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Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey

Margaret Swarbrickab
a
Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey,
Freehold, New Jersey b School of Health Related Professionals, Department of Psychiatric
Rehabilitation and Counseling, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Scotch Plains,
New Jersey

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Mental Health, 25: 3, 224 — 238
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 Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 25:224–238, 2009
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DOI: 10.1080/01642120903083952

Collaborative Support Programs

of New Jersey

MARGARET SWARBRICK
Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives Collaborative Support Programs
of New Jersey, Freehold, New Jersey
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Health Related Professionals,
Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling, Scotch Plains, New Jersey
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INTRODUCTION

This manuscript has revealed the vast array of practical services and
resources that have been designed and delivered by persons living with
mental illness. This article will present a unique service organization, Colla-
borative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSP-NJ). This agency is
considered a leader in creating a vast range of these resources designed to
meet the needs of people living with mental illness. The history of CSP-NJ
parallels the mental health consumer-survivor self-help movement described
in the article ‘‘Historical Perspective—From Institution to Community’’
(this issue). Many of the services portrayed in this issue (self-help centers,
wellness, and recovery programs and the peer employment support project)
were conceived by leaders and innovators at CSP-NJ. This section will offer a
snapshot of some of the other CSP-NJ innovations in order to further demon-
strate how peer-operated services can be an instrumental resource for mental
health systems transformation.

CSP-NJ HISTORY

CSP-NJ is a not-for-profit, peer-operated statewide mental health agency that was

incorporated in 1984. Since the mid 1980s, CSP-NJ has established itself as a
respected innovator of housing, self-help centers, employment, and economic
development services that promote the wellness and recovery of people living
with disabilities. The agency grew from a small grassroots group running three

Address correspondence to Margaret Swarbrick, Institute for Wellness and Recovery

Initiatives Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, 8 Spring St., Freehold, NJ 07728.
E-mail: pswarbrick@cspnj.org

224
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 225

drop-in centers to a statewide organization that is now a nationally recognized

leader in the design and delivery of wellness- and recovery-oriented services that
offer opportunities for people to live, learn, and work in the community of their
choice. Their motto is: ‘‘The greatest resource is the life experiences of persons
working through their own recovery.’’

Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, Inc. (CSP-NJ) is a private

not-for-profit organization. The agency is directed, managed, and
staffed through collaborative efforts of mental health consumers and
non-consumers. CSP-NJ strives to provide individualized, flexible,
community-based services that promote responsibility, recovery, and
wellness. This is done through the creation and administration of
self-help centers, supportive housing, advocacy, and entrepreneurial
programs for adults with mental health issues and other special needs.
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CSP-NJ shares a vision of healing and hope, which is promoted by

choice, freedom, inclusion, and destigmatization. Our greatest resource
is the life experiences of persons working through their own recovery.

Throughout its history CSP-NJ has created services in response to the

needs of people living with a psychiatric disability and who also have extre-
mely low incomes. Initially, the agency attempted to address isolation and
transcend the ‘‘patient role’’ by developing and operating drop-in centers
(now named self-help centers) as well as creating statewide advocacy initia-
tives. They organized educational forums and participated in the national
Alternatives Conference (sponsored by the Center for Mental Health
Services) to network and learn about other innovative, recovery-fostering
alternatives from peers throughout the country. Through active participation
in these forums, they were able to organize, seek funds, and pilot an
innovative housing and support model to address poverty and inadequate
living conditions that impede recovery. By 1989 they had opened the first
peer-run house in Asbury Park. The organization now provides safe, decent,
affordable housing for more than 600 persons in New Jersey. Realizing
the effects of poverty, CSP-NJ created an array of financial services to help
people transcend the poverty trap.
The notion of recovery has always been central to the agency mission
since the very beginning. In 1997, CSP-NJ consciously added the notion of
wellness into the agency mission, services, and administrative policies. Of
particular concern were the issues of mortality and morbidity facing persons
living with mental illness (Parks et al., 2006). The agency started promoting a
wellness approach to mental health recovery (Swarbrick, 2006a) within the
agency structure and throughout the system. CSP-NJ has become an effective
change agent in terms of promoting a system based on wellness and recovery
through the efforts of the Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives.
The agency embraces (and values) innovation and has continued
to challenge the status quo both internally and externally for persons with
 226 M. Swarbrick

