OCTOBER 20259GOV BUSINESS REVIEWrecovery models, but in ethics, trauma-informed care, crisis navigation and professional boundaries. Their role demands emotional intelligence, cultural competence and the ability to hold space for another person's pain without reactivating their own.The Risks of UnderinvestmentWithout adequate oversight and ongoing support, even the most committed peer workers can find themselves in over their heads. I've seen programs where new peer staff were given titles but no training, placed in high-stress environments without proper supervision or asked to serve in dual roles that compromised their recovery.This isn't just a workforce development issue, it's a public safety concern. When peer roles are poorly defined or inconsistently managed, the result can be confusion, harm and lost credibility for the entire field. Worse, we own retraumatizing individuals who came into this work with the purest intentions.What We Can Do DifferentlyIf we truly believe in the power of peer support, we must build systems that honor both the worker and the work. That starts with:· Clear certification pathways that balance lived experience with core competencies· Professional supervision models that provide mentorship, accountability and clinical consultation when needed· Role clarity, so peers are not asked to do the work of therapists, case managers or law enforcement· Ongoing mental health and recovery support for peer workers themselves, because they are not immune to relapse, grief or burnoutWe must also listen. People with lived experience should not only fill support roles, they should have seats at decision-making tables. Too often, policy is created about peers, without them. That must change.A Moment of Reckoning and OpportunityFentanyl has rewritten the rules. It is faster, deadlier and more unpredictable than the substances that came before it. Our response must evolve accordingly. That means integrating harm reduction strategies, expanding access to evidence-based treatment and yes, investing deeply in peer-led recovery models.CPSW's are more than a compassionate workforce. They are a public health intervention. Their insight is not ancillary, it's essential. But the full potential of this work will only be realized when we treat it with the structure, respect and resources it deserves.In New Mexico, OPRE continues to explore how best to support, professionalize and protect peer roles within a broader system of care. It's not perfect, and there's always more to learn, but I believe our willingness to keep improving is what matters most.At the same time, we face real threats. The current administration is considering funding cuts that could significantly impact peer support programs nationwide. In this climate, investing in peer-led models isn't just wise, it's urgent.Let us build systems where lived experience is not only acknowledged but empowered, where recovery is not a requirement for silence, but a foundation for meaningful contribution."There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in." ~Desmond Tutu~ For individuals navigating recovery, connection can be more powerful than instruction. Peer workers bridge gaps that no policy or provider can fully reach. They humanize systems that too often dehumanize.
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