October 26, 2021

Focusing on mental health issues affecting the community has long been a priority for Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, especially for those who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Internally, Kincaid is very focused on tending to the mental health concerns of Sheriff’s Office employees. Her agency's revamped Peer Support Team recently earned accreditation from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Emergency Medical Services.

“We had a peer support team for decades, but training for members was inconsistent and the team was not utilized to its fullest potential,” Kincaid explained. “Confidentiality may have been lacking as well,” she added. “Peer support training needs to be thorough, trauma-informed and crisis-ready. I saw a real need to build a strong, compassionate and discrete program to best meet the needs of our staff and their families.”

Dr. Grace Davidson, Licensed Professional Counselor, is a Cigna Employee Assistance Program contractor, providing therapeutic and behavioral health services to Sheriff’s Office employees. Once the existing peer support team was disbanded, Davidson collaborated with the Sheriff’s Office to create a new Peer Support Team and serve as its supervisor.

In the spring of 2020, Lieutenant Jay Thomasson, Occupational Health and Safety Officer for the Sheriff’s Office, sought recommendations from agency supervisors for potential team members. He wanted to know who interacts well with others, and who do staff turn to for help with personal concerns? Thomasson received and vetted a list of names, representing a diverse group of employees, and forwarded names to Dr. Davidson for interviews and selection.

With a 12-member team established, Davidson spent several months training them, both individually and as a group, always stressing the importance of maintaining privacy for the consumer of peer support services. “Team members can reach me day or night for advice and resources to facilitate their interactions. If a serious situation demands a professional counselor, I am always available,” stated Davidson.

2nd Lt. Stacie Talbot helped start the original Sheriff’s Office peer support team in 1998 and is excited about peer support’s return in a new and improved manner. “The team members are taking their role very seriously,” said Talbot. “We are a group of compassionate, dedicated people who are engaged and willing to help any of our co-workers.”

To be accredited by the state, a peer support team must, at a minimum, include a licensed clinician and peers in law enforcement, fire/EMS and/or dispatchers; training that meets OEM standards; and certifications in peer-to-peer, group and suicide prevention/postvention training. Teams must also have a 24-hour contact number, an alerting process, no fewer than quarterly meetings, standard operating procedures and team documentation. In addition to the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, only nine other Virginia public safety agencies are accredited by the VDH for Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) or Peer Support teams.

“Dr. Davidson went above and beyond in the process that led to our Peer Support Team’s accreditation,” said Kincaid. “We are very proud of the team members and believe they are ready to listen and provide judgment-free advice in a safe space.”