Our Programs

What does our 40 -hour Training cover?

Our program meets the guidelines of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Our 40-hour training covers the following:

• How to create and implement a Peer Support Program

• Rules, Laws, and Policies regarding confidentiality

• Communication and Active Listening Skills

• Motivational Interviewing

• Grief and loss management

• Recognizing psychological symptoms and disorders

• Critical Incident Debriefing

• Addictive behaviors, dependency, and abuse (alcohol, substances, gambling)

• Stress Management

• Empathy Burnout

• Suicide assessment and prevention

• Referrals to other professionals and resources (clinicians, medical staff, social services)

• Wellness and self-care

• Relationship issues.

• Utilizing basic screening tools

There is a great deal of active participation within the class with dynamic discussions, role play scenarios and self-cognizant exercises.

Within the 40-hour training, we aspire to a 3-prong objective. By the end of the 40-hours, the volunteer participants become peer support members, they develop into a team with their classmates and importantly, we help them to do some self-realization and recognize issues within their own personal and professional lives.

Why does my Agency or Department need a Peer Support Program?

Studies have shown that Peer Support increases empathy and acceptance, hope and inspiration and improves social functioning. Peer Support is very effective in uniquely educated or occupationally trained populations as they are more likely to seek out and accept help from others that have similar experiences and experiential knowledge. Peer Support can increase a participant’s sense of hope, control, and ability to affect changes in their lives. Peer Support augments engagement in self-care and wellness while decreasing substance abuse and depression.  Agencies and Departments with Peer Support Programs document an increase in mental health referrals and a decrease in on-the-job suicides, sick days, and poor work performance. Peer Support debriefings prior to, during and following a traumatic event allows employees to cope more effectively with tragedy, psychological closure and cumulative traumatic stress injuries.