Establishing the Canine Assisted Therapy program in CYMHS
Ashleigh Wegener1 1Queensland Health, Child And Youth Mental Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Abstract
The Queensland Health Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) Canine Assisted Therapy (CAT) Working Group have pioneered the development of governance procedures and processes to incorporate CAT in therapeutic interventions for consumers with severe and complex mental health difficulties. CAT interventions are delivered by trained Allied Health clinicians and their own certified therapy dog. There are currently four therapy dog and handler teams participating in the pilot program delivering CAT across three pilot sites. Governance processes have been established to support ethical, safe and clinically indicated programs for therapy dogs to join our mental health teams in their work with infants, children, young people and their families/carers. The CAT Working Party were afforded a Children’s Hospital Foundation Working Wonders Grant to develop an e-Learning package in partnership with dog behaviour expert Brooke Foy (The Positive Pet Project, Brisbane) to upskill staff working in CYMHS clinics delivering CAT to build their knowledge and skills to support the delivery of CAT. Initial program evaluation focused on the impact on staff wellbeing and consumer engagement, both highlighting promising positive results. Staff wellbeing has been evaluated using a quantative and qualitative survey through survey monkey and consumer engagement was evaluated through the Subjective units of Distress (SUDS) scale and qualitative feedback questions. This presentation outlines the development of governance processes and the staff training package developed to support the rollout of CAT within CYMHS and presents the initial evaluation and therapeutic impact of the CAT program.
Biography
Ashleigh is a Social Worker and Canine Assisted Therapist at the Child and Youth Mental Health Service Adolescent Inpatient Unit, Queensland Children’s Hospital. She and her 5yo Beagle Moxie work together delivering group and individual therapy to young people with complex mental health difficulties. Ashleigh is passionate about the relational and healing aspects working with dogs brings to the therapeutic process. Since 2019, Ashleigh worked with colleagues to advocate for including therapy dogs in CYMHS therapeutic interventions. She co-delivered Queensland Health’s first Canine Assisted Therapy staff training package and developed the overarching governance processes for the CYMHS CAT program.