Global Peer Support Celebration Day is held the third Thursday in October, honors the life-changing role of peer support in mental health and recovery. At New Narrative, we are proud to celebrate this day and the exceptional work of our peer support team, who foster healing and connection in our community.
What is Peer Support?
The concept of peer support in mental health dates back to the self-help movement of the 1970s. Individuals who survived psychiatric hospital abuses united to support each other and advocate for their rights. They recognized that recovery went beyond symptom management–it was about reclaiming their lives and building meaningful futures.
Thanks to these early pioneers and decades of growing evidence around the practice, the peer support workforce now numbers over 30,000 supporters across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Recognized as evidence-based by the Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration (SAHMSA), peer support is now Medicaid-reimbursable in more than 41 states, including Oregon.
Peer support specialists serve in diverse settings, from criminal justice to housing services and crisis hotlines, modeling recovery, and supporting others’ wellbeing. New Narrative’s peer staff work throughout the agency, from residential treatment facilities to drop-in centers to strategic planning roles including executive leadership. We offer five dedicated peer programs across the Portland metro; learn more about them here.
Why Global Peer Support Day Matters
Global Peer Support Day is more than a celebration. It acknowledges the vital role peer support plays in transforming lives. New Narrative Peer Supervisor Belinda D Mercado said, “Peer Support Day matters because it recognizes the power of lived experience in helping others heal and grow. It’s a day to honor the compassion, resilience, and connection that peer specialists bring to their work every day.”
Research shows peer support improves mental health outcomes, increases engagement in treatment, and reduces stigma. By guiding from lived experience, peer specialists build a unique sense of trust and empowerment. “Peer support teaches us that our stories aren’t burdens to hide, but bridges to understanding,” said Haven Taylor, New Narrative’s Vice President of Peer Services. “Through connection, honesty, and shared humanity, we create spaces where both giving and receiving are acts of courage,” she says.
New Narrative’s Peer Programs: A Community Built on Support
Peer support is central to New Narrative’s work. More than 40% of the agency’s workforce reported lived experience in the most recent staff survey. Peer specialists at New Narrative are trained professionals who bring their lived experience into their role, providing vital support to individuals navigating mental health recovery journeys. Through one-on-one connections, peer-led groups, and community-building initiatives, peers create a space where everyone feels heard, respected, and in charge of setting and reaching goals. “Peers have turned lived experience into purpose, walking alongside others with empathy and hope,” Belinda said.
New Narrative’s Team-Based Care approach emphasizes that recovery is collective. Peer support is integral to our holistic, person-centered care model, recognizing that healing means building meaningful lives in a community—not just managing mental health symptoms. For Robert Sanders, Peer Manager of Youth Services, the work is personal:
“For me, peer support has always been about turning pain into purpose. The greatest honor in this work is seeing that glimmer of hope reignited for someone else, just as it once did for me. It reminds me that our stories are not isolated; they’re shared, and their power lives through connection, hope, and purpose.”
Learn more about New Narrative’s peer support programs and how peer support impacts lives; visit our peer support page.
