliver Seamless Services ​

Presenter(s): Kristina Vaccaro, BS, CCAR Coach, CCAR Trainer, CPS & Tanya Kraege, MSW, APSW, CSAC, RC trainer, WI CPS​

Facilitators will discuss how they have overcome data fatigue and challenges while growing their peer programs at their organization. ​

  1. Learn how to manage the daily activities of peer providers they're supporting. 
  2. How to organize roles and responsibilities of those supporting peers in their work. 
  3. Utilize data-based approaches to peer work (and the challenges with that).

A4. Looking Beyond Behavior to See the Underlying Need ​

Presenter(s): Leanne Delstart, MS​, Integrated Services Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Wraparound Milwaukee and Owner of LND Consulting, LLC​ & Jill Clopper, CPS, Lead Family Support for Children's Community Mental Health Services and Wraparound Milwaukee

Participants will explore ways to look beyond behavior to see the underlying needs of the people they serve. Peer and Parent Peer Specialists often have a relationship and perspective that allows them to see things others don't, and an opportunity to translate behavior into a needs-driven framework so that others can offer help that is helpful.​

  1. Assess language through a needs-driven lens
  2. Understand the difference between behavior, goal, and needs driven planning
  3. Identify underlying needs as the basis for transformative care

A5. Understanding Trauma-informed Peer Support and Post-Traumatic Growth​

Presenter(s): Patricia Clason​, Founder, Program Coordinator

The values and principles of Trauma-Informed Care are deeply aligned with the values and principles of Peer Support. Peer Support is uniquely focused to guide the process of Post-Traumatic Growth. Explore how these perspectives can help you refine your peer support approach.

  1. Understanding of Trauma-Informed Care as applied to organizations, providers and client interactions
  2. Identify the elements of Post Traumatic Growth
  3. Tools for Preventing Secondary Trauma through self-care

A6. The Art of Connection: Community Building Skills in Uncivil Times

​Presenter(s): Kenneth Ryback, BA, Certified T4C facilitator, Certified Senior CBW Facilitator, Master Level Reiki & Karole Kimble, BA, MBA, Member of National Association of Black Journalists, Certified Re-evaluation Counselor, Certified Senior CBST Facilitator, Certified CBW Facilitator 1​​

The US Surgeon General has declared that we are in an Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.  Community Building has been found to increase connection among a group in a span of 2-3 days in personal and professional ways.  This session is designed to provide a taste of how Community Building Skills can collapse time, building safety and trust, and enhance skills you already are using.​​​

  1. Learn about the Community Building Process originally developed by renowned author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, MD., and how it enhances Emotional Intelligence, Trauma Informed Care, and Motivational Interviewing. 
  2. Identify and let go of personal obstacles to authentic connection and relationship. 
  3. Learn how to collapse time and build trust and safety quickly even with people who are different than you.

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Breakout Sessions B

​B1. Is Trauma Contagious? Burnout, Secondary Trauma and Compassion Fatigue​

Presenter(s): Michael Sersch, LPC,CSAC, CS-IT Gundersen Health System, & Arianna Saykally-McAdams, LPC, SAC, CCTP

This workshop will explore the connected experiences of: burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma.  A focus will be on helping identify paths of resiliency to help peers continue both in their own recovery and in the helping field.

  1. ​Participants will be able to identify risks of burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma.
  2. Particiapants will be able to differentiate burnout from compassion fatigue/vicarious trauma.
  3. Participants will begin to explore their own resiliancy plan

B2. Nurse Wellbeing and the Importance of Peer Support

Presenter(s): Kristin Waite-Labott, RN and Dr. Heidi Paquette

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified issues in nursing leading to the need to develop and improve policies and procedures surrounding nurse wellbeing in the workplace. Two significant issues are the current staffing shortages seen throughout the country and the increase in nurse mental health crises. Wisconsin Peer Alliance for Nurses (WisPAN) is working with the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA) to create a nurse wellbeing peer support program to address these needs.

  1. Gain an understanding of stressors in nursing today.
  2. Learn the benefits of peer support.
  3. Identify and practice the steps to facilitating and participating in a peer support group.

