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They paid more because they weren't paying for anything an employer should be covering like employer taxes, work comp. Liability insurance. The 1099 peers are now not even eligible for unemployment. The requirement for peers to be w2 employees is not only ethical, but its how respects colleagues treat each other.

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Jason Wadell - DEED SRRT 12:21 PM
CareerForce Locations | CareerForce (careerforcemn.com)
Laid Off? We Can Help. Minnesota's Dislocated Worker Program (mn-careerforce-prod-files.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com)

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Jason Wadell - DEED SRRT 12:15 PM
Layoff and Business Closure Resources / Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (mn.gov)

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Wendy Jones (She/Her)

Spreadsheet of active RCOs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16crRPsjsqnza61Hld8w8lTYoezitfbqMs5p7KKiEWnM/edit?gid=0#gid=0

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Brandy Brink (She/Her) 12:59 PM
Beyond Brink is HIRING

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CPRS career guidelines, benchmarks, and mentoring to provide professional development that all stakeholders can get behind.

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Are there any other online CPRS trainings other then Bold North Recovery. I did mine through Randy, but trying to find if there are anymore I can direct people to work on getting ready to take the CPRS certification exam.

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Ivan N. African American Survivor Services is a 501c 3 Community Based Recovery Advocacy Organization. We started out seeking to become a RCO a couple years ago. Multiple meetings with ARCO during that time, and we would like to fulfill that goal now. Any feedback or direction you may offer .

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Chandler Holman CPSS,CPRS 12:59 PM
The only way to maintain sobriety is to walk with those who have gone down the path before us.  Peers are essential to this community and that needs to be demonstrated with proper compensation and employment opportunities.

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If you are out of a job due to Kyros shutting down, you can apply with us here : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C9HPC6H3cN8kbU75ppbgqDVBf4JFpuAGLCqeZtHUBbM/edit

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Travis Winship 12:53 PM
We currently have approximately 150 JumpStart Kits left for clients who may have lost CPRS services. (These are also available to recovery residence owner/managers as well)
You can learn more about our JumpStart Kits here:  JumpStart Kits.

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DHS and MARCO can't be campaigning to shut organizations down. DHS and MARCO has been incredibly adversarial and openly hostile towards the affected organizations for several months.

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Jess Nickila 12:55 PM
State funding for Peers employed in deflection/diversion programs.

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Is Randy Anderson done threatening PRS with investigations on their certifications? What do we do the next time he has an issue with an organization that he doesn't like? At 680 per person and 15 people classes, he's making 212 per hour and which amounts to 400k+ a year. Drives a Hummer and Audi coupe. Why is he even allowed in the conversation. Doesn't help people he only self promotes and makes money of the community. For the last couple years he's been obsessed with this.js he done now?

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Jessica Bidler 12:54 PM
I am hoping this is a lesson learned, all this support, administrative functions, state wide partnerships, were the mission of kyros and refocus. Think first, and thoroughly before campaigning to shit organizations like this down. Now here we are in this sad predicament.

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There needs to be multiple pathways to RCO certification. MARCO can't hold all the cards with certification. MARCO is too easily swayed by agendas and conflicts of interest between staff and board members.

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Create a pay scale for peers that's dependent on experience.

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DHS could work on making programs easier to apply for, get info on how to manage and administer programs correctly and efficiently. I am a Medicaid provider *osycholigist( and have been waiting months to get my contract changed from NPI to NPI2. Meanwhile, I have clients waiting for services. I'm concerned about how long it will take to get the RCO contracted with MN Medicaid from scratch. Can they expedite this process?

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Zachariah Barron 12:51 PM
Is there support or direction to help with starting a new RCO and working towards providing CPRS services? I have been asked by several peers and clients if now that Kyros and refocus are gone if I would be willing to create something.

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LaTricia Tate 12:51 PM
Kyros paid $23.50 to $25.00 for Coaches. They cant survive off $17.00.

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Clearer explanation of CPRS roles and transfering to the next title such as CPSRR. Make it so CPRS Supervisor can supervise with out have an LADC Above you. Also get rid of the fact of having to be under a organization to be a CPRS Supervisor, Rural areas it is hard to find supervisors for CPRS.

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Allocate State funding to allow current RCO's to offer employment to those who lost their jobs and would like to continue providing PRS services to our communities. Especially with the potential influx of people in need of these services.

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Ivan Nelson 12:49 PM
Ivan N. African American Survivor Services is a 501c 3 Community Based Recovery Advocacy Organization. We started out seeking to become a RCO a couple years ago. Multiple meetings with ARCO during that time, and we would like to fulfill that goal now. Any feedback or direction you may offer .

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Matt Emerson 12:49 PM
Med cabs are extremely challenging to navigate (as clients).

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Emanuel Roberts 12:48 PM
We will be offering bus tokens as well to help people get around

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CPRS Supervisors should be able to provide supervision to peers. Only a LADC is able to provide supervision at this time through majority of the organizations.

