Improving Caregiver Outcomes Through Structured Support Via Military Caregiver Peer Forums

Recovery Care Coordinator Protocol

We’re interested in how the PEER forum got started at this installation, where it fits with other

programs, and the impact that you think it’s having on participants.

To get started, it would be helpful for me to hear more about your role, and how you interact with caregivers who eventually get connected with the PEER forum.

1. Can you describe your role as a Recovery Care Coordinator?

2. Why do you refer caregivers to the PEER forum?

3. How do you describe the PEER forum to caregivers?

This next section of questions is about the history of the PEER forums at this installation, about when, why, and how it was brought to this installation.

4. Do you recall when the first PEER forums were organized?

5. How did you first hear about them? (Was an effort made to educate the RCCs about the new resource?)

6. Do you have a sense of why the PEER forum program was brought to this installation?

7. Do you know who decided to implement it here?

8. Are there other resources that you refer caregivers to? If so, what are they?

9. How does this program compare to other programs in this installation that might provide resources for military caregivers [like the ones you already mentioned]? What are advantages or disadvantages?

10. In your opinion, is there a strong need for PEER forums at this installation? Why or why not?

Now I want to discuss the program itself and outcomes.

11. Do you know if caregivers you referred to the PEER forums have attended?

a. [If know did not attend] Do you know why they did not attend? [If know and if unclear: How do you know this?]

b. [If caregivers did attend the PEER forums:]

i. Do you know what was their motivation for attending? [If needed: How do you know this?]

ii. Do you know what they thought about it? [If needed: How do you know this?]

iii. Did they get out of it what you thought they would? [If needed: How do you know this?]

c. Of the caregivers you work with who have attended the PEER forums, do you know if they went one time, or was it on an ongoing basis? ([If know:] How do you know about the attendance of the caregivers?)

12. Have you received any feedback on how the program does not fit participants’ needs? For example, if people attended once and didn’t come back, do you know anything about

their reasons? (probe: have you collected data on…)

a. Are there other barriers to attending that keep people from using the program?

b. How did you find out this information or form this opinion?

13. Do participants distinguish between the types of support they get through the PEER

forums and support they get through other programs? (If needed: In other words, are

there particular things participants feel they can get at the PEER forum meetings that they can’t get anywhere else? Or do PEER forums duplicate or aggregate information or support for caregivers that they otherwise could have gotten from other sources?)

14. How do you think the individuals served by this program respond to it ? That is: How would you describe the impact/benefit of the PEER forum on/for participants? (probe: respite, emotional release, information, reduced feelings of isolation, feeling understood, etc.)

a. How did you know about how caregivers responded?

15. Do you think the PEER forums have been effective in your setting? Why or why not?

Finally, I have a few questions about the degree to which the PEER forums are being evaluated or could be evaluated at this installation.

16. Do you now collect information on referrals to PEER forums?

a. [If yes:] Beside the fact of the referral, do you track other information, like caregiver or Service member characteristics?

b. [If yes:] Does anyone collect or analyze this information?

c. [If yes:] How is the information used?

d. [If no:] Do you have any plans to begin collecting information on referrals to

PEER forums?

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