Vera A. Muñiz-Saurré, Cps, Mph Email & Phone Number

Boston, Ma, Us

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Systems-Level Project EvaluationDesign, monitor, and evaluate indicators of project impact, construct validity, and program fidelity through creation of KPIs, twice-a-year SWOT analysis, and development of CHNA protocol.Collaborate with Massachusetts Psychosis Network (MAPNET) on program outreach, peer action planning, knowledge sharing, and public advocacy events.Conduct retrospective and prospective evaluations with Coordinated Specialty Care clinics across Massachusetts to assess peer specialist involvement, program impact, and clinic implementation of peer services.Facility Program-Integration Fidelity MonitoringEnsure all services are delivered in compliance with Peer Workforce Ethics, Peer Role Themes, facility standards, and contractual requirements.Work with peer staff to build a supportive workplace environment that fosters individualized, community-driven, peer-informed services.Conduct CHNAs for operationalization of program expansion to needs of new clinical and community contexts.Evaluate organizational support of peer workforce, reliability/warmth of clinic referral processes, and maintain documentation of accountability process reports and execution of WAPs.Peer Workforce AdvocacyCenter the State’s Peer Workforce Ethics and OnTrackNY’s Peer Themes.Monitor peer caseload and coordinate with the program and clinic staff to ensure peers are valued as industry professionals, workers, and people.Administratively support peer staff in project implementation.Attend supervision, staff meetings, clinical meetings, staff trainings, and agency workshops as needed or as requested by the program director.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Peer SupportProvide one-to-one peer support and share personal recovery experiences to inspire hope, self-determination and to develop mutuality in peer-to-peer relationships.Assist persons served in the development of useful tools for their personal recovery, such as workforce advocacy, industry-specific professional skills, and coalition building.Facilitate linkage to communities and networks that support the goals and aspirations of the person-served.Responsible for assisting in the development and implementation of treatment plan in partnership with the person served.Serve as a member of the CSC team and assist the people served in communicating their personal recovery plan and goals to the treatment team. Peer Team IntegrationAttend staff meetings and serve on agency committees, project teams and work groups. Work collaboratively with CSC Team to support a Recovery Model of service.Provide written/electronic documentation of person’s progress and steps towards achieving goals.Provide ongoing communication with other treatment providers to assure coordination of treatment planning and for sharing of pertinent information. Acts as CSC Program liaison for the RCC/RLC, Clubhouse and other community resources related to peer support services.Influencing Systems Change through Peer AdvocacyProvide culturally and linguistically competent services that are also sensitive and responsive to religious practice, sexual orientation, gender differences, physical disabilities, as well as services that are age and developmentally appropriate, including young adults and elders.Provide outreach and engagement to participants and forge working alliances with participants and families to help them navigate services.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Provide lived expertise to government agencies, clinics, academic research centers and health and policy related nonprofitsFocus initiatives to improve quality of care and quality of life for individuals assigned severe mental health diagnosesPresent guest lectures, trainings, co-creation of peer spaces, co-creation of research projects, and policy recommendations and advocacy

