Strengthening Peer Support for First Responders
Peer support can open the door to mental health care. But is your program ready when someone walks through it? See six ways to build trust, support peer teams, and create a clearer path to care.
Guide
A first responder may be more comfortable turning to a colleague than calling a mental health provider. That makes peer support a powerful bridge, but only if peers know what to do when someone needs more help.
The impact can be significant. After one EMS organization introduced a peer-support program, the share of employees who knew where to get help rose from 40% to 85%.
Download the guide to learn how to:
- Prepare peer supporters for difficult conversations
- Make the handoff to professional care easier
- Connect people with clinicians who understand first responder work
- Give peer teams the training, boundaries, and professional backup they need
Explore additional resources
Guide
2026 World Mental Health Day Toolkit
Guide
Extending Mental Health Capacity in Health Systems
Report