• By Todd Luck
• Posted Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Stepping Up’s Pam Goodine is Peer Support Specialist of the Year

Forsyth County Stepping Up’s Pam Goodine has received the Peer Support Specialist of the Year award from NC-H.O.P.E.

The award was presented by NC-H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Peers Excel) during its first annual Peer Support Awards for excellence in mental health and substance use treatment. The event was held in Raleigh on Oct. 5.

NC-H.O.P.E. offers training and support for those looking to become certified peer support specialists. Peer support specialists have lived experiences that let them model recovery, teach skills, provide hope and offer support to their peers who are recovering from substance abuse or mental health issues.

Goodine has been a peer support specialist since 2009. She works with the county’s Stepping Up Process to End Recidivism (SUPER), a yearlong program that gives support services after release to women with mental health and substance use issues who were incarcerated at the Forsyth County Detention Center.

“We’re very proud of her, it’s definitely deserved.” said Stepping Up Program Supervisor Amber Humble. “She really has exemplified to our ladies how you can get through your recovery and be strong in your recovery, and how can you use the things you went through to teach and benefit others.”

Goodine is also part of Green Tree Peer Wellness Center, where she is an external peer support trainer of Cardinal Innovations Recovery Milestone Curriculum, a Level II WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) facilitator and the founder of The Journey Continues NC Peer Support Training.

She’s received proclamations from the city, county and state recognizing the important work of peer support specialists. She is currently organizing a local day-long conference and celebration for Global Peer Support Specialist Celebration Day on Oct. 17.