Our Peers-Empowerment and Navigational Support – Community Living (OP-ENS – CL)
OP-ENS - CL is a research study that will answer the question, “Does a remote, mHealth enabled peer navigator intervention help people with newly acquired disabilities transition to community living?"
The return to community living after the onset of physical disability can be challenging as people learn to adapt to a new way of living.
Peer navigator (PHN) programs have been successfully used with people with chronic conditions. PNs are persons from the local community who share the same demographic as those people that they serve. PNs empower individuals to take control of their health and community living by providing individualized supports and structured problem solving skill building to help overcome community living barriers.
The purpose of this study is to implement and evaluate OP-ENS - CL, a PN intervention program, tailored to meet the community re-integration needs of people with newly acquired physical disabilities.
Video
Joel Margolis interviews OP-ENS principal investigator, Susan Magasi and peer health navigators Ron Booze and Ryann Brown about the OP-ENS program. This program was produced by Adapt of Chicago Productions, a CAN TV Community Partner.
OP-ENS Newsletter
Please see below for a variety of past newsletters developed for people with disabilities.
Study partners
Funding
This project is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (90RTCP0005-01-00).
OP-ENS Peer Health Navigators
“I am a 55 year-old African American male recovering from a traumatic spinal cord and neck injury from a 2009 automobile accident. I’ve had to go through multiple surgeries related to this accident. I currently use a cane to walk and I’m in therapy as well. I recognize and respect the barriers and difficulties other members of the disability community experience to receive, maintain and achieve the assistance and services that are much needed. My mission as a PN is to educate and empower and educate on the resources available to access healthcare.”
| Peer Health Navigator
“My name is Ryann Brown, I am a peer navigator at UIC as well as an advocate for persons with disabilities. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury in March of 2006. Since then, I’ve become a catalyst for change when it comes to dealing with concerns within the disability community. Some of my strengths include, but are not limited to dealing with accessibility issues, Medicaid Illinois managed care companies and gun violence survivors.”
| Peer Health Navigator
“Very often unexpected life traumas and challenges provide the best opportunities for self-reflection, mindset change, empathy for people, and an opportunity to share the experiences and solutions to problems that one encounters in life, such has been my experience working as a Peer Navigator.”
| Peer Health Navigator