Peer Support Summit
The Peer Support Summit’s mission is to provide opportunities for peers in Delaware to connect with each other, to learn about the newest trends and best practices within the profession, and also to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work that peers do every day here in the First State.
6th Annual Peer Support Summit
Our 6th Annual Peer Support Summit was an amazing day filled with connection, laughter and learning! We were thrilled to bring together peers, advocates, and professionals from across the region to celebrate the impact of peer support and the incredible people behind this work.
We kicked off the day with a powerful keynote from Sarah Laurel of Savage Sisters, who spoke with authenticity and passion about the importance of meeting people where they are. We also had the privilege of hearing inspiring resiliency stories from Douglas Ray and Tammy Schlag that truly resonated with attendees.
One of the highlights of the day was our panel discussion featuring peers from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. It was incredible hearing about the impactful work happening across the tri-state area and the many ways peer support continues to grow and make a difference. We wrapped up the summit with a fun throwback 70s-style ethics game that brought plenty of laughs and great energy to end the day. We also raffled off some awesome prizes - congratulations to our raffle winners!
Thank you to all of our sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees for helping make this event so special. And a huge thank you to our Co-Sponsor, DSAMH, as well as to the wonderful planning and awards committee for all of their hard work behind the scenes, and the Modern Maturity Center, Inc. for hosting us this year.
Photography By: Brad Glazier of Glazier Photography
Thank you to our sponsors!
Thank you to our sponsors!
Thank you to our sponsors for our 2026 Peer Support Summit!
DSAMH (Co-Sponsor) • Bayhealth (Gold Annual Sponsor) • Winner Subaru (Gold Annual Sponsor) • Rockford Center (Silver Annual Sponsor) • MeadowWood Behavioral Health (Silver Annual Sponsor) • Behavioral Health Consortium • Nemours Children’s Health (Core Sponsor) • RadiusDirect RX (Restore Sponsor) • The Recovery Village (Recharge Sponsor) • Community Powered Federal Credit Union (Nourish Sponsor) • SUN Behavioral Delaware (Nourish Sponsor) • Lotus Recovery Centers (Refresh Sponsor) • Dover Behavioral (Refresh Sponsor)
5th Annual Peer Support Summit
On October 16, 2025, we had our 5th Annual Peer Support Summit at Modern Maturity Center in Dover, DE. This year’s theme was “Self-Care in Peer Support”, which was a powerful reminder that you cannot pour from an empty cup. The event featured insightful discussions and interactive, hands-on activities designed to help participants reflect, recharge, and strengthen their self-care practices.
Highlights included an inspiring keynote presentation, engaging self-care and mindfulness activities, and an interactive ethics session that encouraged thoughtful dialogue and collaboration.
October 16th was also Global Peer Support Day, so we took time to celebrate the incredible impact of Peer Support throughout the years here in Delaware and to honor the dedication and compassion of our peer professionals and community.
4th Annual Peer Support Summit
We had a full house! Over 125 people attended our 4th Annual Delaware Peer Support Summit, to learn more and collaborate on this year’s theme of Creativity and the Arts in Peer Support. Michael Kalmbach from the Creative Vision Factory gave an insightful presentation as the Keynote Speaker, and we had Elizabeth Romero, Senior Behavioral Health Advisor from the Delaware Department of Corrections, present information about our emerging program regarding peer support to currently incarcerated individuals as well. It was truly a day to celebrate as we presented awards to those working hard here in Delaware to provide quality peer support services to their organizations. Thank you to all the presenters, award winners, vendors, and to everyone who attended that made this event possible. See you next year!
3rd Annual Peer Support Summit
On April 20th, 2023, MHA’s Peer Training & Outreach Services had their 3rd Annual Peer Support Summit. Titled “Back to Basics,” this year’s conference focused on discussing the fundamentals of peer support, which included topics such as core values, ethics, boundaries, and cooptation. There were two speakers: Anthony Sartori, who talked about mental health and wellness in the workplace and Justin Volpe, who told us his very inspiring life story on recovery. There was also a panel of peers and clinicians who went over their roles and provided great insight into both the peer and clinical side. We were also able to present four Peers, one Peer-led organization, and Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long with awards that recognized their continuous hard work and contributions in the peer community.