B3. Connection is Prevention: Combating Social Isolation & Loneliness

Presenter(s): Lynn McLaughlin, Owner/Member of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative,​ & Karen Iverson Riggers​, Owner/Member of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative

In this workshop, participants will learn how connection can be used as a prevention strategy in suicide prevention, mental health, substance use and wellness programs, and the importance of emotions in creating authentic, healthy connection. Participants will be introduced to the Community Living Room - a community-based, non-clinical support model in the Fox Valley whose only desired outcome is connection.

  1. Understand why social isolation and loneliness has become a public health crisis
  2. Understand how connection is formed and the vital role that emotions play in creating connection
  3. Utilize the principles of connection in deepening our connection with ourselves and others

B4. Supporting Certified Peer Specialists Living and Working Inside Wisconsin Prisons

Presenter(s): Deb Me​jchar, CPS, Heleema Berg, CPS, CPPS, Allyson Eparvier, Psychological Associate, Dodge Correctional Institution and Co-Director of the CPS Program for all adult institutions within the DOC,​ Tracy Johnson, CPS and Licensed Psychologist, Co-Director for the CPS Program in the Wisconsin DOC​, Mike Koenigs, Professor in the Department of P​sychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.​ & Dan Grupe,​ Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison​

The Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) program within the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections prison facilities has been growing rapidly since its inception 2017, with about 240 CPSs now living and working in 16 prisons across the state. In this session, we will provide an overview of this program and its demonstrated benefits for peers receiving services and offering services. We will discuss the unique challenges faced by CPSs currently experiencing incarceration, and our team's efforts to support CPS wellbeing and professional development as they offer support to their incarcerated peers.

Wisconsin state prisons represent one of the most critical environments for offering peer support in the state, due to the combination of extremely high rates of substance use/mental health concerns, a shortage of mental health providers, and limitations in therapeutic alliance between prison residents and DOC staff. The introduction and rapid expansion of the CPS program over the past 7 years presents an opportunity for a paradigm shift in mental health care and support within prisons, but has also come with unique challenges. These opportunities and challenges will be shared with attendees by a panel of presenters who bring a unique combination of lived expertise (two formerly incarcerated Certified Peer Specialists who have returned to prisons to support currently incarcerated CPSs), policymakers (two DOC psychologists who co-direct the CPS program) and academic expertise (two UW-Madison researchers whose research focuses on the mental health of individuals during and after incarceration). We will first provide an overview of the CPS program in Wisconsin state prisons, describing both first-hand experiences of program benefits as well as quantitative program evaluation data on benefits for individuals receiving services as well as broader institutional climate. We will discuss some of the challenges faced by incarcerated CPSs, including high caseloads, vicarious trauma responses, and limitations on institutional resources and support. In response to these challenges, one of our presenters introduced a "CPS book club" to support CPS wellbeing and professional development. We will describe how this book club has spread via word-of-mouth to at least 6 institutions across the state, and discuss the impact of the book club for incarcerated CPSs. Finally, we will introduce a new research initiative to provide comprehensive data on the impact of this program that will hopefully lead to increased impact and further expansion of CPS services within the state of Wisconsin and beyond.

  1. Learn about the CPS program in prisons, its benefits for peers offering and receiving support, and its impact on institutional climate. 
  2. Understand the unique challenges and stressors faced by peers offering services within prisons. 
  3. Consider what additional supports and resources may be helpful for CPSs working in prisons. 

​B5. Partnering Peer Support with Recovery Courts

Presenter(s): Natalie Morescki,​ Founder and Executive Director of Next Steps for Change, Inc., & Shane Sherburn, CPS, Outreach Coordinator/Peer with Next Steps for Change, Recovery Coach


One of the challenges of people being in Recovery Courts (OWI and Drug) is that they have a lot of support from professionals, but those professionals can’t be the ones to help them to build friendships in recovery or attend meetings - by literally walking alongside them.  That is one of the reasons there are challenges for participants within Recovery Courts.  Integrating Peer Support into Recovery Courts has been one of the largest successes our Recovery Courts have seen.  We will talk about how our Peer Support model is run as an independent non-profit; funding we utilize to allow for Peer Support in Recovery Courts and how this sets us apart from other Recovery Community Organizations.  We will also share some techniques we have found to be beneficial with Peer Support and elaborate on the barriers of working with Treatment Courts and strategies used to get better results.

