Table 3.

Recommendations for services to support peer work for consumers with borderline personality disorder and their carers

1. Evaluate an organization’s workplace stigma toward borderline personality disorder and consider altering if required before the introduction of consumer peer workers and carer peer workers.

2. Inform the development and delivery of peer support based on peer support principles and the values of consumer peer workers and carer peer workers. Ensure duty of care and confidentiality codes are in place to guide practice.

3. Clarify the consumer peer worker and carer peer worker role in collaboration with the peer worker, including whether consumer peer workers support carers and carer peer workers support consumers. Discuss the consumer peer worker and carer peer worker role with members of the mental health team, consumers, and carers.

4. Clarify whether a complementary or integrated model of peer support will be used. For either model, clarify the selection criteria for consumer peer workers and carer peer workers, and how consumer peer workers and carer peer workers will be trained and supervised.

5. Consider hiring multiple consumer peer workers to provide consumers with options to select a consumer peer worker.

6. Consider including peer support in treatment plans for consumers.

7. Consider offering support to consumers from both consumer peer workers and mental health professionals.

8. Consider increasing the accessibility of peer support, and make professionals aware of peer support options to inform referrals.

9. Consider organizing consultation and supervision between consumer peer workers, carer peer workers, and mental health professionals.