Peer Helpers PLUS is a two-tiered program by ThriveWay, LLC. Tier one is the Prevention and Awareness for Total Health (PATH) curriculum, and tier two is the Peer Helpers training (Peer Helpers). While this application is focused on Peer Helpers, many schools implement both tiers, and ThriveWay supports implementation of each tier with comprehensive training and materials for school and district leaders, teachers and staff, and program coordinators. Additional support is offered through the Peer Helpers Portal, where students access assessments, make referrals, and log their educational and prevention activities. During the 2024-2025 school year, schools implementing Peer Helpers in the State of Alabama included: 74% of elementary schools; 66% of middle schools; 57% of high schools; 79% of hybrid schools with mixed grade levels. With such wide implementation across the State, Peer Helpers has a broad reach to diverse student bodies varying in race, socio-economic status, gender, religious and cultural experiences, as well as students in urban, suburban, and rural environments.

In tier one, PATH offers developmentally appropriate lessons for all students in grades K-12. PATH lessons provide students with knowledge and skills that create positive coping strategies, help them to better understand their emotions, learn how to cope with their feelings, manage relationships, and know when to seek help.

In tier two, Peer Helpers, students are selected as representatives of their peers and to support other students. Peer Helpers serve as an early intervention team to identify students who need help and to refer at-risk students to a trusted adult, when appropriate. The training has five modules (Connecting, Listening, Understanding, Coping, and Referring) that focus on Peer Helpers’ three goals:

1. Increase connectedness: Help students establish meaningful personal connections with peers and adults in their school and local community.
2. Build life skills: Build students’ capacity in the areas of regulating emotions, creating connections through listening and empathetic behaviors, and fostering help-seeking behavior when needed.
3. Improve peer support and peer norms: Support students to model positive behaviors and to help others learn and apply positive behaviors.

Peer Helpers effectiveness is measured with pre- and post-assessments of learning, participation numbers, at-risk referrals, number of support sessions, and group activities.