  1. ​Participants will  be able to identify techniques beneficial for working with Peer Support. 
  2. Participants will be able to identify strategies for working with recovery courts.
  3. Participants will understand how Peer Support can be run through a non-profit that acts as a "hub" for Peer Support. 

​​B6. Uplifting Our Community by Upholding Choice: The Story of Uplift WI 

Presenter: Jensen Bosio, Program Manager Uplift WI & Maddison Wagner, Certified Peer Specialist​, Program Coordinator for the PRISM Program

Uplift WI is a peer support program offered through Mental Health America of Wisconsin and is the first Statewide Peer Run Warmline for residents throughout the state. This presentation will elaborate on how Uplift WI was brought to fruition, and how its philosophy surrounding informed consent-based peer support can inspire other programs.

  1. Participants will understand the need for an anonymous, confidential peer support service.
  2. Participants will learn about the nuances between peer support in non-consensual and consensual settings.
  3. Participants will learn tips on how to provide informed consent-based support.​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 12-12:30 p.m. | Thursday Lunch

​Lunch buffet line

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 12:30-1:30 p.m.​ | Keynote with Robyn Priest

Poking the Bear: Challenging the Status Quo

Presenter(s): Robyn Priest, Chief Non Conformist of Robyn Priest Live Your Truth, a mental health and peer support education and strategy firm.​

Peer support is increasing in its popularity within mental health and substance use services but are we being truly innovative in the ways we deliver services or are we following the status quo? As a newer profession, YES we are a profession, not the same as others but definitely our own profession, how do we think outside the box and continue evolving and being truly creative in the ways we deliver services. Let’s explore this and have fun while doing it.

  1. Participants will gain an understanding of how to avoid peer drift. 
  2. Participants will become aware of how to utilize their livede experience to respectfully challenge other professions in how they understand authentic value based peer support. 
  3. Participants will identfy and explore innovative peer support practices for moving forward in service delivery.​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 2-3:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions C

C1. There's a Grant for That: Strategies for Increasing Funding for Impact

Presenter(s): Chardé​ Hollins, Founder & Executive Director; LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker; CCTP-II, Certified clinical Trauma Professional II

In a world filled with pressing needs, the scarcity of funding for behavioral health and recovery efforts has always been a struggle. The need for peer recovery is high, but the dollars allocated for them often appear insufficient. So, what can we do to overcome this challenge?

In this stimulating session, participants will delve into the core content areas and goals of peer recovery, unlocking innovative approaches to increase funding and foster better community engagement. Through interactive discussions and practical examples, we will explore creative strategies and untapped resources that can be utilized to secure funding for peer recovery programs.

  1. Review the fundamental principles and content areas of peer recovery, including early intervention, risk reduction, and community engagement.
  2. Develop a keen eye for identifying funding opportunities that align with the goals and objectives of recovery programs.
  3. Discover strategies to foster collaboration, build partnerships with community stakeholders, and create a sense of shared responsibility.​

C2. Bringing the Whole Self to Work: Navigating Mental Health Needs in the Workplace​

Presenter(s): Leanne Delstart, MS​, Integrated Services Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Wraparound Milwaukee and Owner of LND Consulting, LLC​ & Jill Clopper, CPS, Lead Family Support for Children's Community Mental Health Services and Wraparound Milwaukee

This workshop will cover various aspects of navigating mental health needs in the workforce that will help participants to consider how best to support the people they serve or themselves through the recovery journey. Participants will explore how to identify strengths and resiliency factors developed through recovery and apply them on the job.

  1. Learn how to identify strengths and resiliency factors and apply them on the job.
  2. Understand how to advocate for mental health needs at work.
  3. Understand disclosure decisions and apply skills to better understand how and why to disclose.

C3. Recovery Friendly Workplaces in Rural Wisconsin

Presenter(s): Beka Bussineau, MDHHS Certified ​Peer Recovery Coach, Community Worker, Kendelle Nelson​, Peer Recovery Coach, Biehl Bridges to Recovery, & Paul Haasl, Certified Peer Specialist for Bridges to Recovery in Marinette

Presenters will introduce the concept of Recovery-Friendly, give a brief overview of how this project came to be, and explain how it's been implemented thus far. The RFW model is one that has been implemented across the country to address the needs of working people who also deal with substance use disorder.  