mental illness, as perceived not only by themselves, but also the general
population. As they have expanded and diversified, they have continually
challenged themselves to keep abreast of new and effective means of
delivering services. A quality improvement (QI) initiative started in 1998,
and in 2003 the agency adopted a Participatory Action Research (PAR)
approach to QI, out of which was created the Consumer-Operated Mission
Performance: Assessing Services Strategically (COMPASS), an agency-wide
outcomes-based measurement system designed to evaluate the effectiveness
of the CSP-NJ and CEC programs and services.
CSP-NJ believes strongly in work, and the expansion of the agency
services created employment opportunities for many people living with
mental illness. Within all of the services they attempt to help people
transcend the patient role so people who are diagnosed with a mental illness
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can realize and have opportunities to further develop talents, skills, and
abilities so they can participate in as many roles as they define (family
member, worker, community member, citizen of the world, hobbyist, etc.).
The agency’s success and services also impact stigma and discrimination,
as they are evidence that people living with mental illness can accomplish
goals, dreams, and provide a positive contribution to society. The following
section will describe some information regarding services not previously
outlined in this issue.

CSP-NJ SERVICES

Support Services
The support services division of CSP-NJ offers flexible, strength-based
services designed to promote wellness and recovery. As of 2009, the agency
offers statewide support services to about 400 persons living with mental
illness. They offer a menu of support services that help people live success-
fully in safe, decent, accessible, and affordable housing. The support services
division has been placing a lot of focus on offering opportunities for indivi-
duals who may be unnecessarily hospitalized in state facilities for extended
periods of time.
The agency believes that psychiatric rehabilitation values, principles,
and goals (Pratt, Gill, Barrett, & Roberts, 2007) best promote wellness and
recovery, and they have committed themselves to maintain and provide
services that are guided by the psychiatric rehabilitation framework. Staff
has been trained extensively on psychiatric rehabilitation goals, values, and
principles, so that they are able to empower persons served to achieve
valued life roles. The agency supports people’s efforts to return to work
and=or school. Sixty-eight percent of the support service staff has obtained
the Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) certification. This
skill set and knowledge base prepares staff to empower the people they
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 227

serve to strengthen their natural support systems and help them create a
personal Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) as a means of averting
and=or managing personal crises.
Support services will continue to evolve to improve ways of promoting
community integration and offering access to further opportunities for com-
munity participation. CSP-NJ believes that work, in particular, is an important
component of recovery, and they are committed to helping individuals return
to the workforce. In light of the alarmingly high rates of co-morbidity and
early mortality among people living with mental illnesses, they have consid-
erable work to do toward promoting healthy lifestyles for both the staff and
the people they serve.

Supportive Housing Model

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Table 1 outlines the CSP-NJ supportive housing model. The supportive

housing model evolved as an outgrowth of efforts to link permanent housing
options (e.g., apartments, single room occupancy, condominiums, single-
family homes, etc.) with supports needed and desired by residents
(O’Hara & Day, 2001). The model combines access to permanent housing
with services and supports such as case management services, employment

TABLE 1 Supportive Housing Key Elements

Element Description

Personal preference
(provision of options and
choices and the respect
for choices made by the
individual)
Mainstream housing (access
to community housing
that is decent, attractive,
safe, affordable,
accessible, and
permanent)
Flexible support services
(linkages to flexible
supports that are
individualized, accessible,
and consistently
available)
When someone is given options and their personal preference
is respected, they feel a greater sense of control,
responsibility, and ownership, which leads to more positive
outcomes. Providing options in the form of living
arrangements and supports offers an empowering
experience, which can maximize opportunities for success.
Persons served are assisted with locating mainstream housing
sites that maximize community integration and promote
independence. The security of knowing that one’s home will
not be taken away in the event of hospitalization promotes
emotional stability. Homes are located in neighborhoods
that are close to shopping, public transportation, and
recreational opportunities.
Availability of flexible support services based on individual
need rather than on program protocol empowers the
provider to work collaboratively with the individual
holistically, which avoids prescriptive services that engender
dependency. Services are available at various levels of need
and respond to the consumers’ changing needs. Support
appears to be a critical factor in determining whether people
can integrate into the community—accessible and consistent
support can mean the difference between remaining in one’s
home and developing symptoms that force the person
served to be hospitalized.
 228 M. Swarbrick

