What is Peer Support?

Peer Support is an evidence based and growing practice within public safety organizations that provides specific resources and services to their sworn and civilian employees during personal or professional crisis. The basis of our training is to take volunteer members of an agency and help them develop into a team that can be utilized to help other members. A Peer Support Person, sworn or civilian, is a specifically trained colleague, not a therapist or counselor. The Peer Support Program augments other programs such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), in-house treatment programs and out-of-agency psychological services and resources but does not replace them. A peer support person is trained to provide day-to-day emotional support for department employees as well as to participate in a department’s comprehensive response to critical incidents.