  1. What is a Recovery Friendly Workplace?
  2. How does becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace benefit a business?
  3. How does any of this actually help recovering people?

C4. Liberating Choices: Empowering Drug Users through Unions and a Safe Supply ​

Presenter(s): Joseph Galey, Certified Peer Specialist, trained Doula, and dedicated harm reductionist, & Jake Niesen​, Public Health Program Coordinator

Immerse yourself in the radical transformation of drug user empowerment with 'Liberating Choices.' Delve deep into the indispensable role played by drug users' unions and community-based drug checking. Join us on a fearless exploration where autonomy, solidarity, and a commitment to a safe drug supply converge, empowering individuals fearlessly navigating their paths of substance use​.​

1. Understanding Drug Users' Unions
2. Exploring Diversity in Substance Use Journeys
3. Analysing the Impact of Stigma on Access to Support​

​C5. Art-Making & Peer Support

Presenter(s): Alison (Ali) Beyer, WI Certified Peer Specialist, Master of Fine Art in Interdisciplinary Arts & Media from Columbia College Chicago

I'd like to take a bit of this open studio process to the peer recovery conference by presenting an artist-led project where attendees may get a glimpse into how we utilize the creative arts within peer work at Cornucopia Arts & Wellness in Madison by creating a large-scale mixed media painting together which would then be displayed at Cornucopia as part of the Madison, WI Spring Gallery Night which takes place the first Friday in May and which Cornucopia takes part in as an outreach effort to promote members work in the community.

  1. Participants will learn about how the creative arts are used within peer work.
  2. Participants will learn about the open studio process in which the artistic process itself is central to therapeutic work.
  3. Participants will learn how to create community through the use of creative arts and how this can promote self awareness & self esteem while increasing decision making abilities and fostering resilience in participants. 

Friday, April 12, 2024

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 8:30-10 a.m. | Breakout Sessions D

D1. Rethinking Self-Care from the Top Down

​Presenter(s): Raymond Young, Certified Peer Support Specialist

​The stresses of working in a Human Services field when managing one’s own lived experience and self-care can overwhelm Peer Specialists and lead to a decline of work satisfaction and effectiveness. When we aren’t aware of all the factors leading to compassion fatigue, we can land ourselves in a cycle of burnout and recovery. This session will ask the attendees to self-assess their stress symptoms, explore their risk of burnout, and rethink strategies from the top down - to proactively practice self-care “on the clock”. You will hear from a Peer Specialist, a person in recovery who is also a worker in the field, with some practical examples and ideas to add to your current self-care routine. Please plan to take some notes so we can learn from our professional peers how to support ourselves, as we continue supporting individuals in their recovery journey. 

  1. Increase awareness of the exposure to Secondary Traumatic Stress. 
  2. Self-assess the specific individual symptoms of Compassion Fatigue. 
  3. Identify practices that support self-care and work/life balance “on the clock”.

D2. Working with the team: Effective Techniques in C​ommunication for Peers 

Presenter(s): Michael Sersch, LPC,CSAC, CS-IT Gundersen Health System​

This workshop will focus on ways peers can effectively communicate in a cross-disciplinary fashion. Focus will include stages of supervision, roles within the consumer's care team (as well as existing turf battles), and opportunities to advocate for consumers, both individually and systemically.​​

  1. List developmental stages within the supervision relationship
  2. Identify roles within a care team 
  3. Explore opportunities to advocate for consumers and the peer ​

D3. Writing in Recovery

Presenter(s): Joanne Nelson, Social Worker, Community Educator

Writing, primarily expressive writing, has been shown to increase psychological well-being as well as result in reductions of physician visits. Through writing (without regard to quality or grammar!) we explore, review, and reconsider our pasts. Join author and clinical social worker, Joanne Nelson in this experiential workshop intended for a general audience.

