Enhancing peer support capacity in schools: a pilot implementation of the trauma-informed peer advocate program

Abstract

Peer-led mental health initiatives are increasingly recognized as important components of school-based prevention and early identification. This community case study describes the conceptual foundations and pilot implementation of the Trauma-Informed Peer Advocate (TIPA) program, which is informed by Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) principles and school-based Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) approaches to prepare secondary school students for supportive, developmentally appropriate peer roles. TIPA program was implemented with 23 high school students in a Midwest public school district in the United States. Students participated in a two-day interactive training that covers mental health literacy, basic interviewing skills, trauma-informed approaches, crisis-response strategies, and multicultural advocacy. Pre- and post-training surveys were used to document immediate perceptions of learning and psychosocial indicators, complemented by open-ended reflections to capture students’ qualitative experiences. Descriptive patterns in school connectedness and self-esteem were consistent with the program's emphasis on relational engagement and helping roles. Students also reported feeling more familiar with the content of core training modules. Students’ open-ended reflections highlighted the value of role-playing, practice-based learning, and discussions of suicide warning signs, as well as concerns about personal boundaries and real-world application. Collectively, these observations illustrate both areas of readiness and the developmental considerations inherent in peer-led mental health initiatives. The pilot illustrates the feasibility of introducing trauma-informed peer advocacy within school settings and identifies key considerations for program refinement, including sustained practice opportunities, future supervision structures, and year-round implementation. The pilot observations offer direction for future scalability and more rigorous evaluation of school-based peer support models, with particular attention to developmental appropriateness, training depth, and alignment with MTSS structures.