The Peer Support Program helps your family navigate care with guidance from someone who has been in a similar situation. Through family-to-family support, families can share experiences, encouragement and practical advice with one another. Our goal is to help families get better together.
As a one-on-one, peer-to-peer program, this is not a formal support group. Instead, you are paired with another family whose experience closely matches your child’s diagnosis, treatment or recovery. You’ll then have the flexibility to schedule times to meet with your peers based on your own schedules and needs.
This approach allows families to learn from and support each other, while building a meaningful one-on-one connection.
How It Works
There are several ways you can get paired up with a peer mentor. Typically, your child’s care team will recommend the Peer Support Program to you. You can also ask your child’s providers about it if you’re interested, or you can send a message to the care team via MyChart.
Our clinical staff will do their best to identify and recommend a peer match whose experience closely aligns your child’s care and needs. Matches may include families who share:
- The same diagnosis
- A similar surgery or treatment
- Wearing a brace or using adaptive equipment
- Adjusting to a new condition or disability
Both families will then complete Release of Information forms to participate. After that, the Family Resource Center coordinator will share contact information with both families.
From there, you and your peer family will choose how to connect in a way that works best for both families. This could be by phone, email or in person. We recommend meeting in a public place for any in-person meetings.
Benefits of Peer Support
Often, hearing real-life perspectives from a family who has been through the journey can make your own journey smoother. Peer support can help you:
- Feel less alone by providing a sense of community and connection
- Understand and prepare for what to expect at each step of often-complicated medical journeys
- Get practical tips for daily life, recovery and adjusting to changes
- Build confidence as your child and family move forward
Who Can Participate in the Peer Support Program?
Peer support is available to any patients and families who receive care at Scottish Rite. Talk to your child’s care team or send a message to them through MyChart to request a peer match.
Families can also choose to become peer mentors. If you are a former or current Scottish Rite family that would like to support other families by sharing your experience, contact our Family Resource Center coordinator Mary Anne Fernandez at [email protected].