Jul 27, 2026 Peer Support in Public Safety: Training for Every Stage of Your Team
Peer support training equips public safety professionals to recognize when a colleague is struggling and to offer meaningful, confidential help through the stress, trauma, and critical incidents the job brings. Embassy Consulting Services offers a full range of POST and STC certified peer support courses for law enforcement, corrections, probation, criminal justice professionals and fire personnel — from foundational skills to advanced intervention, critical incident response, and team building. Whether your agency is standing up its first peer support team or strengthening an established one, here’s what each course covers and where it fits.
Wellness in public safety isn’t a poster in the break room or a line in the manual. It’s the colleague who notices when someone isn’t themselves, who knows how to listen after a hard call, and who shows up when the worst day of a career arrives. That’s what a trained peer support team does — and it’s why building one, and keeping it strong, is one of the most practical investments an agency can make.
“A department can have the best wellness policy on paper, but people don’t open up to a policy — they open up to a peer they trust. That’s what we’re here to build.” — Heather Williams, PsyD
Start with a foundation: Basic Peer Support
Every strong program begins here. The Basic Peer Support (2-Day) course is a 16-hour, POST- and STC-certified training that gives peer support members the core skills to help their colleagues through personal, professional, and organizational challenges. It covers the realities public safety professionals actually face — stress and burnout, active listening, crisis intervention after trauma, marriage and family dynamics, depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI), line-of-duty deaths, public safety suicide, and more. It’s also AB 1116 and AB 1117 compliant, so it meets California’s peer support standards from day one.
Go deeper: Advanced Peer Support
Once a team has the fundamentals, some conversations call for more. The Advanced Peer Support course is an 8-hour, POST-certified training built for peer supporters ready to navigate the tougher, more specific situations — domestic violence, suicidal ideation, addiction, chronic illness and loss, and the stress that comes with workers’ compensation cases. It’s about handling the hard stuff with confidence and knowing when and how to connect a peer with the right resources.
Prepare for the worst day: Critical Incident Response for Peer Support Teams
Some events affect an entire agency at once. The Critical Incident Response for Peer Support Teams course — 8 hours, POST certified — prepares team members to support the psychological recovery and resilience of public safety personnel after a large-scale critical incident, active shooter, or terrorist event. When the whole department is carrying the weight, a team trained for that moment makes the difference in how everyone recovers.
Keep the team strong: Peer Support Reboot and Team Building
The people who care for everyone else need care too. The Peer Support Reboot and Team Building course is an 8-hour interactive session designed to re-energize an existing team — building emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and trust through connection and, honestly, a little fun. It also introduces alternative wellness practices that keep peer supporters resilient over the long haul, so a program doesn’t just start strong but stays that way.
For corrections and probation: Health & Wellness for Probation Professionals
Wellness looks a little different behind the walls and in the field. The Health & Wellness for Probation Professionals course is a 4-hour, STC-certified training that gives probation staff practical tools to manage occupational stress, build resilience, and sustain real self-care — so they can thrive in the profession, not just survive it. It also explores the role of organizational culture and peer support in keeping wellness going for the long term.
Building something that lasts
A strong peer support program isn’t a single class — it’s a commitment that grows with a team over time. Whether an agency is launching its first program or strengthening one that’s been running for years, Embassy’s courses are built to meet that team where it is, taught by people who have done this work in the field.
“Culture is what happens when no one’s watching. A strong peer support team is how you make sure your people are cared for on the worst day of their career.” — Heather Williams, PsyD
Dr. Williams built the Orange County Sheriff’s Department peer support program and served as its first Regional Peer Support Coordinator, co-founded the Orange County Association of Peer Supporters, and has spent more than 20 years responding to critical incidents in public safety.
Explore our peer support courses or partner with us to talk about building a program for your agency.