assistance, substance abuse treatment, and daily living supports (Carling,

1993, 1995). Permanent housing may include single-room occupancy hotels,
scattered sites, or apartments with no predetermined conditions. This type of
housing generally includes access to services in the community—supports
are considered crucial for peers to live independently. The tenant (person
in recovery receiving services) signs a lease and may remain in the housing
as long as they adhere to the requirements of the lease.
Supportive housing services includes but is not limited to medication
management, money management, 24-hr=7-day-a-week crisis intervention,
wellness promotion, transportation, linkage to educational and employment
opportunities, and housing assistance. The combination of affordable
housing and support services is believed to be effective in providing persons
served with opportunities to achieve and maintain stability, facilitate recov-
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ery, and move toward higher levels of well-being. The combination of per-
manent housing with independent service does not require that the person
move as they get ‘‘better’’ or as they experience stressors that exacerbate
symptoms.

Key Element: Personal Preference

Personal preference is the provision of options and choices and the respect
for choices made by the individual (tenant). The rationale is based on prefer-
ence surveys CSP-NJ conducted in 1991, which indicated that preferences
identified by persons living with mental illness differed significantly from
the housing and mental health service options available to them at the time
(CSP-NJ, 1991, 1996; Minsky, Reisser, & Duffy, 1995). The greatest desire was
permanent housing in the community and localized support services
designed to meet individual needs. They expressed a preference to have a
greater role in deciding where they live and what services they receive.
When someone is given options and their personal preference is respected,
they feel a greater sense of control, responsibility, and ownership, which
leads to more positive outcomes. Providing them these options in the form
of living arrangements and supports offers an empowering experience,
which can maximize their opportunities for success.

Key Element: Mainstream Housing

Mainstream housing is housing in the community that is decent, safe,
affordable, attractive, and permanent. Persons served are assisted with
locating mainstream housing in sites that maximize community integration
and promote independence. The security of knowing that one’s home will
not be taken away in the event of hospitalization promotes emotional stability.
Homes are located in neighborhoods that are close to shopping, public
transportation, and recreational opportunities of easy access.
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 229

Key Element: Flexible Support Services

Flexible supports are services that are individualized, accessible, and
consistently available. The availability of flexible support services based on
individual need rather than on a program protocol empowers the provider
to work collaboratively with the individual holistically, which avoids pre-
scriptive services that engender dependency. Services are available at various
levels of need and respond to the peer’s changing needs. Support appears
to be a critical factor in determining whether people can integrate into
the community—accessible and consistent support can mean the difference
between remaining in one’s home and developing systems that force the
individual to be hospitalized.
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Self-Help Centers
For more than 20 years, CSP-NJ has recognized the power of self-help and
what it can do in the lives of mental health peers. CSP-NJ self-help centers
are freestanding, community-located sites that are designed to offer a safe,
comfortable environment where mental health peers can socialize with
peers, meet new people, learn new skills, join self-help and advocacy
groups, and enjoy recreational activities (Swarbrick & Duffy, 2000; Swarbrick,
2005). The idea of ‘‘not being alone,’’ the value of knowing the experience
‘‘from the inside out,’’ and the opportunity to provide and receive help offer
a unique perspective that helps people improve the quality of their lives and
their sense of well-being (self-help centers are described in further detail in
‘‘Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey’’ and ‘‘Peer-Operated
Self-help Centers’’ [this issue]).
In 1985, CSP-NJ was able to take the ideas of self-help and mutual aid
and put them into practice with the initial establishment of three
peer-operated drop-in centers: Social Connections in Clifton, The CARE
Center in Asbury Park, and New Horizons in Vineland. With the formation
of just those three drop-in centers, no one could have predicted the
expansion of and changes in peer-operated services to meet the need
for services run by and for peers statewide that would follow. In 1997,
the number of drop-in centers increased significantly with 12 new centers
and had a new name: ‘‘drop-in’’ was changed to ‘‘self-help’’ to reflect the
growing recognition of the idea of self-help as being a valuable tool for
promoting recovery and wellness. In 2005, the NJ Division of Mental
Health Services further recognized the importance of self-help centers
as part of the continuum of services for mental health peers. Additional
funding allowed CSP-NJ to provide over 20 full-time positions for peers
as self-help center managers to improve conditions for members by
moving and renovating centers and expanding services to reach more
peers and meet changing needs.
 230 M. Swarbrick

