Package 2: Peer Support Core Team Training & Program Launch (40 Hours)
Focus: Building and launching an effective in-house peer support team that exceeds the standards of both the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
This comprehensive, in-person training equips selected members with peer counseling skills, crisis intervention techniques, and clear boundaries to provide early, non-clinical support. The Badges & Breakthroughs, LLC Peer Support Training Program far exceeds and surpasses both IACP and IAFF minimum requirements and is built to the highest standards for first responders, backed by current research on first responder psychology and evidence-based material.
IACP and IAFF Standards Alignment:
This program is NOT an International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) approved peer support program (which is 16 hours in length), nor is it limited to the IACP peer support guidelines. However, the Badges & Breakthroughs, LLC training program incorporates all core topics from both the IAFF and IACP Peer Support Training curricula, including:
• How to approach a member of concern and establish trust
• Establishing and maintaining confidentiality
• Providing emotional support and active listening
• Determining whether a crisis is developing
• Referring to available resources (EAP, clinical providers, chaplains)
• Educating others about behavioral health and resilience
• Understanding scope of practice and ethical boundaries
• Post-critical incident peer support protocols
The program exceeds IAFF and IACP minimum requirements with 40 hours of training (vs. IAFF’s 16 hours) and includes extensive scenario practice, realistic role-plays, agency-specific policy development, and continued post-training support.
Core Curriculum (13 Modules):
• Module 1 — Peer Support Overview, Structure, and Key Considerations: Purpose, scope of practice, boundaries, role limits, and program activation
• Module 2 — Normalizing Common Mental Health Challenges: Stress injuries, depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep issues, and relationship strain
• Module 3 — Stress and Trauma: Operational stress, critical incident stress, cumulative trauma, and vicarious trauma; recognizing early warning signs
• Module 4 — Peer Counseling Techniques: Active listening, open-ended questions, reflective responses, validation, and scenario-based practice
• Module 5 — Moral Distress and Moral Injury: Understanding how moral conflict shows up in first responders and how to support peers
• Module 6 — Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention: Recognizing risk factors, asking directly, immediate response steps, and post-incident support
• Module 7 — Substance Misuse and Addictions: Recognizing problematic alcohol and substance use, having difficult conversations, and referral pathways
• Module 8 — Managing Anger, Frustration, and Annoyance: Understanding chronic stress manifestations and helping peers with conflict and irritability
• Module 9 — Family and Support System Considerations: Impact on families, partners, and children; when and how to involve support systems
• Module 10 — Supporting Peers Through Grief and Loss: Line-of-duty deaths, medical retirements, and presence-based support
• Module 11 — Supporting Military and Veteran Personnel: Cultural considerations and coordination with veteran-specific resources
• Module 12 — Peer Supporter Self-Care and Wellness: Recognizing secondary trauma, maintaining boundaries, and team-level sustainability
• Module 13 — Liability, Ethics, and Documentation: Confidentiality limits, mandatory reporting, legal considerations, and documentation practices
Deliverables:
• Trained Peer Support Team with certificates of completion
• Peer Support Team handbook (roles, procedures, call-out criteria)
• Sample SOPs and consent/confidentiality language
• Referral pathway framework with vetted local and national resources
• Quick-reference guides, conversation scripts, and checklists
• Six months of ongoing consultation (monthly or quarterly, phone or in-person)
Investment: $10,000 per 40-hour package
Focus: Building and launching an effective in-house peer support team that exceeds the standards of both the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
This comprehensive, in-person training equips selected members with peer counseling skills, crisis intervention techniques, and clear boundaries to provide early, non-clinical support. The Badges & Breakthroughs, LLC Peer Support Training Program far exceeds and surpasses both IACP and IAFF minimum requirements and is built to the highest standards for first responders, backed by current research on first responder psychology and evidence-based material.
IACP and IAFF Standards Alignment:
This program is NOT an International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) approved peer support program (which is 16 hours in length), nor is it limited to the IACP peer support guidelines. However, the Badges & Breakthroughs, LLC training program incorporates all core topics from both the IAFF and IACP Peer Support Training curricula, including:
• How to approach a member of concern and establish trust
• Establishing and maintaining confidentiality
• Providing emotional support and active listening
• Determining whether a crisis is developing
• Referring to available resources (EAP, clinical providers, chaplains)
• Educating others about behavioral health and resilience
• Understanding scope of practice and ethical boundaries
• Post-critical incident peer support protocols
The program exceeds IAFF and IACP minimum requirements with 40 hours of training (vs. IAFF’s 16 hours) and includes extensive scenario practice, realistic role-plays, agency-specific policy development, and continued post-training support.
Core Curriculum (13 Modules):
• Module 1 — Peer Support Overview, Structure, and Key Considerations: Purpose, scope of practice, boundaries, role limits, and program activation
• Module 2 — Normalizing Common Mental Health Challenges: Stress injuries, depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep issues, and relationship strain
• Module 3 — Stress and Trauma: Operational stress, critical incident stress, cumulative trauma, and vicarious trauma; recognizing early warning signs
• Module 4 — Peer Counseling Techniques: Active listening, open-ended questions, reflective responses, validation, and scenario-based practice
• Module 5 — Moral Distress and Moral Injury: Understanding how moral conflict shows up in first responders and how to support peers
• Module 6 — Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention: Recognizing risk factors, asking directly, immediate response steps, and post-incident support
• Module 7 — Substance Misuse and Addictions: Recognizing problematic alcohol and substance use, having difficult conversations, and referral pathways
• Module 8 — Managing Anger, Frustration, and Annoyance: Understanding chronic stress manifestations and helping peers with conflict and irritability
• Module 9 — Family and Support System Considerations: Impact on families, partners, and children; when and how to involve support systems
• Module 10 — Supporting Peers Through Grief and Loss: Line-of-duty deaths, medical retirements, and presence-based support
• Module 11 — Supporting Military and Veteran Personnel: Cultural considerations and coordination with veteran-specific resources
• Module 12 — Peer Supporter Self-Care and Wellness: Recognizing secondary trauma, maintaining boundaries, and team-level sustainability
• Module 13 — Liability, Ethics, and Documentation: Confidentiality limits, mandatory reporting, legal considerations, and documentation practices
Deliverables:
• Trained Peer Support Team with certificates of completion
• Peer Support Team handbook (roles, procedures, call-out criteria)
• Sample SOPs and consent/confidentiality language
• Referral pathway framework with vetted local and national resources
• Quick-reference guides, conversation scripts, and checklists
• Six months of ongoing consultation (monthly or quarterly, phone or in-person)
Investment: $10,000 per 40-hour package