The document discusses starting a peer support line for individuals coping with brain injuries. It proposes gathering volunteers to staff the line and provides details on training, operations, and governance of the line. Key points include staffing the line entirely with volunteers who have experienced brain injury, maintaining caller confidentiality, and offering rewards to high-performing teams. The goal is to establish an empathetic, non-judgmental resource for those dealing with brain injury.

1. December 8, 2012

2. Penny Condoll:
Executive Director, Brain Energy Support Team, BEST
BISGN Coach and Support Group Facilitator
www.brainenergysupportteam.org
www.BISGN.org
Craig Sicilia:
Director, TBI Survivor Network
BISGN Coach and Support Group Facilitator

3. Your Name
Location
Relationship with Brain Injury
Current level of interest in creating a
PEER lead phone line

4. Share potential ideas for starting a Brain Injury
PEER Support Line
Explain what BEST and TBI Survivor Network can
offer
Gauge interest in establishing volunteer teams
Brainstorm next Steps
Brainstorm potential partners

5. How can I reach someone at PEER Support Line?
The PEER Support Line is open to take calls 24 hours a day/7 days a week. You can
reach us by phone, text or online chat.
Do I have to have a diagnosis of brain injury to call?
No not at all. We welcome calls from anyone who has a need to talk.
What does it cost?
Calling the PEER Support Line won't cost you a cent. Our number is toll free.
What can we talk about?
Practically anything. All calls are considered confidential. So feel free to tell us
what's on your mind.
Do I have to have a problem?
No, many call just to say hello, or they might wish to share their day's activities,
dreams, or frustrations.
Who answers the phone?
We are unique because we are staffed entirely by volunteers who have a direct
relationship with brain injury.

6. Ever wish you had someone to talk to? Someone who is
supportive, caring and non-judgmental? Someone who is
understanding and empathetic to your feelings? The PEER Support
Line is a non-crisis toll free line and is specifically for people who
are coping with the consequences of living with a brain injury.
We provide supportive listening, problem solving, resource sharing
and peer support for individuals. We anticipate that callers may
be in need of other services and/or assistance so referrals will also
be made available to them.
We are unique because we are staffed entirely by volunteers who
have a direct relationship with brain injury.

7. Self Formed and Self-Governed
Ensure that each member will attend training workshop either in
person or online
Will provide continuous coverage for the time the team signs up
Coverage includes answering phone, text messages & online chat
Maintain a 3.5 or better quality rating (scale of 1-5)
Use toll free number
Use website forms to record collected information, resources given
and survey results

8. Offer training for PEER Supporters in a varieties of
modalities and formats:
Online webbased training classes
In-person classes as possible
GoToWebinar Training sessions
Offer weekly team meetings
Execute and monitor follow-up survey and results
Secure funding for 10 4 day cruise tickets every 6
months

9. Each caller will be asked to provide a way to followup
with a survey. (auto phone survey, email, website form, return call)
One question:
How would you rate your call today?
1 (terrible) – 5 (wonderful)
Team rating scores:
Teams under 3.5 will be offered remedial training and support.
If rating under 3.5 continues, team will be replaced.
Teams will always have a crisis person to call 24/7.

10. Teams over 3.5 rating will be competing
for rewards like….
4 day cruises
Spa treatments
Hotel rooms/gift resort packages
Grocery Cards
Gas Cards

11. All information relating to a caller is confidential unless:
• We have informed consent from the caller to pass on
information
• We call Emergency Services because a caller appears to
be at imminent risk of death
• We receive a court order requiring us to divulge
information
• We are told information about acts of terrorism or bomb
warnings
• A caller attacks or threatens volunteers or others
• A caller deliberately prevents the service from being
delivered to other callers

12. Gauge interest in establishing volunteer teams
Brainstorm next Steps
Brainstorm potential partners