Peer support guidelines for Veterans, military, public safety personnel and their Families
Overview
The Peer support guidelines for Veterans, military, public safety personnel and their Families offer evidence-informed direction on best practices for formal peer support programs that are offered in either workplace or community-based settings. The guidelines are a collaboration between the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) and the Peer Support Community Network.
Why is this important?
Peer support is an important resource for Veterans, military, public safety personnel (PSP) and their Families. Their occupations set them apart from others as they have higher rates of exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events compared the general population. These mental health implications last long into retirement.
People who have little or no experience with these occupational cultures often fail to appreciate the unique challenges they pose. This lack of awareness can make Veterans, military members, PSP and their Families feel misunderstood and less trusting of people outside their peer group. As such, these groups are usually more comfortable accessing peer support.
While there are shared commonalities with peer support for the general population, there are unique, distinguishing features of peer support for Veterans, military, PSP and their Families that need to be addressed before developing or delivering a peer support program. The guidelines have been developed to reflect these considerations.
Summary of methods
The development of the peer support guidelines was a collaboration between the Atlas Institute and CIPSRT. The Atlas Institute and CIPSRT convened a national network of 48 stakeholders from the Veteran, PSP, peer support, research and service provider communities to form the Peer Support Community Network (PSCN) and together began the process of co-creating best practice peer support guidelines.
Major steps in the guideline development included:
- Developing definitions specific to peer support for Veterans, military, PSP and their Families
- Determining topic areas relevant to the new guidelines
- Commissioning 12 literature reviews on the identified topics
- Convening to collectively review and discuss the evidence on best-practices
- Completing two iterations of a modified Delphi process to build towards consensus where possible and to gain clarity on areas where best practices had not yet been achieved
The final peer support guidelines were determined through an iterative and intensive review process, both synchronously and asynchronously, with the PSCN and a working group comprised of members from the Veteran, military, PSP, Family and research communities.
Background
In 2022, Atlas, CIPSRT and the PSCN identified a need to develop peer support guidelines specific to Veterans, military, PSP and their Families. Through funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, beginning in April 2022 these groups came together to initiate the process of co-creating best practice peer support guidelines. The groups virtually convened eight times (twice in 2022, four times in 2023 and twice in 2024) to determine the definitions and scope, discuss evidence-based practices and review the drafted guidelines. The first version of the guidelines were released in March 2025.
Acknowledgements
Atlas is pleased to be a member of a cross-organizational collaboration that came together to create the Peer support guidelines for Veterans, military, public safety personnel and their Families. The guidelines would not have been possible without the contributions and the collaboration of the following individuals and organizations.
This resource was prepared by the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. We would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions to this resource. Please note the names listed include only those who have explicitly consented to being acknowledged as a contributor.
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Advisor
LCol (Ret’d) Suzanne Bailey, MSW (Canadian Forces Health Services), WO (Ret’d) Steve Critchley, CD (Can Praxis), Sgt. Susan Deibert, Philip Dodgson, PhD, Lorraine Downey (Ottawa Paramedic Service), Cpl (Ret’d) Tracey Dunnigan, Dilnaz Garda (Canada Beyond the Blue) Sylvio A. Gravel, M.O.M., Lawrence Hartigan (Correctional Services Canada), Katherine Holtzhauer (Royal Canadian Mounted Police Family Services), Dave McLennan (Boots on the Ground), Bruce Phillips, CD (Royal Canadian Mountain Police), Jessica Robb (Grey County Paramedic Services), Rosemary Ricciardelli (Memorial University of Newfoundland), Batt Cpt. Gregg Schaalje (Rocky View County Fire Services), Jeff Sych, MSc (Alberta Critical Incident Peer Network)
Approval
Fardous Hosseiny (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families)
Conceptualization
Nicholas Carleton, PhD (University of Regina), Gabrielle Dupuis, MSc (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Laryssa Lamrock (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Tara McFadden (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Staff Sergeant Beth Milliard, PhD (York Regional Police), Jill A. B. Price, PhD (Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment), Shannon Tracey (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families)
Editing
Nicholas Carleton, PhD (University of Regina), Gabrielle Dupuis, MSc (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Leo Goudal, MPH (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Alex Kollo (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Krystle Kung (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Laryssa Lamrock (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Tara McFadden (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Staff Sergeant Beth Milliard, PhD (York Regional Police), Jill A. B. Price, PhD (Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment), Nicole Sherren, PhD (R2P Solutions), Lori-Anne Thibault (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families)
Funding acquisition
Nicholas Carleton, PhD (University of Regina), Gabrielle Dupuis, MSc (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Shannon Tracey (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Jill A. B. Price, PhD (Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment)
Methodology
Nicholas Carleton, PhD (University of Regina), Gabrielle Dupuis, MSc (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Laryssa Lamrock (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Tara McFadden (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Staff Sergeant Beth Milliard, PhD (York Regional Police), Jill A. B. Price, PhD (Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment), Nicole Sherren, PhD (R2P Solutions)
Project administration
Leo Goudal, MPH (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families)
Research and analytics
Leo Goudal, MPH (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Nicole Sherren, PhD (R2P Solutions)
Supervision
Nicholas Carleton, PhD (University of Regina), Gabrielle Dupuis, MSc (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families), Leo Goudal, MPH (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families)
Writing
Nicole Sherren, PhD (R2P Solutions)
SUGGESTED CITATION
Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families and Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. Peer support guidelines for Veterans, military, public safety personnel and their Families. Ottawa, ON: 2025. Available from: atlasveterans.ca/peer-support-guidelines
Interested in learning more about the Atlas Institute’s approach to recognizing contributions to these resources? Check out our contributorship model for more information.