  1. Discuss how writing creates change for those struggling with emotional upheaval
  2. Define research based best practices for expressive writing and the narrative styles most likely to create change
  3. List a variety of written exercises and prompts useful for those wishing to create change through expressive writing.​

D4. Showing Up for Our Unsheltered Neighbors: La Crosse’s Homeless Outreach Team

Presenter(s): Michael Fitzpatrick, Homeless Outreach Specialist, Independent Living Resources, Jennifer Sobkowiak, Recovery Navigator, Cullen Bosworth, Prevention Navigator Certified Peer Support Specialist​​, & Molly McCormick, Community Risk Educator

This session will give a brief overview of homelessness in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area and how multiple community agencies came together to establish a collaborative effort for Homeless Outreach without contracts but with the common passion of showing up for the populations we serve. There will be a panel with members of this team to answer questions and give perspective on the work that we do, and the impact that it has had on our community.​​​

  1. Understand how building rapport with other community partners is integral to be able to provide the best support to consumers.
  2. Gain knowledge and understanding of rapport building and the importance of this in working with marginalized populations
  3. Begin a process of identifying ways that you may be able to utilize the framework of HOT (collaboration without barriers) to best serve your community​

D5. Peer Specialist Tune-Up

Presenter(s): Susie Austin​​​, Peer Services Coordinator​, Wisconsin Community Services 

This tune-up workshop which designed for practicing CPS and CPPS and others as needed. Reboot is getting back to the basics of peer support, staying true to our profession. Listen and support and do with not for. This workshop is designed using real experience, real problems, and challenges that our current CPS and CPPS workforce have experienced.

  1. Reboot the passion for peer support 
  2. Getting back to the basics of of OARS with empathy- EOARS
  3. Problem solving using real examples ​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 10:30 am-12 p.m. | Breakout Sessions E

E1. Alternative Psychosis Crisis Response

Presenter(s): Allilsa Fernandez, Mental Health and Disability Advocate, Activist and Consultant. 

In this session you will learn about communal, inclusive, and social justice response to psychosis crisis. An alternative way of responding to crisis from our current system.

  1. What constitutes as a crises
  2. Alternative ways to responding to crises than our current system
  3. The importance of alternative response and how it impacts multi-marginalized communities​

E2. Healing Connection: Addressing Compassion Fatigue & Burnout - Lynn McLaughlin & Karen Iverson Riggers​

Presenter(s): Lynn McLaughlin, Owner/Member of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative,​ & Karen Iverson Riggers​, Owner/Member of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative

For folks who work with their hearts and support others, compassion fatigue and burnout are very real and very common side effects of witnessing trauma and holding space for grief and loss. There's often not a lot of support for those who are supporting others. Join us to explore practices and ideas for better connecting with ourselves to deepen our connections with others

  1. Participants will learn how compassion fatigue and burnout are defined and ways that it manifests in our lives.
  2. Participants will learn about the contrast of community care vs. self-care and how healing happens in relationship with others.
  3. Participants will learn about the power of connection - to self and others - to heal compassion fatigue and burnout.​

E3. Recovery Advocacy

Presenter(s): Randy Anderson, Founder & Principal, Bold North Recovery

The session will provide attendees with practical information about how to be an advocate for change in their communities. The session will demonstrate and provide easy steps for them to advocate at local, state and federal level. This session will demonstrate how important advocacy is and the impact it can have.

  1. Shared definition of advocacy.
  2. Understanding the steps to be an advocate.
  3. Call to action to be an advocate now.​

E4. Feeling Like an Imposter: Living with Bipolar Disorder while Providing Psychotherapy ​

Presenter(s): Daniela Guerrero, Bilingual Psychotherapist

This session is the story of a BIPOC woman, born to immigrant parents, who had her first suicidal thought when she was 12 years old. She now finds herself working with individuals with severe mental health disorders all the while facing her own demons behind closed doors. Come hear the journey towards healing and hope.​​

  1. Participants will hear a true story of Bipolar I Disorder in a mental health provider.
  2. Learn self-care practices and healthy habits to manage symptoms across a variety of mental health diagnoses.
  3. Participants will be supported in exploring their own imposter syndrome and how having a mental disorder affects their ability to support others.​​​​

E5. Beloved Community: Peer Respite as a Non-Carceral & Liberatory Mental Health Possibility ​

