Identifying consumer-provider benefits in evaluations of consumer-delivered services

Consumer-delivered services are different in many ways from traditional mental health services and require unique approaches to how they are studied. This includes attending to benefits to both consumer-providers as well as to program participants. A qualitative study was conducted to systematically examine consumer-provider benefits. A thematic analysis of interviews with 14 peer providers from Friends Connections, a peer-support program for persons with recurring mental health and substance use disorders, was conducted. Responses indicate that peer providers benefit from their roles as helpers, a finding consistent with the helper-therapy principle. Implications for research and policy are discussed.