Glossary
C
Confidentiality: Relates to privacy and is a demonstration of respect for individuals and the sharing of personal information, stories and testimonials. Confidentiality is an important component of training; peer supporters should be trained to maintain privacy and confidentiality.
E
Ethical Practices: Ethical practices are commonly shared beliefs and values related to an organization’s operations and strategies. These practices create a positive environment for programs that extends beyond legal requirements to influence an organization’s overall activity.
H
Health care professional: A person who qualified through education and training to provide a health care service to a patient (for example: nurses, social worker).
HIPAA: HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This act was passed in 1996 to protect patients’ health information and personal identity. It emphasizes “informed consent”, privacy and not breaking confidentiality. It includes compliance with practices and understanding boundaries. Peer support programs working with patients educate their peer supporters about HIPAA either in-person or through online modules.
L
Liability: Defined as “the state of being legally responsible” for results of the program’s operations.
N
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI Maryland is one of the program partners
P
P2P USA: Parent 2 Parent USA is the name of one of the Roadmap program partners.
Para-professional: A person who is trained and completed the required certification for their job (for example, a certified recovery specialist).
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI): PCORI was established to fund research that can help patients and those who care for them make better-informed decisions about the healthcare choices they face every day, guided by those who will use that information. Learn more about PCORI at www.pcori.org
Peer: A person who shares similarities with others which help form relationships. These similarities may be personal characteristics (for example, age), social groups (for example, sports team), or life circumstances (for example: health condition).
Peer supporter: A person who has personally experienced a health condition or other circumstance, who is trained and in some way supervised to support another 'peer' who is experiencing a similar condition or circumstance.
Privacy: Ability to keep personal information protected. Privacy may be reinforced in peer support programs through mission statements, program objectives and training/operational procedures.