Policy Text
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Peer Support Program
The purpose of this General Order is to establish the guidelines of the Peer Support
program.
I. General
A. The Peer Support program is a voluntary and confidential program for all
employees , retirees and their families. The purpose of the program is to
provide practical and emotional support for personal and/or work related
problems before they become acute. Peer Support members are trained
to be effec tive listeners, provide feedback, clarify issues and assist the
employee in identifying options for problem resolution by providing
information on referrals. Peer Support members are not therapists. When
problems appear to require specialized assistance, referral information will
be made available to employees or their families.
B. Employees acting within the scope of their responsibilities as a Peer
Support member while off duty are deemed agents, acting on behalf of the
Sheriff’s Office for purposes of workers’ compensation coverage if verified
and needed.
C. Peer Support members will assist with departmental funerals as part of
General Order 11 -12.
II. Organizational Structure
A. The Peer Support Advisory Committee falls under the direction of the
Employee Relations Officer and shall consist of employees or reserves
and law enforcement chaplain cy.
B. Peer Support Advisory Committee members shall be selected by the
existin g Peer Support Advisory Committee from the pool of Peer Support
Members . Program development and policies will be made by the Peer
Support A dvisory Committee with the final approval of the Employee
Relations Officer.
C. The Peer Support program will be administered by the members of the
Peer Support Advisory Committee which reports administratively to the
Peer Support Coordinator. The Peer Support Coordinator reports directly
to the Employee Relations Officer . The Peer Support Coordinator shall be
Page 2 of 6 11/11 (REV 6/20) chosen from the ranks of the Peer Support members with the approval of
the Peer Support Advisor y Committee and the Employee Relations
Officer .
1. The members of the Peer Support Advisory Committee shall serve
for a period of at least two years. Peer Support Advisory
Committee members will be from the ranks of active Peer Support
members .
2. Peer Support Advisory Committee members may be removed from
the committee as outlined in Section V of this General Order.
D. The Peer Support Program Coordinator , a member of the Peer Support
Advisory Committee, will be responsible for maintaining liaison and
communication among management, the Employee Relations Office , Peer
Support members and the advisory committee. In addition, the Peer
Support Coordinator will be responsible for the following administrative
duties:
1. Coordinate training, equipment and materials necessary for the
program.
2. Ensure the Peer Support Advisory Committee is carrying forth and
implementing the program they have developed in accordance with
their training.
3. Ensure the statistical information collected by Peer Support
members is correlated, made available to the coordinator and
forwarded to the staff of the Employee Relations Office when
requested .
4. Act as liaison between management and the Peer Support group .
a. Handle all questions concerning the program, its direction,
procedures and conduct of the Peer Support members.
b. Promote awareness of the program to management and
ensure that management is also represented by providing
training to management personnel and their inclusion in the
program.
5. Support organizational awareness of the Peer Support program
through roll call training and other forms of information and training.
Develop and maintain contact with resources and referrals such as
SCDSA, the chaplaincy and other Peer Suppo rt programs
throughout the state.
Page 3 of 6 11/11 (REV 6/20) III. Participation
A. Participation as a Peer Support member is voluntary and is ancillary to the
employee’s primary assignment .
1. On-Duty: Employees requested to activate as Peer Support while
working their primary assignment must first receive permission from
a supervisor overseeing that assignment. Employee s will not lose
regular hours worked as a result of an authorized Peer Support
assignment .
2. Off-Duty: Employees requested to activate as Peer Support while
off-duty are volunteers and are unpaid.
IV. Confidentiality
A. Ca. Gov. Code § 8669.4 – Confidential Communications:
1. (a) Law enforcement personnel, whether or not a party to an action,
has a right to refuse to disclose, and to prevent another from
disclosing, a confidential communication between the law
enforcement personnel and a peer support team member made
while the peer support team member was providing peer support
services, or a confidential communication made to a crisis hotlin e or
crisis referral service.
2. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a confidential communication
may be disclosed under the following circumstances:
a. (1) To refer a law enforcement personnel to receive crisis
referral services by a peer support team member .
b. (2) During a consultation between two peer support team
members.
c. (3) If the peer support team member reasonably believes
that disclosure is necessary to prevent death, substantial
bodily harm, or commission of a crime.
d. (4) If the law enforcement personnel expressly agrees in
writing that the confidential communication may be
disclosed.
e. (5) In a criminal proceeding.
f. (6) If otherwise required by law.
Added by Stats 2019 ch 621 (AB 1117),s 1, eff. 1/1/2020.
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