IDEAS for starting a Peer TeaM

Building a Peer Support Program is important for any size department. The Peer Support Model has been part of the first responder for years and can improve access to care for individuals seeking help. 

If you are reading this, then you are interested in building or expanding your peer team. Building a team may be challenging at times, but the benefits to your department and co-workers will be evident in your department's mental and physical well-being.

Suggested Steps for developing a peer support team:

1. Assess your workplace culture regarding mental health. Does your workplace have a desire to create peer support? Who are the allies? Can you seek assistance from your department Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)?

2. Talk to key supervisors and command staff about building a team. Are they willing to support the initiative? Will they pay for training? Will they allow peers to meet with individuals during work? Educate Command Staff about why peer support is a means to maintain and increase mental and physical health in departments. Identify a command staff champion and ask them to attend meetings and promote the initiative in the department.

3. Create a steering committee or informal workgroup to develop guidelines, policy and procedures, and the application process for selecting peers for the team. Does your labor union have guidelines to help develop peer support? Your agency's size and culture will define whether your Peer Support Team is a formal team or an informal team. Suggested members to include in a steering committee are front-line workers, union representatives, and senior officers.

4. Selection of Peer Support Team Members is crucial for the success of your team. Will you have an application process?  Peers selected to be on the peer team should have a belief that recovery is possible and everyone can heal and move forward. Peers must also be able to set strict boundaries and know when to step away from a peer to peer engagement.

5. Peer Support Training is critical to developing a respected and trusted peer team. Peers should attend initial training and receive ongoing training every 6-12 months for as long as they are part of the team. Peers should understand their own mental health and take time away from peer work when necessary.

6. Peer Teams must understand the local resources for their department and know how to access them. They should have relationships with culturally competent clinicians who understand the first responder culture. Peers should also visit in-patient and out-patient treatment centers. Peers should call the EAP themselves to understand the process. Relationships with providers enable the peer teams to understand how to access mental health services and let the provider know when care was not easy to access.  

7. Foster a culture of understanding about mental health. At a minimum, have yearly in-services and discuss mental health. Ideally, incorporate wellness ideas and building resilience into monthly or quarterly department in-services and meetings. Make time to check in with employees, co-workers, and even supervisors after a critical incident occurs. 

8. Building Peer Support in departments is not static. The function, roles, and responsibilities will continually evolve in a strong program.

9. Find sample peer support team development timelines here and here.

10. Peers should monitor their own personal mental health and take time off from peer work when needed. If a peer is in recovery, their recovery is the priority and should come before doing any peer work.