Subject: Peer Support Training Opportunity

The Tidewater EMS Council is in the process of revamping the CISM program and transitioning to Tidewater Peer and Crisis Support Services (PCSS); see the attached document. As TEMS transitions, we are looking at providing educational opportunities to strengthen the regional Peer Support programs at the agency level and provide depth at the regional level.

As the 2024 Tidewater Healthcare Expo approaches, there is an opportunity to offer training to agency peers throughout the Tidewater region. Specifically, TEMS is looking at one of two offerings and would like your input/feedback on which course you have interest in being offered.

• 2-Day Basic Peer Support Training - Whether a difficult day or devastating tragedy, this course advances skills for listening, exploring, assessing and addressing immediate needs and critical concerns. This course also teaches peers and chaplains to identify and reframe distortions and violations in order to lower stress, increase clarity and empower decision-making. Through our exclusive 6-part protocol(c), students will learn to support anyone, at any time, dealing with any difficulty.

• 1-Day Suicide Prevention / Intervention and Compassionate Presence During Grief / Loss - Suicide intervention training provides support team members knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed to identify potential risk factors and utilize intervention techniques for anyone considering suicide. The objective of this section is to teach peers to identify reactions and apply stabilization techniques effectively. This course provides the latest research concerning suicide risk and the latest numbers showing suicide on the rise. The course delves into various distortions of a person in pain and teaches peers reframing and reflecting techniques that generate connection and credible referral to next-level care. This course also teaches students how to provide stabilizing support and compassionate presence for those overwhelmed by grief / loss.

TEMS looks to offer support to your respective agencies Peer Support programs and provide assistance as requested. If either of the courses are of interest to you, please respond directly to this email and include how many members your agency would want to send. If there is enough interest, we could offer a 3-day program that provided both courses above.

2024-05-14 (Tuesday) 08:30 17:00 Peer and Crisis Support for Individuals in Distress Day 1 of 2 Operations (BLS 15/ALS 20) Dorie Jones Riverside E

2024-05-15 (Wednesday) 08:30 17:00 Peer and Crisis Support for Individuals in Distress - Day 2of 2 Operations (BLS 15/ALS 20) Dorie Jones Riverside E

2024-05-16 (Thursday) 08:30 17:00 Culture of Care: Suicide Prevention and Intervention Operations (BLS 15/ALS 20) Joey Fennell Woodlake 2

You can also visit our website at: https://tidewaterems.org/schedule/

Contact me if you wish to attend as part of the new TEMS PEER Team.

Thank you,

Dave

[cid:image001.png@01DA9735.22979030]https://zcal.co/coulling

[cid:image002.jpg@01DA9735.22979030] David Coulling EMS Regional Field Coordinator E-mail: coulling@PROTECTEDcoulling@vaems.org Office: 757-963-0632 x303 Toll-Free: 844-757-TEMS (8367) I Fax: 757-963-2325

Tidewater EMS Council, Inc. 1104 Madison Plaza, Ste 101, Chesapeake, VA 23320 www.TidewaterEMS.orghttps://tidewaterems.org/ [cid:image003.jpg@01DA9735.22979030]https://facebook.com/vbvrs

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