What is 2023 Wisconsin Act 220?
2023 Wisconsin Act 220 is a state law that directs the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish statewide standards for Peer Support Teams and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Teams. The law ensures team members are trained and that agencies follow guidelines to support the wellness of first responders.
What is Peer Support?
Wis. Stat. 165.875(1)(p) defines this. “Peer support services” means any debriefing, defusing, on-scene, or one-on-one session provided by a peer support team member that provides emotional and moral support to any law enforcement officer, tribal law enforcement officer, correctional officer, jail officer, juvenile detention officer, fire fighter, dispatcher, emergency medical responder, emergency medical services practitioner, public safety personnel, ambulance service provider personnel, or civilian employee or volunteer member of a law enforcement agency affected by stress or an incident, whether personal or professional.
What is CISM?
CISM stands for critical incident stress management. Wis. Stat. 165.875(1)(g) defines CISM services. “Critical incident stress management services” means services provided by a critical incident stress management services team or a critical incident stress management services team member to any law enforcement officer, tribal law enforcement officer, correctional officer, jail officer, juvenile detention officer, fire fighter, dispatcher, emergency medical responder, emergency medical services practitioner, public safety personnel, ambulance service provider personnel, or civilian employee or volunteer member of a law enforcement agency affected by a critical incident and designed to assist the individual affected by a critical incident to cope with critical incident stress or to mitigate reactions to critical incident stress. CISM services include any of the following:
- Critical incident stress defusings.
- Critical incident stress debriefings.
- On-scene support services.
- One-on-one support services.
What is the purpose of certification?
Certification ensures teams meet statewide standards for training, confidentiality, team structure, and program compliance. It confirms that agencies have met the administrative requirements outlined in Administrative Rule JUS 22.06.
Who is eligible to apply for team certification?
Agencies eligible to form certified peer support or CISM teams include:
- Law enforcement and tribal law enforcement
- Corrections
- Fire services
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
- Nonprofit organizations and other entities that employ, represent, or serve law enforcement officers, tribal law enforcement officers, correctional officers, jail officers, juvenile detention officers, fire fighters, dispatchers, emergency medical responders, EMS practitioners, public safety personnel, or ambulance service provider personnel
What must an agency have in place before applying?
To preview the questions asked on the webform application for certification, a PDF version of the form is available. An agency is required to:
- Identify eligible team members and verify that all members have met the training requirements.
- Submit your agency’s written guidelines which are required to:
- Be available to the public and members of the team(s),
- Address the selection and removal of members, the maintenance of confidentiality, and the training requirements for team membership, and
- Be consistent with the regional team’s written guidelines, if the team members are part of a regional team.
- Designate a team leader and provide their contact information.
What needs to be part of my team’s guidelines? Should this be an agency policy?
The guidelines do not need to be in the form of an agency policy, though agencies may choose to make them internal agency policy. For guidelines to comply with the requirements of this program they must be written, address the selection and removal of members, the maintenance of confidentiality, and the training requirements for team membership. Requirements for training for your team may go beyond the minimum needed for certification or may require particular training topics that are not required for certification as best serves your agency’s particular needs. Guidelines must be available to all team members and the public.
The guidelines shall be available to the public and all members of the team. All team members should be familiar with your guidelines and have access to them. The public should be able to access them either by request (with clear, publicly-accessible information indicating how such a request can be made) and/or by accessing your website.
What training is required for team members? How is this different for Peer Support team members versus CISM team members?
The training requirements are the same for peer support team members and CISM team members, 16 hours of basic peer support training that meets the requirements of the WI DOJ approved curriculum taught by a certified instructor or credentialed health care provider. Alternatively, an individual may meet the training requirements if the individual’s agency verifies that prior to November 1, 2026, the individual completed a training course the meets the WI DOJ approved peer support curriculum of at least 16 hours or a peer support training program of at least 16 hours provided by a health care provider.
