Welcome to PEERLINK!

Mental Health America of Oregon is proud to announce the appointment of new Peerlink National Technical Assistance Center Director Nora Candey.

Nora Candey experienced her first involuntary hospitalization at the age of 13.  During her four-month stay on the adolescent ward of a hospital in Chula Vista, California, Nora experienced restraint, seclusion, and received her first mental health diagnosis.  During the 20 years that followed, Nora experienced lengthy hospitalizations, overmedication, and was told she would never be able to work or live a normal life.  Nora attributes her recovery to the peer support and advocacy she began to experience while a patient at the Oregon State Hospital in 2000, and subsequent peer support upon release.  Over the past 13 years, Nora has completed her Bachelor’s degree, become financially independent, gotten married, and has not had a gap in her employment history. 

Nora began working as a Peer Advocate in 2002 at the Renaissance drop-in center.  Since then, she has worked as a peer provider in various capacities, including implementing peer delivered services within community mental health, managing an employment service program, and most recently serving as Program Manager of Luke-Dorf’s Self-Directed Services program, where she managed a team of peer providers and used Person Directed Planning to assist customers with setting and reaching life goals.  

Nora studied Literature at U. C. San Diego and Portland State University, and Addictions Studies at Portland Community College.  In her current role as Project Coordinator at Peerlink, Nora continues to advocate for inclusion of peers and system change.

Nora's extensive experience and skills providing and guiding innovative, recovery-focused peer services and valuable lived experience make her the perfect addition to our team. We are excited about Peerlink's future!