The Will County Sheriff's Office has formed a Peer Support Team, bringing together nearly 50 civilian, correctional and enforcement employees trained to offer confidential, non-clinical support to colleagues coping with stress or traumatic incidents on the job. The initiative, which launched in late October, was funded through a grant from Will County's 708 Mental Health Board.
How the program works
Trained members of the team are asked to check in with coworkers following critical incidents such as a death, serious injury, act of violence or natural disaster encountered in the line of duty. They are also encouraged to reach out if they notice a peer struggling with high stress in their personal life. Because the support is non-clinical, it functions as an informal first point of contact rather than a replacement for professional counseling, offering a listening ear from someone who may have faced similar experiences.
Training grounded in a state-approved curriculum
Team members completed a three-day training program at the Cornerstone Retreat Center in Henry County. The curriculum, approved by the state, covered strategies for responding to stress and trauma, along with guidance on preventative mental health care. Elizabeth Matthews, public information officer for the Will County Sheriff's Office, said the effort reflects the particular risks faced by people in public safety roles. "All public safety professionals are exposed to higher rates of traumatic incidents, which have the potential to significantly impact personnel," Matthews said. "Peer support can provide an opportunity for employees to speak to their peers who may have experienced and coped with similar incidents."
Additional resources and context
Beyond the peer network, the sheriff's office has also made available a wellness mobile app that provides educational material on mental health topics and connects employees to counseling services. Law enforcement and correctional work are widely documented as high-stress occupations with elevated exposure to trauma, and peer support models like this one have become increasingly common across public safety agencies nationwide as a low-barrier complement to formal mental health services. The program's reach extends across departments, meaning civilian staff, correctional officers and sworn deputies all have access to trained peers, not just sworn personnel.