CSP-NJ has taken the lead in developing a self-help center data-

reporting system (SHOUT, described in ‘‘Collaborative Support Programs
of New Jersey’’ [this issue]) that has been adopted statewide. Developed by
persons in recovery, this is part of a comprehensive plan to track outcomes
and establish quality-improvement measures to further expand self-help
center services.

INSTITUTE FOR WELLNESS AND RECOVERY

INITIATIVES (THE INSTITUTE)

The Institute is an agency venture designed to provide innovative, state-of-

the-art services aimed at creating wellness, recovery, and self-sufficiency for
persons living with disabilities. Since the agency was viewed as an
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innovative leader as providers of housing, support services, self-help, and

economic development, we desired to become a trend-setting training
and consultation facility in the state of New Jersey, as well as nationally,
through research and dissemination efforts. Over the years, the Institute
has expanded and continues to offer interactive and uniquely tailored train-
ings, conferences, and consultations. Institute staff, upon request, offer con-
sultation and technical support on how social services and mental health
service organizations can incorporate wellness, recovery, peer-operated
services, and empowerment philosophy, principles, and practices into
existing services.

Wellness Model
The agency embraced the wellness model in 1998. We observed that adults
living with mental illnesses are becoming seriously ill and dying, even
while under the care of the mental health system. They were developing
chronic medical diseases that significantly shorten their lives. At that time,
people living with psychiatric disabilities died about 15 years earlier than
the general population, and, as of 2006, statistics indicate that people die
25 years earlier. Sixty percent of premature deaths are due to medical con-
ditions such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, and infectious diseases (National
Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Council [NASMHPD],
2006).
These serious health problems are frequently caused or worsened by
controllable lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking, access to adequate
healthcare and prevention services, diet and nutrition, and substance abuse,
as well as others).
Since mortality and morbidity are linked to high rates of modifiable
risk factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition=
obesity, lack of exercise, unsafe sexual behavior, IV drug use, residence in
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 231

group-living situations creating exposure to TB and other infectious diseases,

we saw this as an opportunity to embrace a wellness and health promotion
approach. Psychotropic medications may mask symptoms of medical
illness and contribute to symptoms of medical illness and cause
metabolic syndrome. The lack of physical wellness is a serious barrier to
participation in recovery and leads to premature death and poorer quality
of life.
Since there is a clear indication that general physical health is an
obvious problem among the psychiatric population, we mobilized a series
of activities to specifically assist persons living with mental illnesses to
address wellness concerns. We viewed a clear need and opportunities for
the agency to collaborate and find ways to address this unacceptable
phenomenon. Recently, we developed a campaign to screen for metabolic
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syndrome.
In 2007, the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) launched the
National Wellness Summit for People with Mental Illness. The heart of this
summit is the ‘‘10 in 10’’ campaign, which strives to improve the life
expectancy of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) by 10 years,
and to achieve this goal within 10 years. Currently, individuals with SMI
have a lifespan that averages 25 years less than the general population,
due not only to SMI but also various comorbidities, such as diabetes
and heart disease. At its summit, CMHS also introduced ‘‘The Pledge for
Wellness,’’ which includes the goal of the ‘‘10 in 10’’ campaign. All health
and mental health provider organizations, individuals, and government
entities are strongly encouraged to make the pledge. CSP-NJ staff was
involved in this event and are making great efforts to help address this
unacceptable healthcare disparity impacting persons living with mental
illness. We have made a commitment to help persons in recovery, their
supporters and families, and the system to embrace wellness. Words of
Wellness is one such vehicle.

