PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Question 1

Purpose/Background

Answer 1

To identify the types of incidents or circumstances that may warrant the use of Peer Support (PS) services, Peer Support Dogs, and the procedures for requesting this service either at a scene, post-incident, or for any other potentially traumatic event.
3015.2 Background:
Mission Statement: “The role of the Ventura County Fire Dept. Peer Support Team is to be available to listen to, support, and assist employees and family members of employees during periods of professional or personal difficulty. The Peer Support Team will use professional services to assist or refer employees and family members as requested or required based on need

Question 2

Peer Support Team

Answer 2

A group of voluntary VCFD personnel who have received training in Peer Support and/or Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) with the intent to assist peers and their family members in need after a Critical Incident or other Potentially Traumatic Event. It is designed to assist in the identification of employee concerns and offer assistance and appropriate resource information to affected employees

Question 3

Critical Incident

Answer 3

Any event that may expose personnel to unusually intense involvement. This includes:
* Serious injury or death to emergency personnel
* Mass casualty incidents
Suicide of a co-worker
* Serious injury of death of a civilian resulting from on-scene operations
* Death of a child or violence to a child
* Loss of life of a patient during rescue efforts, following extraordinary and prolonged emotional energy by emergency personnel
* Incidents that attract extremely unusual or critical news media coverage
* Any incident that is charged with profound emotion
* Any incident where the circumstances are so unusual, or the sights and sounds so distressing, as to produce a high level of immediate or delayed emotional reaction

Question 4

Potentially Traumatic Event

Answer 4

Includes, but is not limited to, critical incidents. Extends to personal issues involving marriage, relationships, health, family, finance, employment, substance abuse, etcetera

Question 5

Policy

Answer 5

It is the policy of the Ventura County Fire Department to provide for the health and safety of all personnel through support of the Ventura County Fire Peer Support Program. Fully qualified Peer Support members will possess critical interpersonal skills such as the ability to listen and communicate, undergo required training, attend quarterly meetings, and provide for confidentiality

Question 6

Peer Support Member Qualifications

Answer 6

Peer Support Member Qualifications:
* Three or more years of continuous service and not on disciplinary probation
* Letter of interest submitted to Peer Support Coordinator
* Completed required PS training

Question 7

Required Training

Answer 7

• CISM
• Peer Support
• ASSIST

Question 8

Quarterly Meetings

Answer 8

Members must attend one meeting per year.

Question 9

Confidentiality

Answer 9

Acceptance and success of the PS Program is based largely in its ability to keep interactions confidential. Some circumstances exist that prohibit this confidentiality from being maintained. A PS Member who is shown to have violated confidentiality will be removed from the team.

Question 10

Confidentiality Exceptions

Answer 10

Matters involving the following must be reported in accordance with current Mandated Reporter Laws to law enforcement or agency with jurisdiction:
* Danger to self
* Danger to others
* Suspected child abuse
* Factual elder abuse
* Domestic violence
* Narcotic offenses (sales and transportation)
* Any case where the law requires divulgence
* When the peer being assisted requests divulgence

Question 11

Documentation

Answer 11

PS Members shall document all hours spent assisting others in their peer capacity. It is preferred that this is done as soon as possible and appropriate after assistance is provided to ensure complete and accurate record keeping.
3015.7.5.1 Documentation shall not include any identifying information regarding the person assisted.

Question 12

Procedure

Answer 12

During an active critical incident, the IC may request a PS response through the on-duty CISM Officer.
3015.8.1 The on-duty CISM Officer will contact the IC to evaluate the level of response needed and coordinate with PS Members to reach affected individuals in as timely a manner as possible.
3015.8.1.1 On duty PS members who were not involved in the event should be utilized first if possible.
3015.8.1.2 On-duty Peer Members can be located on the AVL under the Peer Tab or in Telestaff with the pink identifier and/or “PS” next to the individual’s name
The IC shall provide CISM Officer with the name of the contact, nature and location of incident, and the number of responders on-

Question 13

Requests/Referrals Occurring Outside of an Incident

Answer 13

Self-Referrals:
An employee may personally contact any PS Member or CISM Officer for referral to professional counseling or another PS Member.
3015.8.2.2 Co-Worker Referrals:
Any employee aware of another employee who may need assistance can initiate a referral by contacting any PS Member. The referred employee will be contacted to assess their receptiveness to PS intervention.
3015.8.2.3 Supervisor Referrals:
Supervisory personnel may recommend PS services to employees when appropriate. Such support is voluntary, and the employee cannot be ordered to participate. The employee shall be assured that consultation is solely for the benefit of the employee and is confidential.
3015.8.2.4 Family Member Referrals:
An immediate family member of the employee may make a referral, in which case the employee’s participation is still voluntary.
3015.8.3 Referrals shall not be used as part of any disciplinary action.