In crisis situations, what is the role of the Peer Support Specialist?

• A. Provide medical treatment.
• B. Document the event and terminate contact.
• C. Assist with safety planning and link to resources.
• D. Attend to personal appointments.

Answer: (C)

In a crisis, the main focus is to help keep the person safe and connected to help. A Peer Support Specialist uses their lived experience to stay with the person, assess immediate risk, and create a concrete safety plan. This plan includes recognizing warning signs, using grounding or coping strategies, and identifying who to contact and where to go for immediate help. They then link the person to appropriate resources—crisis hotlines, emergency services if needed, mental health or medical care, and community supports—so ongoing help is accessible after the crisis subsides. Throughout, they offer empathetic support, empower the person to make informed choices, and maintain safe, supportive boundaries. They do not provide medical treatment, and terminating contact or focusing on personal appointments are not their primary crisis roles.