Words of Wellness
As part of its broad array of services to foster wellness, recovery, and
economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities, the Institute for
Wellness and Recovery Initiatives and Collaborative Support Programs of
New Jersey (CSP-NJ) offers a monthly newsletter, Words of Wellness. The
Institute also regularly disseminates practical wellness information through
this venue. This publication features valuable information and resources,
including details about educational events to help people achieve and
maintain wellness. The purpose of this newsletter is to bring useful informa-
tion to all of our readers, whether pursuing recovery themselves, supporting
recovery in clients or family members, helping to administer and change our
mental health and related services system, or researching the field and
 232 M. Swarbrick

educating future practitioners. This newsletter can be accessed through the

CSP-NJ website www.cspnj.org. A full range of Words of Wellness reprints
will appear in ‘‘Peer Employment Support’’ (this issue). Words of Wellness
co-editors are Jay Yudof and Peggy Swarbrick.

INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES

The agency hosts an Annual Wellness Conference, which has become known
as the premier education and networking event in the area of wellness and
recovery for the mental health community throughout New Jersey. The
two-day event has featured workshops and institutes that combine topics
of interest with practical and experiential elements. The conference has been
able to attract persons living with mental illness, peer providers, family
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members, and policy-makers who are able to network and learn more about
roles and responsibilities for moving the system toward one that is fully
wellness and recovery oriented.

Recovery Network
The Recovery Network Project, a peer-delivered wellness and recovery
education program that started in 2004 (described in ‘‘Designing a Study
to Examine Self Help Centers’’ [this issue]), is based on the renewed hope
and optimism that people diagnosed with a mental illness can grow
beyond the preconceived limits of their diagnoses and live a full life
(Swarbrick & Brice, 2006). Peer educators (persons living with mental ill-
ness who identify themselves as in recovery) share resources and personal
experiences that can help others begin their own recovery journey
(Swarbrick & Brice, 2006). The content of the presentations provides a
clear message of hope and exposes participants to the array of self-help,
wellness, and recovery resources available (Swarbrick & Brice, 2006). Peer
educators facilitate groups one day per week with patients and staff at state
psychiatric hospitals in New Jersey. The project also offers wellness and
recovery training for the state hospital’s new employee orientation
program.

Research and Development

In addition to the annual conference, training, and consultation services,
the Institute partners on grant applications and research projects with
the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling, University
of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), and School of Health
Related Professions (SHRP). An exciting collaboration between the
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 233

Institute and UMDNJ-SHRP is the development of a peer wellness coach

specialist certificate program. The peer specialist acts as a coach, helping
to guide the person toward successful and durable behavioral change.
Peers learn to apply principles and processes of professional life
coaching to the goal of lifestyle improvement (Swarbrick, Hutchinson, &
Gill, 2008).

Community Enterprise Corporation

In 1990, Community Enterprises Corporation (CEC), formerly Butterfly
Property Management (incorporated in 1992), was established by CSP-NJ
as a partner entity to assist with the development and management of
affordable housing. CEC is a statewide not-for-profit, peer-operated organi-
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zation and is a Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-certified property

management entity. The mission of CEC is to provide services to indivi-
duals and organizations by providing economic opportunities and safe,
decent, affordable, and permanent supportive housing to low income per-
sons with special needs. CEC also provides comprehensive property man-
agement and maintenance service for all housing units sponsored or
owned by CSP-NJ. Property management services include marketing,
rent-up, leasing, rent collection, payment of housing site utilities, and
related landlord fiscal obligations, as well as regulatory and government
agency compliance monitoring. The management entity also is responsible
for financial oversight of operating budgets and collection of rents and
payments. All tenants pay up to 40% of their income for rent and utilities
in accordance with established U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development rent guidelines. The agency administers three Mainstream
Housing Choice Vouchers programs providing rental subsidies to over
200 special needs residents who reside in private apartments. In addition,
there is a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) department to regularly assure
that housing is decent and safe.
The CEC Economic Development Department, established in 2001,
was designed to help people develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge
needed and have access to opportunities to attain economic self-
sufficiency. Recognizing that poverty is one of the most pervasive,
significant, and debilitating barriers to achieving recovery and full partici-
pation in the community for persons with mental illness (Swarbrick,
2006b), the agency developed an innovative array of services to help peo-
ple address financial wellness. They crafted services to help people
develop skills and the capacity to budget their monthly income, repair
bad credit, and save for assets that they feel will enhance personal well-
ness such as purchasing a computer, bicycle, or car, and also home own-
ership. Table 2 lists the array of financial services they offer to promote
financial wellness.
 234 M. Swarbrick

