Peer Support & Critical Incident Debrief Training

Peer Support is a means for a department to show support to their employees, offering them opportunities to care for themselves and their families. Peer Support helps those, who without it, might turn to substances, illegal activity, poor performance, seeking a different career, mental health issues and even suicide.

Peer Support is an informal, private opportunity, for someone to speak to a peer, to assist with any issues the First Responder may be having difficulty.  It helps clarify concerns and explore available resources. Peer Support is preventative maintenance. 

This training will equip First Responders, Chaplains and Mental Health Professionals with listening skills to recognize concerns, help to prevent and understand the effects of stress, and refer to outside resources, if needed.  Throughout the training, participants will be expected to participate in peer support exercises which elicit personal information and feelings.  Following this training, the Peer will be able to provide services at their agency as well as assist and lead groups following critical incidents.

Dr. Jennifer Prohaska, Ph.D. and Pat Hinkle, M.A., LCPC, LCMFT, provide instruction.  Both work, almost exclusively, with first responders.  They also assist multiple departments with their Peer Support teams.  Experienced Peer Support members teach and provide valuable feedback during scenario - based training.  See attached for their bios.