Meet the Advisory Council: Sandy Rives, CPRP, CPSS

Sandy Rives, CPRP, CPSS, is a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner and Certified Peer Support Specialist based in Santa Maria, CA. While her background began in education, her path shifted beautifully in 2007 when she found her calling as a peer specialist in the mental health field. She never imagined that her own "mess" would become a message of hope, or her "test" a testimony to the power of recovery.

Sandy has brought her expertise to a wide array of mental health programs, spanning homeless outreach, crisis residential care, and assertive community treatment. Notably, she spent thirteen years supervising and building a thriving, peer-run wellness center in Lompoc, CA. Currently, she serves as the LEAD (Lived Experience Advocacy Development) Project Coordinator for Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA). In this role, she delivers extensive outreach, evidence-based trainings, and vital resource linkages across Northern Santa Barbara County, while leading a team of Advocates who draw upon their own lived experiences to educate the public, challenge stigma, and inspire hope.

A dedicated educator and advocate, Sandy is a certified facilitator for Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid, QPR, and Taking Action for Whole Health and Wellbeing. She also serves on the CASRA Conference Planning Committee. To maintain her own wellness, Sandy enjoys crafting, making Zines, collecting rocks and shells, and spending time with her husband and their two fur babies.