TABLE 2 Financial Services Program Description

Financial Management Bill FMBP (formerly known as CTA) is an individualized, flexible,

Pay (FMBP)
Rainy Day Savings Program
Simple Purchase Savings
Program
Small Purchase Savings
Program
Savings Club
Individual Development
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community-based service. This service includes financial
literacy training and money management services designed
to promote financial stability.
A matched savings program designed to help people plan
ahead and save for any emergency that might arise in the
future and=or to acquire a productive asset.
A matched savings program designed to help save for a
productive asset over the period of three months.
A matched savings program designed to help people save for a
productive asset over the period of six months.
A one-year matched savings program designed to save for and
acquire a productive asset. Participants are required to
complete financial literacy training.
A matched savings program designed to help people save for

Account (IDA) and acquire a productive asset, such as a home or business,

Emergency Loan Program
Financial Fitness Self-Help
Center (FFSHC)
Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance (VITA)
or to pursue education (including post-secondary
education) over the period of five years.
Offered to CSP-NJ=CEC residents—assists with short-term
financial emergencies and=or unanticipated expenses. The
loan terms are usually no more than nine months.
A service offered for answering questions; providing training
and support for financial issues, product, or services;
budgeting and savings; assisting with credit repair; investing;
home-buying; starting a business; and paying taxes; among
others.
A seasonal income tax preparation service provided to the
community, sponsored by Community Enterprise Corporation
in collaboration with the Internal Revenue Service. The VITA
site offers free income tax preparation to anyone who has
earned income of $40,000 or less during the tax year.

COMPASS

Consumer Operated Mission Performance: Assessing Services

Strategically: Agency-wide Quality Improvement Initiative
CSP-NJ, Inc. is strongly committed to providing high quality services
for mental health consumers in New Jersey that promote responsibility,
recovery, and wellness. CSP-NJ demonstrates this commitment through con-
tinually assessing the quality and efficacy of the services it provides and
sponsors. As a leader in peer-operated services, CSP-NJ recognizes the need
to implement new technologies and continually assess its methods of evalu-
ating its activities to effectively realize its mission and goals. In keeping with
CSP-NJ’s mission, we gauge the success of our services based on self-reports
of people in services and evaluate service outcomes on significant quality-of-
life indicators—such as physical health, wellness, housing, employment and
education opportunities, social networks, and availability of resources to
support individuals in leading fulfilling lives in their community of choice.
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 235

In order to identify, operationalize, and track quality improvement

targets, we understand the need to involve our stakeholders in defining
what comprises desired services and their intended outcomes. To this
end, CSP-NJ leadership created an innovative approach aligning perfor-
mance monitoring across CSP-NJ services to assess the benefits or outcomes
for peers participating in CSP-NJ sponsored services. Although there are a
variety of quality improvement=quality assurance approaches, CSP-NJ selec-
ted a Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) model with
focus on creating active, introspective learning communities, with the
central tenet that the best approach to improving social practice is by
changing it as most closely aligned with its organizational mission. The
COMPASS initiative was implemented to address these organizational
information needs.
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As noted above, the COMPASS agency-wide continuing quality

improvement (CQI) effort is grounded in community-based participatory
action research principles (CPAR) (Delman, 2006; McTaggart, 1997;
Wallerstein & Duran, 2003). As such, this ongoing initiative brings together
CSP-NJ stakeholders into an intentional community of co-learners in defining
desired service outcomes and identifying methods of evaluating performance
in meeting these goals. The CPAR method is especially suited to our
peer-operated service philosophy in that it engages everyone affected by
agency actions in implementing a continual cycle of planning, acting,
observing, reflecting, and re-planning in honing our services to better
address the community’s needs. To meet these objectives, the COMPASS
project is continuously implemented in a series of three stages:

. Research-to-action with CSP-NJ=CEC unit staff,

. Research-to-action with end users of CSP-NJ=CEC services,
. Evaluating the effectiveness of CSP-NJ programs and services.