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Emanuel Roberts 12:47 PM
Anythinghelpsmn.org

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how can we reach out to legislatures easier for those of us on the front line.

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We need to expedite our RCO application and move forward as quickly as possible. Our Sober home relies on CPRS services and lost ours. Our Director, Darren, just completed training and now has no employment options.

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Melissa Evers 12:45 PM
Hello everyone,
Pathfinder Solutions offers a fully operational peer documentation and billing platform specifically designed to support RCOs. We understand the financial challenges smaller organizations face.

Brandy and Wendy,
If possible we would like to share what is available to work towards a solution in a timely fashion to keep people moving forward.

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Is anyone looking at how as a recovery community to work better with companies that come after Kyros? I don't know about the reporting but they helped so many people. All the people coming after seemed seem like the same people that spread the rumors that took them down and nkw they are jumping in to benefit and not providing the same free services. Who is asking these questions or are we doomed to be doing the same things and expecting different results?

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Possible a CPRS group on Linkedin or the like, for tips, continuing training in areas such as boundaries, policies, ethics, etc. to connect, keep learning, and growing to support the CPRS community and the organizations, folks we support.

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We need to establish a pro-peer collective that can advocate for themselves. Decisions were made and laws were changed with very little input from peers on the ground.

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Jess Nickila 12:38 PM
Jess Nickila, Program Coordinator at SURT in Duluth, we are a Peer program that does not bill, but we see a need for funding comprehensive assessments for individuals receiving peer services that are trying to get into clinical treatment. Quick access either in community or virtual assessments.

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Have a draft plan for more parity in basic CPRS wages/benefits.

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A grant for Free Trainings should be available for RCO's. One thing that I can say was helpful from Refocus was the free training. I remember having to pay 1200 dollars to take a CPRS class in 2020

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Financial Support for peers and clients!

Allowing current CPRS Supervisor to be able to provide supervision if peers are still working with clients on a volunteer basis.

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Billing coding through DHS rather than direct - maybe it would help regulation of billable services

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Pathway or 'how-to' guide to becoming a provider of CPRS services and billing

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RCO engaging each other at events. I would love to see more RCOs collaborating more especially of they are is the same area.

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Ryan Theissen 12:36 PM
A repeated request I've had over the past week are people looking for CPRS training for free is anyone offering scholarships or free training now that Refocus is no longer offering it?

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rural southwest MN support for developing programs

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I love how all the organizations came together to support peers and clients in Recovery. Thank you MARCO for organizing this call for support and allowing a safe space for everyone.

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Not only job and resource concerns,but personal support for impacted individuals

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Closer connections between rcos rather than being competitive

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Contracting help for new emerging help to be able to field some of the work and support gaps

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We need more employment opportunities. Many opportunities are comparable to caregiving positions. We are useful for many reasons and are being used to as chauffeurs or techs. I think we can work to find space for us in a different capacity.

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Identify ethical concerns regarding all rco providers so we don't go through this again.

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Diversified access to resources outside of CPRS services that might be able to field some of the dislocated clients. Housing, food, transportation, etc

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We need to address cost barriers to becoming trained and certified as a CPRS. While Refocus Recovery was able to bring over 1100 certified peers in the state, there will be a massive shortfall in the workforce as other training providers seek hundreds of dollars for a registration to their training.

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Charity: are you saying it should be more than one year? If so, I am in agreement. I'd suggest 5 years for greater stability.

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MCB Supervision Requirements

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Changes to statutes that require w2 employees rather than 1099.

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PSA to those whom have lost PRS services to contact other local RCO's for assistance and support.

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I work as a CPRS. I am able to work with client while they are in our program but have used outside CPRS employers for aftercare for some of our clients. Having access to those folks has been a great benefit to us and our clients:)

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Prevention and oversight instead of crisis response. Questions long ago before the actual action taken. How do we listen to employees and persons served earlier

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The potential CPRS workforce exceeds the number of available, statewide positions, especially those at the higher end of the wage scale and/or that provide benefits.

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Peers have been able to express their frustration openly with how they have been treated by members of the public, news stations, and the state leaders.

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We need to know how to get new CPRSs trained economically/swiftly

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Offering free/payment arrangable training for low income newcomers to this field

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Options for tech platforms available

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Wendy Jones (She/Her) 12:22 PM
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16crRPsjsqnza61Hld8w8lTYoezitfbqMs5p7KKiEWnM/edit?gid=0#gid=0

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More than a year in recovery to become a CPRS

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MARCO has been very quick to respond and provide a forum for us

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Who can provide CPRS training?

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Multiple organizations taking peer participant referrals

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The recovery community is coming together to support both peers in need and displaced peer support specialists.

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Tiffany Neuharth 12:59 PM
tiffany@riseuprecoverymn.com

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Abdirahman Warsame 12:34 PM
If you are out of a job due to Kyros shutting down, you can apply with us here : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C9HPC6H3cN8kbU75ppbgqDVBf4JFpuAGLCqeZtHUBbM/edit