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The purpose of this paper is to examine the gap between recovery-oriented processes and clinical outcomes in peer support, an exemplar of recovery-oriented services, and offer suggestions for bridging this gap.

This viewpoint is a brief review of literature on peer support services and gaps in outcome measurement towards building an evidence base for recovery-oriented services.

Clinical outcomes like hospitalizations or symptoms remain a focus of research, practice and policy in recovery-oriented services and contribute to a mixed evidence base for peer support services, in which recovery-oriented outcomes like empowerment, self-efficacy and hopefulness have more evidentiary support. One approach is to identify the theoretical underpinnings of peer support services and the corresponding change mechanisms in models that would make these recovery-oriented outcomes mediators or process outcomes. A better starting point is to consider which outcomes are valued by the people who use services and develop an evaluation approach according to those stated goals. User driven measurement approaches and more participatory types of research can improve both the quality and impact of health and mental health services.

This viewpoint provides a brief review of peer support services and the challenges of outcome measurement in establishing an evidence base and recommends user driven measurement as a starting point in evaluation of recovery-oriented services.

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a third-sector community review into peer-to-peer best practices in mental health service provision in Sussex. This community initiative was funded by the Big Lottery to explore the benefits of the peer-led approach on individual and public health outcomes and identify avenues for partnership working.

A total of 131 participants who had engaged with peer-to-peer services both as receivers and providers of support were invited to share knowledge and best-practice expertise via a survey, focus groups and a public consultation day.

This case study review suggests peer-to-peer support services as an innovative approach to reducing suicide, self-harm, reliance on public health services (GPs, hospital stays, etc.) and engaging with drugs, alcohol and criminal activity. In addition to offering a holistic and social approach to mental health, it further identifies that engagement in peer-to-peer activities potentially provide long-term benefits by reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions and treatment. This review highlights the importance of third-sector groups in providing peer-to-peer mental health support services. It recommends a network of Peer-to-Peer services to share best practices and improve partnership working.

Conducted by and for people with personal or family experiences with mental health challenges, this review captures the often inaccessible ideas of a highly marginalised group. It communicates how they would prefer to work in partnership with academic institutions, public and statutory service to improve individual and community health outcomes.

As peer support services have become increasingly used in mental health settings as a recovery-oriented practice, so has the body of published research on this approach to care. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on the current evidence base for peer support for adults with mental illness in two domains: mental health and recovery, and physical health and wellness.

To provide a robust, non-redundant, and up-to-date review, first the authors searched for meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Second, the authors found individual studies not included in any of the reviews.

Peer services are generally equally effective to services provided by non-peer paraprofessionals on traditional clinical outcomes. Although some studies found peer services to be effective at reducing hospitalization rates and symptom severity, as a whole, the current evidence base is confounded by heterogeneity in programmatic characteristics and methodological shortcomings. On the other hand, the evidence is stronger for peer support services having more of a positive impact on levels of hope, empowerment, and quality of life.

In addition to the need for further high-quality research on peer support in mental and physical health domains, the authors also question whether measures of hope, empowerment, and integration into the community are more relevant to recovery than traditional clinical outcomes.

This paper provides an original, robust, and up-to-date review of the evidence for peer services.

This paper aims to provide a summary of where peer support currently sits in the UK mental health services policy and practice. It presents an overview of models of peer support; the UK national policy on peer support; evidence of the benefits of peer support; case studies of recent and continuing peer support in action; challenges facing peer support; and suggestions for developing peer support in the future.

The paper selects and discusses evidence from academic literature and policy and practice on peer support within the UK.

The evidence base demonstrating the benefits of peer support in mental health across the UK is increasing. This has persuaded UK governmental bodies to encourage the development of peer support services, of which there is a number of models and examples, although the current economic climate poses challenges to their development.

Historically, peer support in mental health services across the UK has developed piecemeal. But at a time when policy-makers, health practitioners and people who use mental health services are increasingly recognising the benefits of peer support, this paper draws key evidence together and provides pointers towards the future development of such services.

This paper aims to explore the feasible mining and proper selection of QoS‐aware services for a P2P‐based business process enactment framework, and enhance the relevant workflow prototype. Design/methodology/approach – Through observing and analysing unpredictable dynamic changes that commonly exist in e‐service workflow, a set of QoS specifications and monitoring mechanisms in a P2P workflow framework is proposed. These specifications are an evolving extension of services' description with semantic web facilitators for P2P‐based e‐services.

It has been demonstrated that the QoS‐OWL approach can be effectively used to describe and exploit e‐services, particularly in a decentralised environment. QoS‐OWL is also able to provide the deliberation of geographic information for e‐services, and facilitates the peers' effective cooperation and automates business processes. It is recommended that the approach be adopted in the dynamic online information system environment to increase efficiency and reduce costs in running e‐services.

The QoS attributes discussed in this paper are relatively typical for benchmarking purposes, so the extension of the QoS metrics specifications and related protocols need to be discussed in future work.

The authors propose an approach to dynamically selecting appropriate service‐oriented peers in a P2P network, where the composition of e‐services in a business process can be enhanced significantly. The approach is based on ontology and QoS perspectives, and the descriptions of services have rich semantic features in an attempt to make the service selection more intelligent and reliable. Therefore the proposal offers e‐service providers innovative initiatives to re‐engineer their business services.

This paper aims to focus on The Pillars of Peer Support initiative, an ongoing project to examine and develop the principles of peer support services. These services are differentiated from peer support and define the parameters of a certified workforce that promotes recovery and fosters wellbeing. This process is based upon the lived experience of the peer support specialist.

