PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alexandra Nyman, Founder of Break Free Foundation, on Mental Health Crisis Response and Peer Support
5:15:22
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4 min
Alexandra Nyman, a peer recovery coach and founder of the Break Free Foundation, testified about the importance of peer support in mental health crisis response and the need for better compensation for peer workers. She emphasized the extensive training required to become a certified peer advocate and criticized the inadequate preparation of B-HEARD team members.
- Highlighted the disparity between the extensive training for peer advocates (60-70 hours plus 500 hours of supervised work) and the brief training for B-HEARD team members
- Called for increased wages for peer workers, citing that many have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet
- Advocated for removing police from mental health crisis responses, emphasizing her success in de-escalating situations without the need for weapons
Alexandra Nyman
5:15:22
Hi.
5:15:23
My name is Alexandra Neiman.
5:15:25
I am a peer.
5:15:26
I'm a recovery coach.
5:15:28
I'm a nominee NYC advocate.
5:15:31
I'm a member of CCIT NYC.
5:15:34
And I'm the founder of the BRAKE Free Foundation where we provide scholarships for people living with substance use disorders to attend an inpatient outpatient facility at low to no cost to them to remove the financial barrier of entering into recovery.
5:15:48
So I I guess as you can hear, I wear a lot of hats, but my favorite hat is that of a trainer of trainers.
5:15:57
So as a recovery coach, I have the distinguished honor of being able to train the next generation of coaches.
5:16:06
And we've talked a lot about the work of a peer, but I don't think we've really talked about what goes into becoming a peer.
5:16:14
And so to become a CERPA, a certified recovery your advocate in the state of New York.
5:16:21
You need to undergo an exam, and you prior to that, you undergo training.
5:16:28
Your foundational training is 60 to 70 hours, which can take you 2 weeks to accomplish.
5:16:36
And then on top of that, once you pass your exam, you can then go on and you do 500 hours, which if you're doing that full time, it can take you anywhere from 3 to 4 to 6 months.
5:16:49
For the behavioral health peer track, it's 2 it's an exam.
5:16:55
It is classes that take around 2 to 3 months to complete in 2000 hours of reviewed work, supervised work, which can take a year and a half to 2 years.
5:17:08
And I think it's absolutely ludicrous that we're expecting the committee before us that are involved and be heard to think that they can understand de escalation, understand how to meet someone where they're at because oh, but we watch a 45 minute video and then we quiz them, like, 15 minutes before their shift and, like, they're so well versed now.
5:17:38
And I would also like to echo what my colleague had said because I think if the members who had spoken before us could really understand what goes into being up here and becoming up here and all of the work that we put into it, they would understand that they shouldn't be requesting less funds.
5:18:01
We need more funds.
5:18:02
The average peer recovery worker in New York City makes between $40,000 to $45,000 a year.
5:18:10
I worked with so many incredible peers at the recovery center that I was at, and half of them were 2 full time jobs as peers to make ends meet.
5:18:24
On top of that, they also work part time jobs.
5:18:29
That is insane.
5:18:31
We have created a system where we desperately need these workers And yet, we're we wonder, oh, why did they not wanna come and work within this field?
5:18:42
It's so great.
5:18:43
And, yes, it is the most rewarding thing that you can do as a person in recovery.
5:18:49
Being able to give back is incredible.
5:18:52
But not being able to live can lead to its own behavioral health issues.
5:18:59
To so to recap and to conclude, what I am asking for is increase wages for the peer workforce as well as to push back on what we heard from the panel, which was ridiculous that, like, oh, we just we don't know if we're gonna expand the scope.
5:19:17
Like, I don't know, as well as to remove police from all mental health crises in my 2 years of working as a peer, where I, me, my colleagues, and my staff have had violent encounters, encounters with weapons, I've never thought like, let me grab a gun.
5:19:39
I'll feel so protected.
5:19:41
I have always been able to help that person deescalate and to then hand them off to community based care.
5:19:50
And they're still alive and thriving today.
5:19:53
I would also like to ask that New Yorkers in crisis to receive the compassion and compassionate care that they need not confrontation, and forced to finally take this from being a public safety issue to a public health issue.
5:20:09
Thank you so much for your time and for staying to the bitter end.
