Abstract

PeerOnCall and PeerOnCall Support are paired mobile health platforms designed by and for Canadian Public Safety Personnel (emergency communicators, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, police). The apps aim to promote high quality mental health information and private, secure links to peer support. PeerOnCall provides users with the ability to connect anonymously to trained peer supporters of their choice via text or phone, and on-demand access to a range of wellness tools and links to evidence-based articles and peer wisdom videos. PeerOnCall Support serves as a secure platform for peer supporters to connect with PeerOnCall users from the public safety community, and to access resources and tools to support them in their role.

Applications

• Peer support
  • The apps enable secure, private, and anonymous communication between public safety personnel and peer support providers, thereby reducing barriers to reaching out for peer support and creating opportunities to gather immediate private feedback on peer support services
• Mental health management
  • With features such as a wellness log, a personal wellness toolbox and goal setting tools, the apps function as tools to empower users to manage their personal wellness
• Training and development
  • The apps provide access to over 70 ‘peer wisdom’ videos and 30 evidence-informed articles customized to address unique challenges experienced by the public safety community
• Organizational resource integration
  • The apps can be customized to include content specific to participating organizations, streamlining access to local resources
• Future expansion
  • Future application of the software includes broadening access to the apps to public safety communities both within and outside of Canada.

Advantages

• Secure and private
  • By facilitating confidential, secure, and private connections via text or phone, PeerOnCall reduces barriers to seeking help
• Support for peer support providers
  • The PeerOnCall Support app provides peer support providers with the necessary tools to manage their connections, such as post-call action reports to track encounters over time and links to resources

Website

https://www.oncallapp.ca/