The Oneida Peer Support Team: Implementing Culturally Congruent Peer Support in a Tribal Agency

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM ET

Location: 253B

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Leah M. Rouse

Associate Professor, Licensed and Board Certified Psychologist
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Abrams, Wisconsin, United States

Speaker(s)

Ronald King

Sergeant
Oneida (WI) Police Department
Oneida, Wisconsin, United States
Nathan Ness

Sergeant
Oneida (WI) Police Department
Oneida, Wisconsin, United States
MW

Maureen White

Consulting Psychologist
Oneida (WI) Police Department
Oneida, Wisconsin, United States

The Oneida Police Department implemented the Yukwahunh.iyo: We are All Healthy Employee Wellness Program in 2023. Elemental to the agency's wellness programming is the Oneida Peer Support Team. The team structure is congruent with best practices in policy psychology and is governed by Oneida traditional values: Good Heart, Good Mind, Strong Fire. This presentation shares the structure and development of the team and lessons learned. Agencies of all sizes will benefit from this relational approach to peer support programming and the engagement of stakeholders. Major accomplishments and future directions are discussed, including the development of an intertribal peer support structure for law enforcement.