Learning Objectives:

1. Describe neurodiversity as individual variation and its application to animal assisted services among clients, handlers, clinicians, and dogs
2. Identify individual and environmental factors that influence appropriate matching in animal-assisted services, including client needs and preferences, canine temperament and welfare, handler knowledge and responsiveness, and the timing and setting of services.
3. Apply evidence-informed strategies to support safe, ethical, and mutually beneficial animal-assisted services, including recognizing canine stress and welfare indicators

Abstract:

Neurodiversity reminds us that individuals experience, process, communicate, and respond to the world differently. In animal-assisted services, these differences extend beyond the client to include the handler, clinician, dog, and environment. This presentation will discuss neurodivergence through a cross-species lens, considering how individual differences in sensory processing, arousal, communication, and regulation influence human–animal interactions. Further discussions will include the importance of thoughtful matching among client needs and preferences, dog behavior and welfare, handler knowledge of dogs and their populations with emphasis on evidence-informed practices that promote safety, responsiveness, choice, and mutually beneficial experiences for both human and dog participants.

Amy Binder, EdD, MAT, LPC, CPDT-KA, UW-AAB (Clinical Assistant Professor, Program Director Animal Assisted Services Programs)

Learning Obectives:

1. Describe the four-phase AAT Provider Implementation Model (Preconditions, Adoption Decision, Implementation Work, Consolidation & Identity), an empirically derived framework from grounded-theory research with licensed U.S. mental health clinicians, and identify the recurring "fit" decision points within it. 2. Apply intentional animal-selection principles, summarized in the field as animals should be selected, not collected, along with consent-based animal welfare practices, to evaluate whether a specific dog is the right partner for a given client and a given moment in session. 3. Distinguish levels of clinician readiness using the Integrative Developmental Model for AAT (IDM-AAT) supervision framework, and match supervisory interventions (facilitative, conceptual, confrontive, prescriptive, catalytic) to a provider's developmental stage. 4. Identify common negative cases and red flags, including untrained animals, absent informed consent, unclear liability coverage, and policy ambiguity, that signal a poor match among dog, person, and moment and elevate risk to clients, animals, and clinicians.

Abstract:

Keywords:

animal-assisted therapy, animal selection and welfare, client fit, informed consent, clinical supervision, counselor education, therapy dog readiness

Learning Objectives:

 1. Examine the key characteristics of established therapy and facility animal programs in healthcare settings

2. Describe an employee-handler therapy dog program model and the tools that supported its implementation

3. Share lessons learned and operational insights from the early implementation of an employee-handler therapy dog program within a large, complex hospital system

Abstract:

Therapy animal programs are evolving beyond volunteer-only models. This session, designed for healthcare administrators, program directors, and allied health leaders, will describe the current and future landscapes of therapy and facility animal program development and important factors to consider for quality improvement and risk management, including credentialing and insurance. Participants will examine a pilot employee therapy dog handler program in a large, complex hospital system and walk away with actionable use cases and lessons learned.

Keywords:

Healthcare, Hospital, Administration, Program Development, Professional Therapy Dog, Employee Therapy Dog 

Learning Objectives:

1. Implement data-driven screening and selection protocols to identify students who will benefit most from targeted animal-assisted interventions (AAI)
2. Collect pre/post intervention data to evaluate student growth and program efficacy.
3. Evaluate and apply onboarding and screening frameworks for both volunteer and professional employee handler teams to establish beneficial, safe student-dog pairings within a school environment.

Abstract:

For over 30 years, the Thompson School District (TSD) has pioneered a national model for school-based Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) grounded in research and ethical practice. This presentation highlights the systemic framework that ensures each intervention is purposeful, impactful, and engaging. Attendees will explore TSD’s multi-tiered approach, including comprehensive student selection processes, pre/post goal data collection tools, individualized intervention design, and onboarding protocols. By sharing practical tools and insights refined across three decades of district implementation, this session offers a blueprint for building safe, sustainable, and joyful AAI programs in K-12 education.

Keywords:

data-driven, screening protocols, school, intervention, students

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