We are thrilled to announce our upcoming webinar where we will explore the Importance of Peer Support Teams for first responders. Peer Support Teams can help responders cope, lower stigma, and build team cohesion. Our participants will discuss strategies for building and maintaining an effective Peer Support Teams .Join us on April 19 to learn how Peer Support Teams can help first responders stay resilient and thrive in their demanding roles.
Participant:
Susan Andary
Susan is an AEMT and has been working with UP Health Systems EMS for 12 years. Volunteers as a Co-Coordinator for the Central Upper Peninsula CISM/Peer Support Team since 2021.
“Our team has realized that the mental health and wellness of First Responders is more important than it ever has been. The traditional debriefings and defusing are definitely an important component but having a team that is also available to provide peer support is critical. To provide hope in the most dire of situations and help peers get the resources that they so critically need is equally if not more important. So many people struggle, and we want First Responders to know that #1 you are not alone and #2 there are more resources in the State of Michigan than there ever has been.”
Mike Mattern
Mike had been a firefighter/paramedic with the Dearborn Fire Department for 17 years. He is part of the department’s technical rescue team and a team leader for the western wayne county team. He was one of the founders of the Dearborn Firefighters peer support team over 5 years ago. Mike is a board member on the Michigan Crisis Response Association, the Chairperson of the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union Behavioral Health Committee, works with the Frontline Strong Program through Wayne State University and is one of the instructors of the Suicide RIT class that is a first responder focused suicide prevention and intervention class taught across the state.
Cobey Taylor
Cobey is a career firefighter with Peninsula Township Fire Department out of Grand Traverse County. He is the founding president of the Northwest Michigan Peer Network where he helps spread the awareness of the stigma with mental health within the first responder community. Cobey is a member of the Michigan Professional Fire Fighter’s Union where he is on the behavioral health committee and is a member of the Michigan Crisis Response Association. Cobey’s main goal is to help Michigan lead the way in the fight against the stigma of first responder mental health, and to reduce the number of first responder suicides.