LEAD WITH HORSES

LEAD with Horses provides equine assisted education and counseling for children in Washoe County, Nevada and the surrounding communities. We serve foster children, children of veterans, youth at risk, and other underserved populations who may be struggling socially or emotionally.

Organizational Goals
• Contribute to the positive social, emotional, and mental development of the children of Washoe County, Carson City and surrounding communities by providing quality equine programs.
• Facilitate the acquisition of social and emotional intelligences, and in doing so help to prevent and treat mental and behavioral disorders.
• Deliver trauma-informed services to effectively meet the needs of children impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
• Establish LEAD with Horses as a valuable community resource.
• Be a leader in equine assisted programs.

Program Goals
Immediate
o Provide youth an opportunity to explore and learn in a non-¬threatening atmosphere with positive peer interactions and caring adults.
o Promote external developmental assets of support, empowerment, healthy boundaries and expectations and constructive use of time.
Long-term
o Help youth develop critical coping and life skills to build resilience.
o Aid youth in the development of the internal developmental assets of commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity.
Youth will leave LEAD with Horses better equipped to problem-solve, manage stress, reach personal goals, and improve social interactions.

With the growing mental health needs of individuals, families, and communities, especially during this time of global fear, anxiety, loss, and trauma, our services are more important than ever. Nationally and locally we are facing a youth development and mental health crisis. The U.S. Surgeon General noted the “alarming increases in the prevalence of certain mental health challenges” among youth, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Local youth are faring even worse than the national average:

• Nevada ranks last in mental health according to Mental Health America State of Mental Health Report. “Nevada has the highest prevalence of mental illness and lowest access to care among Youth.”
• Twenty percent of children in Nevada have experienced two or more adverse experiences that can have negative, lasting effects on health and well-being. (Kids Count Data)
• According to the Nevada Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the number of Washoe County youth experiencing emotional distress is increasing: 40.2 % reported feeling so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two consecutive weeks that they stopped doing some usual activities.
• The percentage of adolescents (ages 13-17) suffering from a major depressive episode is greater than the national average. (Healthy People 2020)

Moreover, Nevada has historically struggled to provide adequate behavioral health and youth development resources in our communities. The per capita funding of mental health services is far short of the national average; Nevada continues to rank near last on per capita dollars (state and federal) dedicated to public health according to America’s Health Rankings. Schools - and in turn teachers and counselors - are being stretched to their limits, and a critical shortage of mental health professionals means children and families too often don’t get the care and support they need. This lack of resources, particularly for youth, has been identified as a major challenge Washoe County faces in regard to mental and behavioral health.

LEAD with Horses fills a portion of this gap with a unique service: equine assisted education and counseling. We use a non-traditional team approach that works: Mental Health Professionals, equine specialists, and horses work collaboratively with clients to strengthen resilience and confront challenging mental health issues, providing a unique, engaging approach that works for many when conventional mental health methods do not.

We know that with their social nature and honest feedback, horses can help youth develop wide-ranging life skills that can be carried over to other contexts. Incorporating horses in the therapeutic process is an effective approach. Horses provide valuable feedback and insights, helping our qualified team to facilitate:
• An ability to express emotions, sensations, experiences in a healthy manner
• Development of grounding skills, emotional regulation
• Awareness of body sensations, physical stress signals
• Healthy connections, relationships
• Improved problem solving
Resulting in improved mental health, reduced behavioral concerns, decrease in trauma symptoms, and overall more “resilient” kids, better able to cope with stress.

Children need opportunities to learn life skills and to build resilience. This is particularly true for youth who have faced trauma, family crisis, and other challenges. And yet, these are often the families with few resources. An equine program is typically out of their reach. We keep LEAD with Horses affordable and accessible to all families while maintaining a high level of professionalism. The majority of participants pay little to no fees to participate. Many families are referred to LEAD with Horses by foster care agencies, school counselors, therapists and others.

We continually work to improve and increase equine assisted services for under resourced families, and our programs make an impact. Participants tell us: "This is the only thing that works." "I learned a lot about myself." "Being with the horse gives me peace of mind." Youth, parent, teacher and therapist feedback; surveys; and course assessments indicate LEAD with Horses programs are effective for many children, including those who are struggling in more traditional environments.