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Workforce Development and ManagementProvide support for the 2B-EPIC training program including onboarding, payroll, communication with scholars and their educational institutions, ensuring adherence to training policies, and providing technical assistance for outreach events and strategic planning meetings. Provide daily support for 2B-EPIC trainees as needed. Quantitative and Qualitative Data Collection/ReportingResponsible, along with the co-directors for ensuring timely contract progress reports (including reports on metrics to monitor the impact of the program and progress) and billing.Outreach and Community Engagement CoordinationConsult with 2B-EPIC trainees and staff on their development of outreach presentations for diverse high school and college youth aimed at increasing awareness of early signs of psychosis and combatting stigma. Collaborate with 2B-EPIC program directors and trainees, as well as with Massachusetts Psychosis Network (MAPNET), Massachusetts Psychosis Prevention Partnership (M3P), and the BIDMC Psychiatry Department diversity, equity and inclusion committee to take the lead in developing and presenting a strategic plan for increasing equity and access to early psychosis care in MA.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Executive Chair - Lived Experience Expertise SubcommitteeCenter lived experience of community members with intersecting identities in the expansion and development of care with focus on equitable access to services and supportsAct as liaison between local peer professionals and the Department of Mental HealthCreate peer-led research initiatives centering consumers with marginalized voices as primary investigators using a framework of meaningful Participatory Design.Executive Chair - Equity/Access SubcommitteeCollaborate with Lived Experience Expertise Committee on planning of a proposal for a peer auditing structure for mental health services in Massachusetts, designing/creating peer-centered research projects, and spearheading coordination of Public Health focused investigations to understand consumer experience across different identity affinity groups within Massachusetts early psychosis clinics.Create peer-led research initiatives centering consumers with marginalized voices as primary investigators using a framework of meaningful Participatory Design.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Peer AdvocacyAdvocate from the perspective of those with lived experience of psychosis or at Clinically High Risk of Psychosis (CHR-P). Participate in all aspects of M3P, including program meetings, outreach, and workforce development. Provide consultation and support to clinical programs such as provide feedback on self-reports and workflow from the perspective of someone with lived experience.Connect and collaborate with newly hired peer specialists working across CHR-P clinics.Mental Health Workforce DevelopmentLead workshop/ seminar at least once yearly to staff focused on lived experience recovery perspective. Coordinate with peer specialists and advocates working in CHR-P clinics.Support development of synchronous and asynchronous trainings for staff across programs.M3P Program Implementation CoordinationAssist Program Coordinator and Associate Program Director in coordination of twice-yearly early psychosis advisory board meetings as well as support for subcommittee meetings that include community stakeholders (particularly youth and families) with lived experience of early-course psychosis to inform outreach efforts. Participate in regular meetings for the Massachusetts Strategic Plan for Early Psychosis (MA-STEP). Help to summarize findings and establish action steps. Contribute to and lead creation of publications sharing updates related to this project. Provide support in grant submission processes.Qualitative and Quantitative Data Collection/ReportingAssist with data collection, entry, and management a required by SAMHSA as well as MA DMH as relates to the development of a learning healthcare system for CHR-P care in MA.Work with team of supervisors and students to prepare and present findings.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Peer-Led ResearchCreate research initiatives by people with lived experience of psychosis, for people with lived experience of psychosis. Provide input and consultation on directions for BIDMC's psychosis research programs. Formerly the Consumer Advisory Board.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Program Design and ImplementationSpearheaded the updating of curriculum and content for the program. Provided outreach and prevention education to youth who are at risk of HIV infection and substance use disorders by participating in prevention and education community events and playing a lead role in social media campaigns.

Greater Boston Area

Outreach and Community EngagementProvided outreach and prevention education to black, indigenous, and Latin American youth at high risk of HIV infection and substance use disorders by participating in prevention and education community events and playing a lead role in social media campaigns.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

SB760 LGBTQ+ Population HealthAssisted with grading, resource redirection, and facilitating class discussions grounded in liberatory praxisAdvised students on key informant interviews centering health equity issues in the LGTBQ+ community Provided consistent avenues of contact to support students in learning about the necessary specific cultural considerations for working with different generations and communities of LGBTQ+ people

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Vice President of AdministrationCo-chair of the Governance Committee. Spearheaded administrative tasks such as the annual SWOT analysis, conducting record keeping of important documents, maintaining records of updates to bylaws.Vice President of ManagementPeriodically conducted mental health check-ins on fellow board members, processed and actualized accommodation requests, managed feedback on board accessibility.

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Students With Psychosis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that interacts with students and advocates through community programming and public outreach events.

Greater Boston Area

Cared for dogs of different breeds with particular care to health needs of disabled dogs and exercise needs of athletic dogs. Established good relationships with owners. Provided frequent stay updates.

Greater Boston Area

Built better relationships between puppies and people!

Master Of Public Health - Mph, Community Assessment, Program Design, Implementation, And Evaluation, 3.65

Activities and Societies: Queer Alliance (Activism Chair and Executive Chair), Students with Psychosis (Vice President of Management.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Psychology, 2.78

Activities and Societies: Queer Activist Collective (Secretary), Trans Listening Circle (Vice President), Center for Gender Sexuality.

Ib Diploma, High School Diploma

Activities and Societies: National Honor Society, French Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Thespian Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor.