Park County drop-in center keeps limited hours while seeking certified peer-support staff and fundraising

The Park County Local Mental Health Advisory Council heard an update on May 15 that the county's drop-in center is operating on reduced hours while leaders work to recruit certified peer-support specialists.

"We are still open Monday, Wednesday, Fridays, from 10:30 to 04:30," said Jenny Jo, a drop-in center representative, adding that Wednesday hours are "very tentative" because the program is relying on volunteers. She said the center will maintain those hours until it hires peer-support specialists who meet state certification requirements.

The council discussed why recruitment has been difficult. Jenny Jo said one state requirement is a minimum of two years of recovery for peer-support certification, which narrows the candidate pool. "One of the requirements that's just making it really difficult to find candidates is that the state requires a minimum of 2 years of recovery," she said. She added the center puts trainees through certification and that the cost of training is reimbursed by the state.

Council members urged active recruitment and noted timing constraints in certification availability. Jenny Jo said the next certification training is in June and that subsequent trainings may not occur until October or December, increasing urgency to fill positions before the summer schedule gaps.

The council also discussed fundraising and operating budgets for the drop-in center. A council member said the fundraising goal for the center this year is $30,000 and that the center is participating in the Giveahoot fundraiser: early giving starts June 24 and the kickoff is July 1. Jenny Jo said she has applied for Murdoch's Roundup and expects about three months to hear back.

Julie Anderson, vice chair of the advisory council, and other members volunteered to help publicize the center and locate potential candidates. The council did not take a formal vote on staffing or funding at the May 15 meeting; members agreed to continue outreach and report back at the June meeting.

Background: The drop-in center is run with a combination of volunteers and paid positions; state reimbursement for peer-support certification was described in the meeting as the mechanism the center uses to offset training costs. The council noted that expanding hours depends on hiring certified peer-support specialists and on availability of future training sessions.