Presenter(s): Nze Okoronta, Certified Peer Specialist  & Rylee Jenich, Certified Peer Specialist 

Peer support and crisis landscapes are ever-changing, but community will always be our home. This session will be a presentation and facilitated dialogue about peer run respites through a lens of non-carceral and liberatory mental health practices. Solstice House, located in Madison Wisconsin, is honored to present a unique perspective of peer respite possibilities grounded in community interdependence, love ethic and harm reduction values. Topics covered will include peer respite fidelity, bodily autonomy, informed consent, relational time, transformative justice and decolonial mental health practices.

  1. Participants will receive an introduction to peer run respite and its key elements. 
  2. Participants will learn the key elements of peer crisis support through a lens of non-carceral and liberatory practices.
  3. Participants will explore ways of practicing harm reduction and transformative mental health skills in their immediate relationships, daily workplaces and within larger systemic advocacy.

E6. Competencies for Peer Support Supervisors

​Presenter(s):​ Robyn Priest, Chief Non Conformist of Robyn Priest Live Your Truth, a mental health and peer support education and strategy firm.​

We have competencies for Peer Support Workers but there wasn't really any for supervising those roles. Robyn Priest Lived Your Truth developed these by looking at Peer Support Workers Competencies across a range of countries, and general supervisor competencies, and came up with a framework to be utilized in our sector. This session explores the framework and utilizes it to work through practice scenarios based on common things that come up in peer support supervision. Bring your questions for discussion too - let's make this practical and useful.​​

  1. Participants will identify the foundational knowledge required by supervisors. 
  2. Participants will gain and understanding of the Peer Support Supervisor Core Competencies developed by Robyn Priest Live Your Truth. 
  3. Participants will explore scenarios and how the competencies may be applied.​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 12-12:30 p.m. | Friday Lunch

Lunch buffet line

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 12:30-1:30 p.m.​ | Keynote with ​​Chardé​ Hollins

Empowered to Serve: Unveiling the H.E.A.L. Framework

Presenter(s): Chardé​ Hollins, Founder & Executive Director; LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker; CCTP-II, Certified clinical Trauma Professional II

This presentation invites mental health professionals to explore the depth of the human experience, utilizing the H.E.A.L. Framework to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, compassion, and professional growth.

With the fusion of heartfelt storytelling and thought-provoking insights, we will explore how honoring past experiences, embracing healing, and attuning to present needs collectively empower us to reignite, sustain, and deeply enjoy our passion for service.Through the H.E.A.L. Framework, attendees will uncover tools they'll need to enhance their approach to service, allowing them to find new ways to maintain their energy while providing exceptional care.

  1. Identify the key elements of the H.E.A.L. Framework and its relevance in maintaining self-care and its direct connection to effective service. 
  2. Engage in self-reflection to uncover past experiences and how they influence their practice and approach to service.
  3. Determine practical techniques to cultivate self-compassion, leading to healthier and more sustainable impact in service provision.

 ‭(Hidden)‬ 2-3:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions F

F1. Intersectionality of Peer Support in Child Welfare

Presenter(s): DeA​nna Cobun, Rachel Belanger​, Jessica Monague, Samantha Copus, Elyse Harvey, Alyssa Hake, Jonisha Neita, & Jordyn Otto, Parent Partner, Parents Supporting Parents​​

Parents encounter numerous systems while they are in the child welfare system. Parent Partners help a parent navigate resources that are available in their community, while meeting goals amongst providers and informal supports. Parent partners build relationships with the families to better connect them with the child welfare system through their empathy and lived experience.     

  1. Inclusion of resilience principles and practices – There will be an activity that addresses finding multiple resources for those we serve. This activity will conclude with parent partners describing how we work as a team to come up with different solutions to the same questions that are being asked. 
  2. Promotes evidence-based information and best practices – the Parents Supporting Parents model is an evidence-based program that came out of Iowa. The state has incorporated the current Parent Partners in the make-up of the program while holding the fidelity in the program in high regard.
  3. Demonstrates aspects of effective peer support within community services of mental health and substance use recovery – Much of the work that is done by the parent partners is in partnership with mental health and substance use recovery and collaborating with a team.
  4. Explore innovative applications of peer support – the Parents Supporting Parents model supports the collaborative approach of peer support. This means that the team is working together to come up with solutions to barriers that are keeping families from meeting their return conditions.

