Historical Underpinnings of Peer Support within U.S. Behavioral Health

Authors

Lara Law, Arizona State UniversityFollow

Keywords

Peer support, mental health, behavioral health, social work

Abstract

Peer support is an evidence-based intervention in behavioral health. It advances social work values and ethics, the human rights principle of participation, and has the potential to validate experiences of oppression and injustice. Despite significant recent attention in behavioral health practice and research, peer support is more nascent in other areas of practice. This research note explores the evolution of peer support in the field of behavioral health in the United States. It is offered to aid and encourage peer support integration in more nascent settings (e.g., youth homelessness).

Recommended Citation

Law, Lara (2025) "Historical Underpinnings of Peer Support within U.S. Behavioral Health," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 51: Iss. 4, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.4833
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol51/iss4/4