About - National Emergency Responder & Public Safety Center

Learn more about us and our commitment to your success.

About the National Emergency Responder & Public Safety Center

About the National Emergency Responder & Public Safety Center and the Center for Advanced Peer Support Training and Research

Daily challenges have reached unprecedented levels for law enforcement, emergency medical services personnel, fire, search and rescue, military, dispatchers, corrections/detentions officers, victim advocates, probation/parole, and others who work within associated fields or high-stress environments.

The National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center™ recognizes and understands the unique needs of the community it serves. We have created a powerhouse of resources to build and enhance sustained performance, wellness, and resiliency through standardized training and certification for peer supporters and clinicians working with public safety.

Peer Support Training and Certification

We have created the first online, standardized peer support program in the country. Our peer support program offers specialized courses to meet the needs of your organization. Our core curriculum, specialized courses for advanced training, expert webinars/consultation, and toolkit, enhance your team’s efficiency and efficacy.

We go beyond basic training. This certification is perfect for the new peer supporter creating a strong foundation for peer support activities or the experienced supporter looking for advanced training. Our industry-leading experts ensure that updated and valuable content is at your fingertips.

Emergency Responder and Public Safety Clinician Certification

Public safety agencies across the nation and around the world are increasingly seeking out ways to positively impact the well-being of their personnel, including finding qualified, culturally competent clinicians. The National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center meets this need head-on with the first standardized certification process for licensed clinicians of all degree levels by creating the Emergency Responder and Public Safety Clinician Certification™, which features 40 hours of core education plus 16 hours of verified experiential participation in the emergency responder or public safety work environment.

Whether you’re an individual clinician or working within a network of clinicians, our program will increase your specialization and cultural competence, as well as demonstrate your dedication to working with emergency responders, public safety personnel, their families, and retirees.

Our Team Of Experts:

Jaime Brower, Psy.D., ABPP

Dr. Jaime Brower is the Founder and serves as the Vice President of Peer Support and Clinician Training and Certification for the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center (NERPSC). Lexipol acquired the NERPSC in early 2023.

Dr. Brower devoted herself to serving emergency responders and their loved ones for more than 20 years. The breadth of her professional experience includes work with law enforcement, fire, corrections/detentions, EMS, dispatch, victim advocates, military, probation/parole, and others associated professionals. Also, with personal ties to this population, she understands the unique demands and challenges that responders and their families face while serving their communities.

Dr. Brower is also the Founder and Owner of Jaime Brower Psychological Services & Consulting, Inc. Brower Psychological supports more than 150 agencies nationally at local, state, and federal levels. The agency’s services include counseling services; peer support team development, training, and oversight; critical incident response; and both organization and operational consulting.

Because of those efforts, she recognized an opportunity to better support the responder community, creating the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center™ (NERPSC). Dr. Brower believes that lasting change is built through a systems approach. NERPSC is sustained by a community of class-leading contributors with a like-minded and like-hearted dedication to creating national success outcomes for responders (including retirees), their loved ones, the agencies and communities they serve, and the clinicians that support them.

Through a systems approach, NERPSC creates value-added, proprietary, nationally recognized training, education, and support tools that follow and empower a responder from hire to retire. Each tool is developed with a single goal – to improve the lives of responders.

Dr. Brower is American Board Certified in Police & Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP) and currently serves on the ABPPSP Board, as its Academy President.

Emily Hitchings

Emily is currently the Programming Director for the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center. Emily served as a police officer for the Aurora Colorado Police Department for nearly 17 years in a variety of uniform and undercover assignments, including patrol, vice and narcotics, and fugitive apprehension.

While there, she served as the department’s employee support and wellness officer, overseeing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual support programs. She led the department’s peer support team, lethal response team, and trauma response team. Emily is recognized state-wide for her work and has been pivotal in establishing and building employee support programs for departments of all sizes throughout the country.

Her diverse career has fostered an evolving and continued passion to better help responders and their families navigate professional and personal life demands. As the Programming Director, she is a key contributor/creator of peer support training and resources that help educate and empower the community NERPSC serves.

Currently, Emily is completing her MA in counseling, to allow her to assist emergency responders through therapy, crisis response, and trauma treatment.

Adam Brower

Adam serves as the videographer and editor for the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center. His role includes video production, post-production, and technical support to ensure the seamless delivery of NERPSC content.

From a young age, Adam began telling stories through video and photography. His interest and passion continued through college, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University.

His career began in broadcast at a local Iowa TV station working as a photojournalist, on-air reporter, video editor, and multimedia journalist. Each role has strengthened his knowledge and understanding of the importance of strong visuals in effective storytelling. His enthusiasm is evidenced in each NERPSC training and education video.

Wade Brower

Wade serves as the Project Manager for the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center. He has more than 16 years of experience in business management and leadership development in both the Colorado and Arizona markets. Wade also has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Phoenix.

Within his years of experience, Wade has worked to implement leading technology and develop leaders to higher levels of success in all areas of business. Creating an environment for growth, teamwork, and development is one of his highest achievements.

Wade grew up in a small Iowa town with a military father and family members and friends in law enforcement. These connections amplify his passion to provide support to responders and military members.

Cati Apala

Cati serves as the Service Administrator for the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center (NERPSC).

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Colorado State University. She is married to a law enforcement officer and is thrilled and honored to help and work with other first responders and clinicians in the field. Cati has a passion to support others and provides excellent customer service within the clinician certification.

The National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center (NERPSC) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. NERPSC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

NBCC National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center (NERPSC) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, AECP NO. 7191. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.