Patsy Chinn named Peer Specialist of the Year 2023
Chinn has been named the 2023 VISN 7 and Atlanta VA Peer Specialist of the Year.
Ms. Patsy Chinn has the dual honor of being named the 2023 Atlanta VA Peer Specialist of the Year and the 2023 VISN 7 Peer Specialist of the Year.
Ms. Chinn currently works as a Peer Specialist in the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program where she assists on the Screening and Admissions Team. She is constantly promoting individual empowerment by attending conferences, obtaining continuing education units (CEUs) to improve her knowledge, skills and abilities. She shares this knowledge and her lived experiences to encourage and motivate Veterans as well as her colleagues.
She advocates for Veterans and teaches them how to obtain resources and services. Ms. Chinn is not afraid to meet Veterans where they are and she often participates in weekly search and rescues in which she goes to community shelters, on the streets and in abandon buildings searching for our Veterans and then works with them to connect them to VA services and community services. She was previously contacted by a VA Physician to assist him with locating a Veteran to connect him with VA services for a recent cancer diagnosis and Ms. Chinn was instrumental in locating the Veteran behind a store in Austell and connecting him with the physician.
Ms. Chinn has been successful in the recovery process by help others experiencing similar situations understand their past doesn't dictate their future. She shares her personal experiences of empowering women by creating a women’s empowerment group. She likes to share stories in a way to connect with people and inspire others who may be struggling with behavioral health conditions. When Ms. Chinn is able to share her recovery journey and how her recovery has impacted those around her, she is able to make everyone feel loved and cared for.
She is never afraid to use past traumas to highlight that life is filled with pitfalls, but that doesn't mean you need to give up. Ms. Chinn is revered by her team as one of the “greatest peers the VA has ever hired”.