F2. The Good, The Bad and The Kind of Ugly: Lessons Learned while Integrating Peer Specialists into a System of Care ​

Presenter(s): Leanne Delstart, MS​, Integrated Services Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Wraparound Milwaukee and Owner of LND Consulting, LLC​ & Jill Clopper, CPS, Lead Family Support for Children's Community Mental Health Services and Wraparound Milwaukee

This workshop will walk through our journey over the past 3 years of integrating both Peer and Parent Peer Specialists into the Wraparound Milwaukee system of care. Our Lead Parent Peer Specialist and our Integrated Services Manager will discuss all the ins and outs, ups and downs, successes and failures of the pilot project. Hear about how funding was secured, positions crafted, educating the workforce, and more.​

  1. Understand the flexible planning and implementation process of integrating Peer and Parent Peer Specialists at all levels of the organization. 
  2. Identify the unique perspective of lived experience and understand the value and necessity of this perspective in program development and growth. 

F3. From Insight to Empowerment: The Synergy of Peer Support and Harm Reduction.​

Presenter(s): Joseph Galey, Certified Peer Specialist, trained Doula, and dedicated harm reductionist, & Jake Niesen​, Public Health Program Coordinator

Embark on a transformative journey as we navigate from insightful perspectives to the empowerment of individuals with the synergy of peer support and harm reduction. Explore how lived experiences provide profound insight, but true empowerment emerges through embracing bodily autonomy, choice, and unwavering respect and advocacy for the rights of individuals navigating their unique paths of mental health and drug use.

  1. Explore the principles of harm reduction and dispel common myths and misconceptions.
  2. Investigate how stigma and shame contribute to barriers in accessing care for mental health and substance use.
  3. Discover the inherent alignment between harm reduction and peer support principles.​
  4. Identify actionable practices for empowerment through harm reduction and fostering compassion in peer support.

F4. Key Elements of Peer Support Programs Focused on Recovery and Reentry in Community-Based Organizations  

Presenter(s): Kelli Brown, MPH, DrPH(C)

The variation of program structure among organizations that facilitate peer support programs can lead to challenges for organizations implementing new programs or evaluating existing ones. Community organizations at different stages of implementing peer support programs have shared their unique approaches to supporting individuals in recovery or reentry. This session will delve into the most impactful components that drive the success of these programs, sharing valuable insights and strategies to overcome common challenges faced by organizations in this field.

  1. Highlight foundational components of peer support programs, including staffing, funding sources, leadership and reporting structure, partnerships, resources, and unique approaches to peer-support programs
  2. Identify contextual barriers and facilitators to successful peer support programs
  3. Inform the development and delivery of peer support programs focused on recovery and reentry 

F5. Challenging Organizational Norms and Paving the Way for Equity

Presenter(s): Abigail Spanjers, Executive Director 

We will challenge our views on traditional organizational structure and show how tapping into the skillsets of the entire team can close wage gaps and create community. We will review how The La Crosse Lighthouse flattened its structure and provided opportunity for growth and development.​

  1. We will learn about challenging what we have come to accept as normal hierarchal organizational structure.
  2. We will learn how to use the skillsets that already exist with the current staff to trim the budget, provide opportunities for growth and lessen the wage gap between administrative and direct staff.
  3. We will learn how respecting all positions as essential will inevitably build and grow a strong organization impacting staff turnover and job satisfaction.​

F6. Embodied Reflective Listening Practice Workshop

Presenter(s): Virginia Wilcox​​, Mental Health Peer Support Specialist

Embodied Reflective Listening is a simple (though not easy) technique to repeat back what you have heard the other person say (in as close to their own words as possible), while also including observations about voice, gesture and expression as well as the impact on the listener (you) and what sensations and emotions are evoked in the present moment as you listen. Our 90 minute workshop will include some simple guidance about how to practice and then partnering up with fellow peers to try out the guided techniques of Embodied Reflective Listening and gain through experiential learning the insight and deeper connection that you can gain by listening with the body, reflecting back the words and then asking "How does it feel to hear that reflected back to you?" Come try it out​.​

