WISCONSIN 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT
They show up for everyone. We show up for them.
Peer Response builds the support network behind first responders — connecting departments with trained peer support so no one carries the weight alone.
The reality of the job
1 in 3
first responders will face a behavioral-health condition like PTSD in their career — compared with about 1 in 5 of the general public.
Source: U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Our Mission
First responders show up on the worst day of someone's life. Peer Response exists to make sure that when they need support, it's already there: trained, trusted, and built by people who've done the job.
How We Help
Support that's built for the Patch.
We help departments stand up peer support programs and give responders a confidential place to turn.
For Departments
Stand up a peer team
We help agencies build and sustain peer support programs — structure, training, and the tools to keep it running.
For Responders
Someone who gets it
A confidential connection to peers who have worn the uniform and understand the weight of the job firsthand.
For the Field
Stronger networks
We connect departments and peer supporters across Wisconsin so no team has to build this from scratch alone.
Why This Matters
The job costs more than people see.
Firefighters and police officers are now more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. The hardest part is that the people most affected are often the least likely to ask for help, because the culture rewards carrying on.
37%
of EMS personnel and firefighters say they have considered suicide.
~10×
the rate of the general public.
Peer support changes that. It puts a trusted, trained colleague in the room before a crisis becomes a tragedy.
Sources: Ruderman Family Foundation; Columbia Lighthouse Project / SAMHSA.
We've got their back. Help us have it too.
Questions, partnerships, or want to bring Peer Response to your department?
