Impact in Action: Building a Stronger Peer Workforce in Washington County

At Dolan Research International, we believe in the power of long-term partnerships - and few illustrate this better than our work with the Washington County Health Department in Maryland. What began as a single training evolved into a robust, multi-year collaboration focused on elevating peer recovery support, strengthening supervision, and safeguarding the well-being of those on the frontlines of care.

Together, we’ve built something more than a training program. We’ve built a learning ecosystem that centers recovery, resilience, and ethical excellence.

Laying the Foundation: Ethical Excellence in Peer Practice

Our journey with Washington County began with a shared goal: to ground peer recovery work in strong ethical practice. We continue our work with Ethical Excellence in Peer Practice: Supervision, Self-Doubt, and Skillful Conversations, an 8-hour, CEU-certified training that addresses supervision dynamics, impostor syndrome, and motivational interviewing.

This foundational experience provides peer staff with tangible skills and a renewed sense of professional identity - marking the start of a cultural shift toward reflective, peer-centered leadership.

Sustaining Growth: The Peer Elite Program

Recognizing that one-time trainings aren’t enough, Washington County invested in sustainability through Peer Elite, a monthly online development program housed on the Dolan Academy platform. Designed for both Peer Supporters and Supervisors, Peer Elite combines CEUs, coaching, downloadable tools, and community networking.

This ongoing structure ensures that peers are never isolated in their learning journey - and that workforce development happens consistently, not just occasionally.

Bringing the Community Together: The Washington County Peer Conference

To continue with our shared language and sense of mission, we joined in at the Washington County Peer Conference. There, we facilitated a workshop on Recovery Capital: The Currency of Recovery, helping peers and supervisors alike reimagine their roles within the recovery ecosystem.

These sessions deepened participants’ understanding of how supervision and recovery planning intersect - and reinforced the power of community-based learning.

Preventing Burnout: Addressing the Cost of Caring

The emotional toll of peer work is real - and Washington County chose to face it head-on. At the Peer Leadership Summit, we delivered Building Better Mental Health: Preventing Empathy-Related Injury, a training that offered strategies for boundary-setting, wellness planning, and navigating compassion fatigue.

This session sparked crucial conversations about what it means to care deeply while still caring for oneself, setting new norms around peer workforce sustainability.

Elevating Leadership: Supervisor Training & Consulting

As our partnership matured, we supported the development of Washington County’s Registered Peer Supervisors. Through consulting and advanced training on Motivational Interviewing, Leadership and Emotional Fitness, and Wellness Planning, we helped supervisors build stronger, healthier teams - while aligning supervision with organizational goals.

The Bigger Picture: Systems Change Through People

Each of these efforts - whether delivered online, in a classroom, or at a summit - has been part of a larger story: transforming the peer support landscape in Washington County. Through layered learning, long-term support, and a craftsman’s approach to workforce development, we’ve co-created a model for ethical, empowered, and enduring peer recovery work.

This is what happens when a county invests in its people. And this is what Dolan Research International is proud to be part of.