The COMPASS project is facilitated through CSP-NJ’s QI Department and

guided by a steering committee comprised of peer leaders, researchers,
CSP-NJ executive board and at-large board members, community advocates,
and family members tasked with implementing the QI work plan adopted by
the CSP-NJ governing board. The work plan sets forth a structure to guide the
implementation of recovery-oriented evaluation systems in collaboration
with peer leadership and funders. As facilitator of the process, the QI Coor-
dinator provides technical assistance in creating logic models to operationa-
lize annualized QI goals and coordinates quarterly reporting of indicator
outcomes to the CSP-NJ community.
COMPASS work plan goals and objectives include:

1. Gathering data to assist CSP-NJ stakeholders in assessing overall perfor-

mance in accomplishing CSP-NJ’s mission and vision, and provide needed
 236 M. Swarbrick

information to evaluate and realign activities and methods of service

delivery to optimize service outcomes.
2. Seeking opportunities to contribute to the growing body of peer-operated
services efficacy research.
3. Through stakeholder consensus and COSP literature review, developing
service and peer outcome measures to assist in assessing the impact of
services for participants, and help inform future services planning and
advocacy efforts.
4. Identifying internal and external reporting systems and requirements for
all services and opportunities for data sharing=combining of data systems.
5. Reviewing services and peer outcome data quarterly across CSP-
NJ-sponsored services, troubleshoot reporting challenges, and identify
opportunities to enhance services and services delivery.
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LESSONS LEARNED

CSP-NJ is evidence that the peer-operated service model is a feasible and

viable resource that can offer services that foster wellness and recovery. This
agency is evidence that peer-operated services are an important component
of mental health system transformation. The agency history demonstrates that
people in recovery best know the needs of peers, and peers are in the best
position to design and deliver an array of innovative services based on prin-
ciples of wellness and recovery. Agency growth was slow and steady and
always focused on needs, customers, and collaborative efforts to embrace
ideas and make things happen. The agency is often called upon to share les-
sons learned to help guide and inspire other peer-operated organizations and
groups nationwide. The following are some key factors believed to contribute
to the continued growth and evolution of the organization.

Customer Service Approach and Collaboration

The leadership has set up methods of accountability and works in partner-
ship with all customers (persons served, funders, community, and staff).
They are mission driven at all levels and place a lot of attention on community
building. The agency is named Collaborative Support Programs for a good
reason. CSP-NJ believes in collaboration at all levels, with all customers, per-
sons served, funders, staff, and the community. The agency constantly exam-
ines how to operationalize collaboration in terms of services, policies, and
practices. The agency believes relationships are at the heart of collaboration
and place a lot of value on creating and sustaining positive reciprocal
relationships with persons served, staff, funders, and the community.
Collaboration is important is terms of sharing leadership. From the
beginning, attempts to share leadership were made so the burden did not fall
on one person. Innovations came from involving people with diverse skills
 Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey 237

who were given opportunities to be creative and work together. When

people come with new ideas to the agency, the leadership has attempted
to strategically plan to test out the ideas on a small scale first. The leadership
feels it is important to listen to what all customers want and also be open to
what customers and collaborators offer.

Good Relationships with Funders

CSP-NJ has been fortunate to have established and maintained a trusting
working collaborative relationship with funders. This is through transparency
and being ready to respond to needs and requests. The board and leadership
view funders as partners and know nothing can be done alone. They make
an effort to show what people living with mental illness have worthwhile to
bring to the table and make every effort to be as transparent and accountable
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as possible.

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