Social Work Meetup and a Discussion of Peer Navigator Roles

This week’s meetup will discuss peer navigator roles, which offices have peer navigators, how peers are utilized as part of the team, and what special expertise peers bring to this work. The role of “peer navigator” can be broad to include directly impacted persons previously involved in the criminal legal system, to persons in recovery from substance use disorder, to parents with lived experience in the family regulation system – and more! Come join the discussion!

Stephanne Cline Thornton is a West Virginia native who has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. She is currently the Social Work Training and Resource Coordinator for NAPD, Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program, and owner of Transform Legal, a consultancy focused on mitigation, training, and sustainability. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor, Stephanne focuses on proper assessment for and access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Stephanne is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and uses that platform to call attention to the intersection of secondary traumatic stress and legal practice. She approaches her work with clients, lawyers, social workers, and mitigation specialists through a contextualized mitigation lens.