PEACE Ranch

Peace Ranch became a legal outreach of Paraklesis Inc. in 2010. At that time little was known about how horses could help improve people’s mental health. Development of equine therapy models were in their infancy. After researching different options Peace Ranch founder Jackie Kaschel determined the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (Eagala) Model was the only model with clear professional standards, continuing education requirements, and a code of ethics. This is why Peace Ranch became a provider of Eagala Model therapy. Today, Eagala has become the gold standard worldwide for Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Personal Growth. The highly publicized IMPROVE Bill addressing Veterans Suicide Prevention by Representative Barr used Eagala Model therapy as the example of a successful “evidence based practice” to treat Veterans with PTSD.
https://barr.house.gov/2019/12/rep-barr-successfully-includes-equine-the...
The Eagala Certified team at Peace Ranch is currently comprised of 3 Mental Health Professionals (2 from Child & Family Services of NWMI), 3 Equine Professionals and 1 Advanced Certified as both MHP and EP. Peace Ranch has earned the Distinguished Program Status meeting all requirements for policy, procedure, and risk/loss assessment. Additionally, the Equine Assisted Veterans Service (EAVS) program and 3 team members have achieved Distinguished Eagala Military Service status. EAVS was started with seed money from the Biederman Foundation from 2012-2014 and because of its status in now fully funded by participating in a $647,000 federal grant for which Eagala is the fiduciary to fund distinguished programs nationwide serving Eagala Model therapy to Veterans and their families.
Peace Ranch provides the integrated experiential equine assisted psychotherapy services for people in need. The organization is a pioneer in Michigan motivated by the Founder's experience after adopting 4 children. In the USA, these services historically have only been offered in premier residential programs like the Betty Ford Addiction Centers though rarely offered by state or local agencies where resources are limited in spite of time tested positive outcomes with difficult to treat issues and treatment resistant clients.T
The integrated model used at Peace Ranch is consistent with ACE's Science following a neurosequential path for the resolution of trauma driven behavior. This is an effective intervention for victims of significant trauma like Veterans with PTSD and children that have experienced abuse and/or neglect. Trauma is extremely costly for the individual’s experiencing it, the families who are living with it, and for our communities who are paying for it. As a mission’s driven, volunteer run, nonprofit agency, PEACE Ranch has created a way to serve these vulnerable and disadvantaged populations through creative collaborative partnerships between the ranch, other service agencies and donors.

Successful Projects include
In 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding was developed between Aleda E. Lutz VAMC and PEACE Ranch Area, to provide equine assisted psychotherapy for Veterans. Services are provided at PEACE Ranch as a VA appointment; under the MOU the VA supplies:
• 16 hours of MH staff time
• Agrees to have that staff person EAGALA Certified
• All paperwork
• A dedicated phone line to make services more accessible
PEACE Ranch donates 100% of the program, (professional staff, horses, facilities) a $100/ hour match. Outcome measures from reports 2013 through 2015 have consistently measured veteran improvement in the range of 85%. This partnership is the only one of its kinds nationally and is now serving as a template for new VA/civilian partnerships. (Detailed reports available for three years)

In 2015, similar MOUs were developed between Child & Family Services of Northwest Michigan and Northern Family Intervention Services and PEACE Ranch to provide equine assisted psychotherapy to traumatized children and families in crisis. Agencies provide qualified, certified, staff, for clients to be seen in prearranged blocks of time at the ranch. Reported benefits in 4-15 sessions include:
• the prevention of need for residential placement/improved global assessment of functioning in home, school and community settings; supported successful reunification of youth with bio-family
• improvement/increase in positive peer relationships
• increase in effective and appropriate boundary setting
• overall improved emotion management/effective coping skills
• increases in self-awareness/insight, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-responsibility
• overall gaining of a sense of peace-decrease in both inner and outer conflict
This year the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy has been added to the list of agency partners.

In 2016, PEACE Ranch is providing EAGALA model services 20-25 hours per week with partnering agencies in pre scheduled blocked hours for agency clients. In addition to the reported benefits for clients, the community has saved thousands of dollars as Veterans and children have avoided hospitalization or residential treatment and are responding positively to regular maintenance services. The programs also serves educational purposes for interns from all involved agencies plus Munson for physicians in VA rotations. PEACE Ranch has also been able to support and strengthen partnering agencies by providing EAGALA Model sessions for staff to address secondary trauma incurred by working constantly with violence and issues of life and death.

Impact Center for Growth & Healing
In November 2017 Impact 100 Traverse City awarded Peace Ranch and Child & Family Services $127,000 to:
1. Build an 1500 sq ft indoor center within the existing covered arena at Peace Ranch.
2. Integrate art and music therapies with existing equine assisted.
3. Develop a multidisciplinary team.
4. Develop experiential trainings for professionals and the community targeting "bottom up" therapy.
5. A client assistance fund to underwrite trauma assessment and therapy.
This project was awarded a $100,000 Michigan Health Endowment Fund Grant in 2018 and was completed in 2019 and new program including Resilience and Transitional Therapy programs for COVID19 trauma driven issues are underway.

PEACE Ranch is seeking donors interested in providing sustainability for a unique collaboration founded to invest in the lives of people who have experienced the unspeakable in order to help them come to a place of peace. 100% of donated funds will be used for trauma services