Intermountain Therapy Animals

ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND.

INTERMOUNTAIN THERAPY ANIMALS ("ITA") -THIS PROGRAM SERVICE INCLUDES ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THE LOCAL ITA OPERATIONS. FIRST, VOLUNTEER RECRUITING, SCREEN, WORKSHOP TRAINING, TEAM TESTING, MENTORING, PLACEMENT AND MONITORING OF THERAPY TEAM VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICE OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE ORGANIZATION'S 300 PLUS TEAM WORK IN MORE THAN 100 HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATIONAL FACILIES. SECOND, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, INCLUDING ABOUT 100 PRESENTATIONS EACH YEAR TO THERAPISTS, PHYSICIANS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES, COMMUNITY ORGANICATIONS LIKE ROTARY AND EAGLES, AND SCHOOL CLASSROOMS TO DEMOSTRATE WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES AND EDUCATE OTHERS AS TO THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS.

READING EDUCATION ASSISTANCE DOGS ("R.E.A.D.") -THIS PROGRAM HAS GROWN WAY BEYOND THE ORGANIZATION'S LOCAL SERVICE TERRITORY. THE ORGANIZATION HAS TRAINED AND REGISTERED ALMOST 6,000 VOLUNTEER THERAPY TEAMS IN ALL 50 STATES AND 25 ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE READING SUPPORT PROGRAMS, UTILIZING THERAPY ANIMALS AS READING COMPANIONS, IN SCHOOL, LIBRARIES AND OTHER SETTINGS. THE ORGANIZATION SERVICE INCLUDES TRAINING, FACILITATING AND SUPPORTING ALL THESE TEAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.

ASSOCIATES - BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ITS WORK AND HAS STANDARDS THAT ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE ORGANIZATION HAS HAD MORE THAN A DOZEN COLLEAGUE THERAPY GROUPS WHO HAVE ASKED TO MAKE USE OF ITS TRAINING AND TESTING PROTOCOLS. THE ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY HAS 21 SUCH GROUPS IN 17 OTHER STATES. WHILE SUPPORTING THEM DOES NOT TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS SUPPORTING ITS OWN TEAMS, THE ORGANIZATION DOES PROVIDE TRAINING MANUALS, TRAVEL TO SOME LOCATIONS TO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS AND TEAM SCREENINGS, AND OTHERWISE PROVIDE FACILITATION AND "CUSTOMER SUPPORT" TO THESE GROUPS