Trauma Survivors Project (TSP) provides a peer-led, comprehensive approach to empower individuals who have experienced trauma in their lives. TSP offers one-on-one peer support as well as support through groups and workshops. For individual support, Project ABLE matches individuals with trauma-informed peers who may share common backgrounds, experiences, interests, or aspirations. Peers provide support through face-to-face meetings, 24/7 telephone support, and accessing community resources. In addition, individuals can participate in peer-facilitated groups that meet at Project ABLE on a weekly basis. These include Trauma Recovery and Healing, Hearing Voices, and Dual Diagnosis Anonymous groups.

The Peer Wellness Project uses peer-to-peer support as a vehicle to empower and encourage participants to take an active role in their overall health and wellness. Peer Wellness Coaches are matched with program participants based on common experience, interests, or other factors that may help facilitate a solid connection. Participants develop their own wellness plan and Peer Wellness Coaches encourage and support them as they work toward their personal goals. Project ABLE also offers workshops and services designed to promote holistic wellness. These include:

• Yoga Classes
• Just Walking Group
• Dancing Nights
• Wellness Activity Nights
• Gym Scholarships
• ABLE Ensemble music group

ABLE teams promote recovery through creating community based support teams to develop action plans that address the needs and goals for wellness and ongoing recovery. ABLE Teams are designed to focus on the strengths of the individual, expand an individual’s support system and connect them to a wide array of self-directed services that promote health and wellness.Team members do a wide range of activities together which may include: in person and phone support, help with navigating various systems, support with taking on new challenges, or just having fun.

Project ABLE developed it’s Medication Empowerment training to provide individual’s with information and skills that improve the ability for people to live healthier lives. The program promotes health literacy and teaches skills on how to talk to providers about medications, as well as how to gather and organize information on medications, and how to make informed choices. The program utilizes a train-the-trainer model and is taught in small classes with two trained peers co-teaching the class.

This program offers a full range of educational and wellness opportunities for individuals to build skills to manage their health and move forward in recovery as well as group and one-on-one Peer Wellness Coaching. In addition, four times a year Project ABLE offers six-session workshops that explore different dimensions of wellness.

Topics include:

• Creating Steps to Living Well
• Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP)
• Living with Chronic Health Conditions
• Cultivating Resiliency
• Smoking Cessation through Peer Support
• Financial Readiness
• Employment Readiness

In partnership with Oregon’s Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Project ABLE offers the full range of peer support programs to individuals seeking to re-enter the workforce. This program is available to Vocational Rehabilitation clients who are also consumers of mental health services. The project’s goal is to fill the gap between what Vocational Rehabilitation and Mental Health providers can offer and an individual’s need for connection and support.

Peers from Project ABLE provide support to individuals seeking services at the Psychiatric Crisis Center in Salem. Peers work in pairs and interact with individuals in the Crisis Center waiting area. The purpose of the program is to offer support during the Crisis Center intake process, and, if the individual wishes, in the community afterward.