A review of the literature indicates that a range of models and activities for peer support services have been developed, and established outcomes for these services are emerging. Since Medicaid has defined peer support services as reimbursable, the workforce has continued to expand. The Pillars of Peer Support initiative is designed to provide a standard set of principles to guide states in their work with Medicaid, and others in the development of this workforce.

The results of three Pillars of Peer Support summits are presented. This includes the 25 Pillars that have been developed and their role and use in state funded and other services. Additional findings support the process through which states and others can build these resources. A statement of how Peer Support Services fit within an essential health benefits package is also included.

The workforce of certified peer specialists is rapidly expanding. Their role in providing peer support services is identified, and principles to guide their professional roles are presented. This will help guide the field in the development and deployment of this important component of the healthcare delivery system.

Implementing peer-to-peer learning models within an academic library environment presents several benefits and challenges. This study explores the effectiveness of integrating peer-assisted learning in research services and considers the impact on those providing support and those seeking assistance. A more comprehensive understanding of peer education approaches in research support services will benefit academic libraries interested in incorporating this model.

This article showcases case study data from the reference and instruction peer-led learning programs at California State University Fullerton's Pollak Library, incorporating library interns and student assistants trained to provide front line research support to fellow students from 2019 to 2022. Feedback was collected across the learning experience from student facilitators, patrons assisted and participating library supervisors.

Project data demonstrates that incorporating students in traditional academic library research services nurtures experiential learning and serves as an effective high-impact practice. Additionally, peer-led programs contribute to a helpful, welcoming atmosphere for library users and help connect libraries to the communities they serve.

Exploring survey data and student reflections, this combined study highlights advantages and implications of incorporating peer learning programs in research services in both formal and informal instruction environments. Results also reveal promising methods for recruitment, training and sustainable program development for libraries considering this approach.

This paper aims to describe both the development of a peer research consultant program – using student assistants to staff the reference desk with minimal supervision while providing high-quality research assistance to their undergraduate peers, and the steps taken to create buy-in for the program from campus and librarians.

The authors provide a description of peer reference services and describe how a remodel of the library building facilitated a redesign of services. The paper covers the process of developing program guidelines, securing funding, expectations of peer research consultants, the training process and lessons learned from a medium-sized academic library.

The findings after the first year demonstrate that undergraduates are highly skilled at providing high-quality reference services when provided with quality training and support. In addition, undergraduate students are now seeking out peer researchers for assistance with research items such as topic formation, keyword development in databases and proper citations.

No formal research or assessment of the program has been completed as of this time.

Well-trained Peer Research Consultants (PRCs) provide valued assistance to librarians in freshman composition classes, at the Ask Us reference desk, and to their peers. The program has allowed librarians to provide more outreach to their subject areas.

Students prefer going to their peers for research assistance rather than a professional librarian when given the choice. The training the PRCs are provided by librarians provides credibility and trust, which encourages undergraduate students to approach PRCs for assistance.

This paper draws on multiple iterations of peer reference models to create an original program, involving training student employees to provide reference services at a paraprofessional level, as well as providing the methodology for other academic libraries to develop and launch a similar program.

Peer support and other consumer-provided services have burgeoned within the USA during the past 30 years and are now a central component of mental health services nationally. However, their growth has been uneven and somewhat dependent on state initiatives, policies, and funding. Recent programs have matured along myriad paths, resulting in a variety of program typologies, service structures, and funding streams, but with common values, missions, and principles. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The landscape of peer specialist services in the USA, as well as innovations afoot, is reviewed. The empirical information that speaks to the efficacy of peer support and the need to better understand the mechanisms by which it is effective is described.

Although peer support has grown exponentially across the USA, its growth has been uneven. Evidence suggests that peer specialists experience role ambiguity within many existing programs and systems. Though the empirical evidence for peer services has grown, research has been most favorable for manualized, group interventions. There is still a need to better understand how individual peer support is beneficial and effective, and how individual peer support can best be utilized to promote the best outcomes for those served.

In order for the workforce of peer support specialists to continue to grow and for services to be responsive and innovative, we need to better understand the mechanisms by which peer support is beneficial and how it can be structured and delivered to promote the best outcomes for those served. The “core conditions” of helping relationships promulgated decades ago by Rogers along with research on self-disclosure may be useful frameworks for understanding and researching the effectiveness of peer support.

More research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of peer support services and how best to insure that they are well-integrated into the mental health programs and systems in which they serve.

There is a need to understand why peer support is effective and how best to sustain peer specialists in their roles within the mental health system.

The purpose of this paper is to outline what peer support is, covering its history, variations and benefits, then goes on to discuss what the challenges have been to authenticity and what the future holds for peer support.

The authors argue for the necessity of service user leadership in peer support based on both the Service User Involvement Directorate’s (SUID’s) experience and UK-wide learning.

Peer support brings wellbeing and confidence benefits both to the supporter and the supported. However, the lack of understanding of what peer support is, the current climate of austerity and over-professionalisation can threaten the transformational power of genuine peer support.

Peer support is always evolving, and there are areas like the criminal justice service and secure services where more work needs to be done.

Commissioners/funders of mental health services should recognise the value of peer support and its potential for better wellbeing outcomes, while understanding the necessity of service user leadership to maximise its beneficial potential.

The paper looks at peer support at the point in time a decade after the formation of the SUID at Together and four years since the UK mental health strategy No Health Without Mental Health (Department of Health, 2011) and explores the challenges faced at a time when the value of peer support is generally accepted in legislation.