Former Australian Federal Police psychologists are calling on the agency to reinstate a peer support program they say was crucial to internal mental health support.
The push is supported by mental health experts and the federal police union.
Lacey Clews and Heidi Horvath were psychologists with the AFP for between eight and 10 years from 2004. During that time they helped set up a wellbeing peer support program. Peer support officers either had experienced mental health issues or were passionate about supporting those who were struggling. They completed training in understanding trauma-related illness and regularly discussed strategies to support their colleagues to speak out.