Module Two: Principles of Critical Incident Peer Support Critical Incident Peer Support for Law Enforcement

Learning Objectives  The participant will be able to identify the main principles of critical incident peer support.  Participant will be able to: ▫Explain why peer support is important. ▫Describe the main functions of a peer supporter. ▫Identify the characteristics of an effective peer supporter. ▫Identify the key responsibilities of a peer supporter. ▫Examine the peer support member selection process. ▫Discuss model peer support programs. 2

Module Overview  What is critical incident peer support (CIPS)?  Why peer support?  Goal of CIPS  History of peer support  Characteristics of peer supporters  Basic peer supporter skills  Intervention skills  Peer support responsibilities  Model peer support programs 3

Module Two Introduction Video 4

What Is Critical Incident Peer Support?  A formal system in which peers are specially selected and trained to provide a first line of assistance and basic crisis intervention to fellow officers. 5

What Peer Supporters Do  Complement services provided by outside professionals  Expand available resources  Offer a choice to personnel who want to talk to someone who has “been there” 6

Why Peer Support?  Helps to overcome problems before they impact performance  Benefits: ▫Increased productivity ▫Positive effect on morale ▫Decreased absenteeism ▫Accident reduction ▫Cost effective 7

Why Peer Support?  Traditional police culture: only an officer can understand another officer.  Those who sought the help of mental health professionals were seen as non-resilient. 8

Goals of CIPS  Information and knowledge  Symptom relief  Insight and understanding  Normalized perspective  Reduced helplessness, hopelessness, and isolation 9

History of Peer Support  First peer counselors: mid-1950s, Boston, New York City, and Chicago Police Departments used peer support to deal with problems of alcoholism  1970s and 1980s, many departments began to develop peer-counseling programs 10

Characteristics of Peer Supporters  Trustworthiness  Take a passive role  Make a good first impression  Accept people  Able to give support  Sense of humor  Openly friendly  Emotionally stable  Tolerant  Able to accept not being accepted  Non-aggressive  Do not use people to show power  Respect for other cultures  Non-judgmental  High sense of ethics– professional attitude 11

Basic Peer Support Skills  Demonstrate effective communication skills  Recognize major disorders/diseases  Recognize critical incident stress  Know when to refer peers 12

Intervention Skills  Professional identification  Commitment  Objectivity  Tolerance  Support  Confidentiality  Availability  Patience  Knowledge of legal/interpersonal requirements 13

Four Assumptions of CIPS Programs  Officers are normal people working in an extraordinary profession.  Peer counselors have more credibility.  Early intervention is the best prevention of PTSD.  Peer counselors should be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 14

Peer Support Responsibilities  Volunteer, on or off duty  Respond at any hour  Maintain confidentiality  Complete required forms 15

Peer Support Responsibilities  A peer supporter’s primary function is to: ▫Listen ▫Assess ▫Refer  Never a replacement for professional care 16

Peer Support Member Selection  We look for a peer support member who has: ▫Ability to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity to others’ needs ▫Good observational and listening skills ▫Prior successful personal experience dealing with crisis situations

Practical Exercise  Identify basic principles of peer support ▫Divide into groups of four to five to discuss the scenario described in your Student Guide. ▫You will have 20 minutes to complete the group discussion and return to the class. ▫Identify the necessary characteristics, skills, and responsibilities of a peer supporter that would be relevant to these scenarios. 18

Model Peer Support Programs  Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF)  Cop 2 Cop (New Jersey and New York)  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  Federal Law Enforcement Training Center  National Fraternal Order of Police  New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and State Police  New York City Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance (POPPA)  Oklahoma City: Critical Incident Workshops  U.S. Marshals Service  U.S. Secret Service  World Trade Center—Rescuer Support Victim Program 19

ATF  Community-based outreach program  Ombudsman services provide services to: ▫Family members of bureau employees ▫Employees of state and local agencies as well as their families who have experienced critical incidents  Program has four components: ▫Peer responders ▫Mental health professionals ▫Chaplains ▫Trainers  Program Publication Program Publication 20

Cop 2 Cop  Suicide prevention and mental health support 24-hour hotline for law enforcement officers  Offered through the Department of Human Services in the State of New Jersey  Program has four components: ▫Peer and clinical support services ▫Clinical assessments ▫Referrals ▫Critical incident stress management  Cop 2 Cop Web site Cop 2 Cop Web site 21

FBI  Stress management program for employees and their families  Employee Assistance Unit started in 1993  Program offers: ▫Critical incident stress management ▫Peer support/post-critical incident seminars 22

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center  Stress preventative program for students, staff, and families  Program offers: ▫Guidance on issues encountered while a student ▫Support to officers who have been involved in critical incidents  Peer Support Program Web site Peer Support Program Web site 23

National Fraternal Order of Police  Critical Incident Stress Management Program for emergency service workers  Program offers: ▫“Services that mitigate or lessen the impact of the effects of critical incidents and accelerate the recovery following a traumatic event”  FOP Web site FOP Web site 24

NJ Attorney General’s Office and State Police  Critical Incident Stress Response Program serving high risk rescuers  Program offers: ▫Statewide customized critical incident stress response for first responders ▫Peer support and rescuer expertise  New Jersey Disaster Critical Incident Stress Response (NJDCISR) Web site New Jersey Disaster Critical Incident Stress Response (NJDCISR) Web site 25

Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance  Peer assistance program serving police officers and their families  Program offers: ▫Confidential, safe, and supportive environment to help officers and their families cope with the stresses of the job ▫Support for marital issues, substance abuse, suicide, and psychological disorders  POPPA Web site POPPA Web site 26

Oklahoma City: Critical Incident Workshops  Critical incident workshops for rescue personnel, survivors, volunteers, and family members  Program offered: ▫70 workshops, using a 4-day format ▫Intervention teams 27

U.S. Marshals Service  Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) services for personnel and their families  Program offers: ▫Incident-specific counseling ▫Employee assistance  U.S. Marshals Service Web site U.S. Marshals Service Web site 28

U.S. Secret Service  Critical Incident Peer Support Team for new agents and uniformed officers offered through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)  Program offers: ▫Crisis intervention and crisis debriefings ▫Precrisis education seminars  EAP Web site EAP Web site 29

World Trade Center—Rescuer Support Victim Program  Intervention services for law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel  Program offered: ▫Crisis intervention hotline help ▫Crisis intervention training program ▫Clinical intervention services  WTC-RSVP Web site WTC-RSVP Web site 30

Review—Check on Learning  Why is peer support important?  What are the main functions of a peer supporter?  What are characteristics of an effective peer supporter?  What are the key responsibilities of a peer supporter?  What can you and your agency learn from other peer support programs? 31