Q: Are specific policies necessary for a Peer Support Program, and, if so, which policies are considered essential?

A: Using the analogy of a Peer Support program as a building, policies act as the scaffolding, providing support while defining its structure, dimensions, and key properties. So yes, policies are essential, critical in fact, for a sound Peer Support Program that can be of help to staff while promoting high-quality services, protecting all involved, and reducing legal liability to the agency.

Here’s a list of what we at Desert Waters consider key peer support team policies, to be reviewed at least annually by all concerned and updates as needed.

  1. Peer Support Team (PST) Leadership & Structure
  2. PST Oversight (Administrative, Legal, Chain of Command)
  3. PST Policy Writing
  4. PSTM (Peer Support Team Member) Supervision – Clinical
  5. PSTM Supervision – Operations
  1. PST Scope
  2. Eligibility for PST Services
  3. Procedures for Accessing PST Services
  4. PST Procedures/Operations—Location, Time Frame, Frequency Of Use, Limits To Use, Etc.
  1. PST Membership
  2. PSTM Code of Conduct Agreement
  3. PSTM Resignations
  4. PSTM Leave of Absence from the PST
  5. PSTM Removal from PST
  1. Training
  2. PSTM Training
  3. Initial
  4. Periodic (quarterly if not monthly)
  5. Formal Review of Challenging PST Interactions
  6. PSTM Debriefing
  1. Privacy, Confidentiality, and Privileged Communication
  2. Privacy
  3. Confidentiality
  4. Confidentiality Exceptions—Mandatory Reporting (Responding to Potential Risk of Harm to Self or Others)
  5. Privileged Communication (if applicable)
  1. Documentation
  2. PSTM-PSR (Peer Support Recipient) Interactions
  3. PST Meetings
  4. PST Training
  5. PST Staffing Decisions

Contact us for information about our corrections-specific Peer Supporter Training™.