  1. Participants will gain confidence in their listening skills and trust in themselves that they don't ever have worry about "what to say" when they can instead learn to focus on repeating back what they've heard.
  2. Integration of the technique into their listening tool box. Experiential learning is essential to integrating this practice an begin to try it out with peers. This 90 minute workshop will allow the peer to take risks and experiment with these new ways of communicating and help to integrate this into their own style of listening and communication.
  3. Heart-felt connection!!! Connecting with other peers in a context where they will feel seen and heard. This is a natural bi-product of the practice. You also get to feel the impact of the nurturing of your partner's listening. It's win-win with reflective listening practice (and it's fun too).​​

 Lodging

A block of rooms is available at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center. Reser​vations should be made online to avoid excessive wait times and resort fees. The lodging block ends March 15, 2025 or when the block is full.​​


UWSP Continuing Education​ Conference Planning Team, does not have control over Kalahari policies or room rates once the room block expires or fills to capacity. A one-night deposit is required at the time of reservation.  

Important Information from the Kalahari
Per their policy, the Kalahari does not accept completed Credit Card Letter of Authorization forms, Tax Exemption forms, nor Purchase Orders at hotel check-in. They have a dedicated team that pre-approves these forms to ensure validity prior to check-in.  These forms should be submitted no later than 7 days prior to check-in via email or fax 608-254-6116.

The Kalahari highly suggests attendees submit these forms at least two weeks in advance of check-in so their team can process them in a timely manner. Failure to follow this procedure may result in full room and tax charges to your personal card, since their Front Desk will not accept these forms at check-in. The Kalahari General Policy Page explains their policies in full detail. 

Kalahari FAQ
Additional Information about Staying at the Kalahari

 Presenter Biographies

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Meet the presenters and panelists joining us for the 2025​ Peer Recovery Conference. 

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Continuing Education Hours (CEHs)

Continuing Education Hours are a measure of participation in continuing education programs. Individuals should consult with their professional association and/or licensing board regarding the applicability of the conference for their profession. It is the individual's responsibility to report CEHs earned to their appropriate credential or licensing board.

The 2024 Wisconsin Peer Recovery Conference is seeking for approval for 17.0 CEHs from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Department of Sociology and Social Work. Pre-conference​ participants can receive up to 3.0 CEHs. Conference attendees can receive up to 11.0 CEHs. Those who attend both the pre-conference and conference can receive up to 17.0 CEHs. A link will be provided after the conference for registrants to provide feedback to the conference. Upon completion of that, participants will be directed to the CEH form to receive a printable, personalized CEH Certificate of Completion via email.

 Special Dietary Needs

UWSP Continuing Education works hard to communicate all special meal requests and allergies to the conference venue. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we cannot guarantee all special dietary needs can be met. If you have dietary needs (i.e., kosher, low salt, low carb, keto, etc.), you may wish to make alternative meal arrangements. 

Conference fees cannot be adjusted due to special dietary needs. ​

 Special Accommodations

Facilitating ADA supports is important to UWSP and ILR. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least three weeks in advance of the conference. Special dietary needs and requests can be made during registration. Please contact UWSP Continuing Education at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu for more information.

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​​​2025 Conference Sponsors


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2024 Cancellation Policy 

Cancellations/ Substitutions/No Shows: Per the agreed to terms and conditions, full refunds granted upon receipt of written request to uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu. Request must be received by March 24, 2024. Refunds requested between March 25, 2024 and April 3, 2024 will be assessed a $50 processing fee. No refunds will be given on or after April 4, 2024. Substitutions can be made at any time, but no shows will be responsible for the full conference fee.

Last minute registrations cannot be guaranteed meals or materials. Cancelling your hotel room does not cancel your conference registration. You will need to contact UWSP Continuing Education at the above address to make the cancellation.​​

Contact Information


For questions about the conference, contact Nicole Ravens, Conference Coordinator:

Nicole Ravens, Conference Coordinator
Independent Living Resources
608-787-1111

For questions regarding your registration, email uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu or call Continuing Education at 715-346-3838.  

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