Research

Poster

One Small Step: Reinventing Certified Peer Support in Addiction Recovery & Mental Health

Authors: Varsha Srivastava, PhD | Vandana Yadav, MS | Stan Kachnowski, PhD, MPA

Fragmented support remains a core barrier to behavioral health recovery. During treatment, patients face limited coverage during nights and weekends, when risk of early discharge spikes. After discharge, continuity of care is weak, increasing the likelihood of relapse. Limited digital integration further reduces accessibility and continuity of care. This study presents HITLAB’s heuristic evaluation of One Small Step, a digital peer-support platform that connects users (both in rehab and after recovery) with certified peer supporters— individuals with lived experience trained to provide empathetic, non-clinical support. Using Jakob Nielsen’s Ten Usability Heuristics, HITLAB assessed both the web and mobile platforms for usability, accessibility, and emotional design. Findings show that One Small Step supports empathy-driven communication, emotional safety, and accessible pathways for ongoing support, with opportunities to improve personalization and long-term engagement. The platform offers a scalable, user- centered approach that bridges the gap between clinical care and everyday behavioral health needs