Beyond this initial training, team members have on-going training requirements of eight hours per year during each of the 3 years of their current certification. The training must be on topics relevant to peer support or CISM, wellness, or suicide prevention.
My current Peer Support and/or CISM team members have training, but it was not sponsored by DOJ. How do I know if it meets the standards for the training requirement?
Please review the approved curriculum. The training requirements are met if prior to November 1, 2026, the team member completed training of at least 16 hours that covered the curriculum topics. If you would like DOJ to provide you more specific feedback, please email peercertification@wisdoj.gov with the information you have about relevant training your team member(s) have completed.
What is a team leader responsible for?
The team leader oversees the peer support or CISM team. The certification form requires the name and contact information of the team leader which will be used by DOJ to facilitate communication related to compliance.
Can agencies allow retired or non‑employees to serve on peer support teams?
Yes. The Public Safety Peer Counseling Certification Program does not limit participation to current employees of an agency. Agencies may establish eligibility criteria in their written guidelines regarding who can join their peer support team and/or CISM team such as individuals who have retired from service or a credentialed health care provider. Individuals must meet the training requirements of this program to be eligible.
How often must certification be renewed?
Approximately every three years. Certification begins when DOJ certifies the team and continues for the remainder of the state fiscal year (which ends on June 30) and the following three state fiscal years. A request for recertification requires submission of a form and a letter from the agency administrator verifying that all members of the peer support or CISM team have met the training requirements. If the agency’s guidelines for their team have changed, a copy of the current guidelines will also need to be submitted. The form to apply for recertification is not yet available.
My agency is part of a regional team. Who applies for certification, the regional team or my individual agency?
Each agency with employees who are peer support or CISM team members is responsible for applying for certification since they would be responsible for maintaining the training records of peer support members who are their employees. Each participating agency is responsible for following the regional team’s peer support and/or CISM guidelines. Since non-employees can also be peer support team members, determine which of the agencies will be responsible for that member’s training records.
I have a certified team. I would like to add more peer support team members or CISM team members. I have verified that they have completed the necessary training. Do I need to update DOJ?
No. Your team’s written guidelines will need to address selection and removal of team members. Your agency also needs to maintain training records to ensure that team members have fulfilled the requirements for membership. Upon request for recertification, you will need to provide a letter that verifies that all members of your team have met the training requirements.
How are the requirements for peer support instructors different from CISM instructors?
The requirements are the same. Instructors (who are not credentialed health care providers) need to provide evidence of at least 3 years of full-time experience or 6,000 hours in an eligible profession, be an active member or concurrently accepted member of a certified peer support or CISM team, and have completed a training course of at least 16 hours that meets the approved curriculum. Instructors must submit a request form and a letter from an agency head supporting the instructor’s application.
The certification as an instructor for peer support or CISM training provided by the department is for purposes of s. JUS 22.05 and does not constitute certification to teach an International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) course. An instructor who wishes to teach an ICISF course on CISM must also obtain and provide the separate Certification in Critical Incident Stress Management (CCISM) required by ICISF.
Being certified in CISM instruction by ICISF is sufficient to meet the training course requirement for the Public Safety Peer Counseling Certification Program. If you want to teach an ICISF course, the certification request form requests that you provide a copy of your ICISF CCISM Instructor certification showing you are an active instructor for ICISF.
I am a credentialed health care provider, do I need a certification to teach the 16-hour basic peer support course?
No. Credentialed health care providers must show that they are a current or retired Wisconsin-licensed provider and must provide documentation showing training, education, or experience qualifying them to provide peer support or CISM training. Additionally, a letter from an agency that intends to use credentialed health care providers as an instructor is required.
Do trainings to meet the annual 8 hours of additional education need to be taught by certified instructors or certified credentialed health care providers?
No. The content of the training is also at the discretion of the agency as long as the topic is relevant to peer support, CISM, wellness, or suicide prevention.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to peercertification@wisdoj.gov.