STEP Seniors and Trauma survivors Empowerment Program Peer Companion Curriculum Chương Trình Sức Khoẻ Tinh Thần Cho Người Cao Niên Boat People SOS, Inc. Center for the Advancement of Public Health Funded by a grant from Co-Sponsored by The Seniors and Trauma survivors Empowerment Program (STEP) Peer Companion Curriculum was prepared by professionals at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health (GMU’s CAPH), in collaboration with BPSOS STEP project staff. The STEP project was initiated in October, 2005. This curriculum was developed with guidance of the STEP Advisory Committee; the initial content developer of each session is identified in the sessions. David S. Anderson, Ph.D. Professor of Education and Human Development Director, Center for the Advancement of Public Health George Mason University Nguyễn Định Thắng, Ph.D. Executive Director, Boat People SOS, Inc. Robert C. Weigl, Ph.D. Director and Clinical Psychologist, The Franklin Center, Alexandria, Virginia Boat People SOS Staff Thu Nguyễn, MA , Project Director Hiền Đặng, Program Manager Xuân Thanh Lê, Senior Services Specialist Celine Dương, MA, MSc, Case Manager Dương Hoàng, MS, LPC, Clinical Services Manager STEP Advisory Board David Anderson, Ph.D. George Mason University Candace Parham, M.S. George Mason University Fred Bemak, Ph.D. George Mason University Richard Spector, M.A. Fairfax-Falls Church CSB Rita Chung, Ph.D. George Mason University Robert Weigl, Ph.D. The Franklin Center Elizabeth Hanfman, M.A. George Mason University Special thanks to these volunteers: Schlese Castilla, MA, AmeriCorps Member Loan Nguyễn, Senior Community Service Employment Program Lân T. Diệp, Community Volunteer Editor Boat People SOS, Inc. 6066 Leesburg Pike, Suite 100 Falls Church, VA 22041 Phone: (703) 538-2190 www.bpsos.org George Mason University Center for the Advancement of Public Health MS 1 F 5 4260 Chain Bridge Road, Office Suite A-6 Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Phone: (703) 993-3697 www.caph.gmu.edu Funding provided by a grant from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Copyright 2009 PREFACE Community leaders or others who care about the well-being of others are confronted, all-too- often, with issues about the quality of life and mental health of others. While many life chal- lenges exist, some issues are found within various populations in the United States. For ex- ample, among elderly Vietnamese people, it is not uncommon to encounter some or all of the following challenges: living in a country different from your country of origin, living where English is a second language, having to start over with your career, facing torture, losing some or all of your family, experiencing cultural expectations quite different from those faced in your upbringing, gaining access to necessary medical, health or other services, and having these services be culturally appropriate. These situations, and more, served as the documented need for the Seniors and Trauma sur- vivors Empowerment Program (STEP), hosted by Boat People SOS in Northern Virginia. A major part of STEP includes the Peer Companion component. To help prepare Peer Companions to serve in that role – serving as a companion and guide for other Vietnamese elders – a fairly structured training program was developed. This Peer Companion Curricu- lum represents the foundation of this undertaking, providing the background and content for other communities to replicate or adapt this program. The curriculum is organized into three phases, each with eight content sessions. The Peer Companion Curriculum provides learning outcomes, key points, content outline, activities, and reflections suitable for implementation at the local level. While the content was designed for Vietnamese elders, the content and process can be adapted for other audiences and set- tings. The curriculum was well received by the Vietnamese elders in Northern Virginia, and provides a basis for continuing to serve this community in this region. The content was developed by collaborative efforts from several groups. Primary among these was the Advisory Board serving the STEP initiative. This group met monthly to help design the overall project, and worked diligently for three years to prepare culturally appropri- ate and needs-based strategies that would be beneficial for the mental health and well-being of the Vietnamese elders in the region. The collaboration among Boat People SOS, George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, and a local clinical psychologist was instrumental in the concep- tualization, design, implementation and review of this resource. THE STEP program staff was instrumental with this collaboration, and with operationalizing the activities and services for Vietnamese seniors served by the project. The program planners are thankful that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad- ministration (SAMHSA) provided funding for STEP, with an aim of improving mental health among the specified target population. This resource is designed to further extend the nature and scope of these services to other communities and audiences, with an aim of improvement in mental health issues and the quality of life. TABLETABLE OFOF CONTENTSCONTENTS INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1 Phase I: PEER FOUNDATIONS 9 Orientation .................................................................................................................. 11 Being a Change Agent ............................................................................................... 21 Acculturation .............................................................................................................. 35 Aging .......................................................................................................................... 49 Gender Roles .............................................................................................................. 59 Trauma ....................................................................................................................... 69 Mental Health ............................................................................................................ 79 Resources ................................................................................................................... 91 Phase II: INDIVIDUAL AND HELPING SKILLS 99 Knowing Yourself ...................................................................................................... 101 Group Learning ........................................................................................................ 113 Listening Skills .......................................................................................................... 123 Empathy and Motivational Interviewing .................................................................. 135 Questioning and Reframing ..................................................................................... 145 Clarification and Support .......................................................................................... 157 Expectation Management, Problem Solving and Safety ......................................... 169 Caregiving and Emotions ........................................................................................ 179 Phase III: PEER GROUP AND PEER-TO-PEER FACILITATION SKILLS 187 Outreach .................................................................................................................. 189 The Family ............................................................................................................... 201 Group Dynamics ..................................................................................................... 209 Referral and Resources ........................................................................................... 225 Leadership .............................................................................................................. 233 Community Organizing .......................................................................................... 245 Resources and Follow-up ........................................................................................ 261 Challenging Situations............................................................................................. 271 RESOURCES: The STEP Model Evaluation Instrument Exams for Each Phase Sample Certificate DVD Contents: STEP Model Curriculum Evaluation Supplemental Materials STEP - Peer Companion Curriculum INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Welcome! Welcome to the Peer Companion Curriculum!!! This resource is designed as a comprehensive curriculum for preparing community members to reach out to their peers. Emerging out of necessity, this curriculum represents hundreds of hours of professional effort to prepare Vietnamese seniors, including trauma and torture survivors among them, with the knowledge and skills to assist other Vietnamese seniors who struggle with mental illness, depression, assimilation, or even just loneliness. As noted in this section, this document is the culmination of a needs-based and innovative approach to reach Vietnamese elders in the Northern Virginia region. With an overall emphasis on attaining the highest quality of mental health of these individuals, the approach outlined in this resource represents what the authors believe is the most appropriate