The Peer Employment Learning Center (PELC) was introduced to our Crestwood Bakersfield campus (PHF, MHRC, and the Bridge) in August 2022 when the leadership team had the opportunity to go through the 80-hour intensive training to learn about the role of peer support specialists and gain an in-depth understanding of recovery and resiliency. “It was a life-changing experience, individually and as a team,” said Sukhdeep Kaur, Campus Administrator. “We learned more about ourselves, our own recovery, and the resiliency that we practice so consistently but sometimes forget to recognize. Thank you to the PELC team for introducing this amazing opportunity to our campus!”
Sixteen persons served from the Bakersfield MHRC and the Bridge also went through the 80-hour Peer Support Specialist training, with an additional 100-hour internship led by Theresa Sorensen and supported by Dreamcatchers. The paid internship allowed the PELC participants to put their skills to practice.
The training, internship, and everyone’s collective efforts culminated in the PELC graduation on March 17, 2023. “We are very proud of our graduates who worked tirelessly to complete this course and the internship hours. During this course, they learned that RECOVERY IS REAL and possible, and it is individualized for each person. Thank you to our great mentors who took on this responsibility without any hesitation and have given 100% to help our interns succeed!” says the Bakersfield campus leadership.
Recovery is not just related to people. Organizations recover. There was a time when Crestwood saw ourselves as behavioral health facilities; today we are centers of recovery and resilience. We are places of healing. We are recovering and Crestwood Bakersfield’s Peer Employment Learning Center experience is compelling evidence that organizations recover side by side with the people we employ and the people we are privileged to serve.
Congratulations to the entire Bakersfield campus for your commitment to recovery, resilience, and culture change!