KPSS Exam Flashcards
What is meant by the term peer support?
Peer Support is the ACT of people who have had similar experiences with mental illnesses/substance use disorders giving each other encouragement, hope, assistance, guidance, and understanding that aids in recovery. It can be done anytime or anywhere when two or more peers are in a mutual , supportive relationship.
What is the SAMHSA working definition of recovery?
A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
There are four dimensions of recovery: Health, Home, Purpose, and Community.
What is the difference between a recovery story and an illness story?
An Illness story (“Drama and Trauma”)focuses on challenges, symptoms, and treatments, emphasizing deficiencies and problems.
A recovery story focuses on overcoming challenges, choices, and responsibility, emphasizing strengths and opportunities.
Why is telling a recovery story helpful to clients and staff?
Recovery stories help clients know that they are not alone, that they are not their illness, and that recovery is possible. Recovery stories give hope.
Recovery stories help staff by reminding them of how far they’ve come, and helping them find meaning and purpose in their experiences.
List the 5 stages of recovery, and describe the corresponding experiences of a person in each stage.
- Impact of illness: Overwhelmed by symptoms, difficulty functioning
- Life is limited: Gives in to the disabling power of the illness, redefines self as the illness, does not have hope and is not ready/able to change
- Change is possible: Questions the power of the illness, begins to believe that life could be different and better even
- Commitment to change: Challenges the disabling power of the illness, believes there are other possibilities, willing to explore what it will take to make some changes
- Actions for change: Moving Beyond the disabling power of the illness, knows where he or she wants to go, not sure if he or she can do it, but willing to begin to take responsibility for their life.
List the 5 stages of recovery, and describe the corresponding danger a person experiences in each stage.
- Impact of Illness: The person will re-define identity in behavioral health terminology that will automatically limit their future
- Life is limited: The person will have identified so strongly with the negative stigma of the illness that he or she cannot see any possibilty
- Change is possible: He or she will be afraid to take necessary risks, or be discouraged to do so, and remain in the “life is limited” stage
- Commitment to Change: The individual will not get the skills, resources, and supports that he or she needs to do what they want; become frustrated, and give up
- Actions for Change: The individual will begin to doubt his or her ability to function on their own and/or take responsibility for their life
List the 5 stages of recovery, and describe the corresponding Role of Services in each stage.
- Impact of illness: decrease emotional distress by reducing the symptoms, communicate that there is life after diagnosis
- Life is limited: Instill hope, Instill a sense of possibility, rebuild a positive self-image
- Change is possible: Help the individual see that they are not so limited by the illness and in order to move on, he or she will need to take some risks.
- Commitment to change: Help the individual take initial steps by helping them identify strengths and needs in terms of skills, resources, and supports.
- Actions for change: Equip the individual with the necessary skills, resources, and supports so that he or she can trust in their own decision-making ability and take more responsibility for their life.
What is meant by the statement: “The absence of negative messages is more important than the presence of positive messages.”?
We have a tendency to latch on to negative messages. We protect our beliefs by filtering out messages/information that contradicts them and letting in messages/information that supports them. Therefore, if our beliefs about ourselves are negative, then we will hold on to negative messages, because they reinforce our beliefs. At the same time, we will filter out any positive statements, as they contradict our negative view of ourselves. The greatest barriers to recovery are often the negative messages that re-enforce a person’s negative self-image and negative self-talk.
What does the term “behavioral health” mean?
Behavioral health includes both mental disorders and substance use disorders.
What is one way to state the Ethic of Reciprocity?
The ethic of reciprocity can be stated using the “golden rule”: Do unto others as they would have done unto them. In other words, treat others the way they want to be treated.
You can change behavior by changing beliefs. What are the two ways to change a person’s beliefs?
- Over-power the filter system so that it cannot filter out the contradicting messages
- Conversion-change experiences to change beliefs
What was the importance of Courtenay Harding’s longitudinal study of people who had been deinstitutionalized in the 1960s?
The 1987 study showed that recovery is possible. It showed that people who have been very disabled by a severe mental illness could live a meaningful and productive life in the community when given the right skills, resources, and supports.
What does it mean for a behavioral health system to embrace trauma-informed care?
They make a shift from asking clients, “What is wrong with you?” to asking them, “What happened to you?”.
Which of the following describes open, honest question?
a. Are leading and guiding
b. Can't be answered with 1-2 words
c. You don't know the answer to and/or don't want to
know the "right" answer
d. Ask who, what, where, when, and how
e. Are "reflective" questions
f. Ask whyb. Can’t be answered with 1-2 words
c. You don’t know the answer to and/or don’t want to
know the “right” answer
d. Ask who, what, where, when, and how
Which of the following are things a peer specialist should do if an individual they are working with appears to be having suicidal thoughts?
a. Ask them, either indirectly or directly, if they are
thinking of suicide
b. Listen to them and try to convince them to get help
c. Talk to your supervisor, or any available clinician
immediately
d. Ignore them because only clinicians can discuss suicide
a. Ask them, either indirectly or directly, if they are
thinking of suicide
b. Listen to them and try to convince them to get help
c. Talk to your supervisor, or any available clinician
immediately
Which three questions might a Kentucky Peer Support Specialist ask an individual to help them move through their fears?
a. What is the fear keeping you from doing?
b. What supports are available to you?
c. How does the fear make you feel?
d. Why are you willing to continue being afraid?
a. What is the fear keeping you from doing?
b. What supports are available to you?
c. How does the fear make you feel?
