Veterans helping veterans: Peer-Led training shows promise for mental health recovery

This study looked at whether veterans with serious mental illness (like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) can benefit from a program led by peer specialists—people who also have a serious mental illness and are trained to help others. The program teaches skills to correct unhelpful thinking and improve social interactions. Researchers compared this peer-led approach to standard treatment and another peer-led social skills program. The goal was to see if peer-led training can improve daily functioning, quality of life, and recovery, and to understand what helps or hinders its use in real-world settings.