Peer Support for Whistleblowers
Employees who report fraud, waste, abuse, or illegality at a federal agency find that it is often the first step in a long process frequently marked by retaliation. Peer support may help these whistleblowers persevere under these sometimes difficult circumstances.
Temple University documented the patient care benefits for behavioral health services that augmented treatment with evidence-based peer support interventions.17 The researchers found that hospitals that used a peer model improved patient outcomes as demonstrated by fewer hospitalizations, increased life satisfaction and enhanced coping skills, increased medication adherence, and reduced substance abuse or suicidal ideation. Additionally, the peer providers themselves experienced positive health benefits based on their ability to help others, improved their own self-efficacy and gained social and economic growth based on their employment satisfaction.17
Peer Support Interventions
Peer support interventions have been effective with various populations and may be effective for whistleblowers as well. Since whistleblowing tends to involve legal processes that call for privacy and the confidentiality of all parties, whistleblowers experience isolation and alienation. Other whistleblowers can better understand the retaliation, discrimination, and isolation that results. In some instances, whistleblowers discovered years later that other employees had similar experiences. An organized, structured program dedicated to peer support can help employees within a health care system or EAP manage the impacts of identifying wrongdoing.18 Peers may be able to break down this isolation and help establish a new network of support for those involved in whistleblowing cases. Restoring a sense of purpose, meaning, and belonging in the workplace is of significant value for the whistleblower.19 Peers can mentor a whistleblower through the investigative process and help determine next steps. Peers can address building, maintaining, and sustaining resilience to overcome adversity.
Peers who already have experienced their own legal, financial, social, emotional, and physical risks and have developed the necessary resiliency skills to survive make ideal peer counselors.20 These peers have faced similar challenges but have perservered.21
Although peer counselors cannot replace an attorney or mental health provider, they can provide background information on the roles and functions of EEO, EAP, OIG, OSC, and the MSPB and how to navigate those systems. Peers can assist whistleblowers in preparing testimony before congressional hearings or for press interviews. Peer supporters also can encourage whistleblowers to seek care for mental and physical health care and to remain adherent to treatment regimens. They case manage a team effort to enable the whistleblower to overcome the adversity of retaliation.
Creating A New Normal
After the Civil War, the False Claims Act, known as the Lincoln Law, served to protect federal reconstruction activities in the South from individuals who attempted to defraud the federal government.22 Today, most Americans are familiar with WikiLeaks. For generations, whistleblowers have exposed wrongdoing in order to protect or reform governmen programs. Whistleblowers have exposed graft and corruption at the highest levels and in daily operations. They have fought for diversity and inclusion and a workplace free of sexual harassment and assault. They have protected taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse.
Despite the personal sacrifices often required, most whistleblowers’ spirits are bolstered by the positive outcomes that their disclosures may produce. However, whistleblowers need compassionate and competent assistance throughout the process. Peers can foster the resilience needed to survive the adversarial nature of the whistleblowing process. Therefore, whistleblowers need to be viewed in a new light that involves advocacy, transparency, and peer support so that positive outcomes in government can be realized for all Americans.
