Variability in the Integration of Peers in a Multi-site Digital Mental Health Innovation Project.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Mental Healthcare Integration
• Peer Support Services

Background:

• Peer support specialists, individuals with lived experience in mental health recovery, are becoming a reimbursable service in US mental health care.
• The Help@Hand project aimed to integrate peers into developing and delivering digital mental health interventions across multiple California sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the diverse integration methods of peer support specialists within a multi-site digital mental health innovation project.
• To analyze the evolving roles and contributions of peers throughout the project lifecycle.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining quarterly online surveys and semi-annual semi-structured interviews with key informants.
• Quantitative data summarized descriptively; qualitative data analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis.
• Integration of qualitative quotes to contextualize quantitative findings.

Main Results:

• Peers were involved in various activities, including training material development (78.6%), community outreach (64.3%), technology testing (85.7%), piloting (90.9%), digital literacy training (71.4%), device distribution (63.6%), and technical assistance (72.7%).
• Peer-engaged activities evolved across project phases, with digital literacy training and technology support being crucial for implementation.
• Data collected from 117 surveys and 46 interviews across 14 sites between September 2020 and January 2023.

Conclusions:

• Peer support specialists can be integrated across a broad spectrum of activities in digital mental health interventions.
• The engagement of peers in digital health initiatives is multifaceted and adaptable to project needs.
• Considering site-specific readiness is essential for optimizing peer integration and maximizing their impact in mental health programs.