Become a peer supporter. Your experience is the qualification.
Every member of this team was once the person who answered a hard call and wished someone had checked on them. If you want to become a peer supporter with Plymouth County CISM, here is who we are looking for, what the training involves, and how to start.
Who we are looking for
Who can become a peer supporter?
Peers come from every discipline we serve, because a dispatcher wants to talk to a dispatcher and a cop wants to talk to a cop. Above all, we look for people who listen well, keep confidences and show up.
Firefighters & officers
Career and call, active or retired, including company officers and chiefs.
Police & corrections
Sworn officers, dispatch supervisors and corrections staff.
EMTs & paramedics
Municipal, private and hospital-based EMS.
Telecommunicators
911 and fire alarm dispatchers, who are often the most overlooked.
Nurses & clinicians
ED, ICU and flight nurses, plus licensed mental health professionals who know responder culture.
Chaplains
Fire and police chaplains of any faith tradition.
The path
How to become a peer supporter in five steps
Reach out
Fill out the interest form below or email plymouthcountycism@gmail.com. Tell us your agency, your role and why you want to become a peer supporter.
Have a conversation
Next, a coordinator meets you for coffee. We talk about expectations, confidentiality and your availability. Also, we check that you are at least two years out from any major incident of your own.
Complete the training
Then you take the nationally recognized ICISF courses: Group Crisis Intervention and Assisting Individuals in Crisis. The team covers the cost for accepted members.
Shadow a response
After that, you attend defusings and debriefings alongside experienced peers before leading anything yourself.
Join the roster
Finally, you are added to the activation list for your discipline and invited to monthly team meetings and continuing education.
What we ask of you
- Time: roughly 4–8 hours a month, plus responses when you are available. Nobody is on call alone.
- Training: two initial ICISF courses (about 27 hours) and a refresher every two years.
- Confidentiality: absolute, within the limits of safety and law.
- Agency support: a letter from your chief or supervisor acknowledging your role.
Start the conversation
Tell us you want to become a peer supporter
This is not an application, and there is no wrong answer. It simply gives a coordinator enough to call you back and set up a coffee. Everything you share here stays within the coordinator group.
What happens next
- A coordinator calls or emails within a few days.
- You meet for an informal conversation about the team and your availability.
- If it is a fit on both sides, we schedule your ICISF training.
Prefer to talk first? Call 508-830-6223 or email plymouthcountycism@gmail.com.
Peer supporter interest form
Takes about two minutes.
Why people do it
What members say about choosing to become a peer supporter
Most of our peers say the same two things. First, that the training changed how they handle their own calls. Second, that the hardest conversation they ever had in a station kitchen was also the most important thing they did that year.
You will not fix anyone. Instead, you will sit with people on their worst day, help them feel normal, and know where to send them when they need more. For many members, that is the most meaningful part of a long career in public safety.
Other ways to help
Not ready to become a peer supporter? You can still host a QPR class at your agency, support the team, or simply put our number on the station wall.
Request assistance
Ready to become a peer supporter? Start with a conversation.
Tell us a little about yourself and a coordinator will reach out within a few days.
24 hours a day · 7 days a week · Peer-to-peer