Sierra Boys Ranch Healing Today The Hope For Tomorrow Why Should Administrators Support EAP? I'm sure that anyone who has participated at any level in an EAP workshop has asked, “Why isn't everyone doing this?” It may be hard to believe that the administrators of your agency don't jump in with both feet to support the program. But administrators are sometimes strange people – they need more convincing than a brochure and your promise to help clients. If you have a hard time getting administrators behind your EAP dreams, you need to show them all the benefits of EAP, not just the obvious. You might: Get the administrator to participate in an EAP activity. As skeptical as you may have been, you were convinced after your first EAP workshop. Your administrator probably will be, too. Point out that this is a chance to be a leader in your agency's community. In California, there were a few agencies several years ago that experimented with the idea of providing in-home services to children at risk for group home placement. It was difficult to fund and difficult to implement, but they kept at it. Today, the state has a fully funded mandate to all counties to provide these services to all children who qualify. Those agencies that tried something new are now the leaders in this field in California. EAP is another new idea that may be difficult to fund and implement in the beginning, but could lead to huge success for your agency in years to come. Social service agencies like group homes or foster family agencies don't always have the best reputation in your community, even if you have the best program in the world. Many people know of a bad story about a group home or foster family agency and paint the whole industry with the same brush. EAP provides a way to give these people a different view of your agency, replacing their image of grand theft auto with the image of a child interacting with a horse. You can't put a dollar value on the kind of 'image overhaul' that EAP can provide for your program. You can't – but I'll bet your administrator can. Find funding. Administrators have a commitment to provide the best possible services to children. However, in the wonderful world of social services, they can't always afford the best possible services. If you walk into your administrator's office with a great idea and a way to pay for it, you may at least get a chance to prove your idea's value to the agency. Tell you administrator how EAP will rejuvenate staff that are approaching burn-out. Without threatening, point out that these staff, regardless of their commitment to social service or your agency, will likely be finding new employment if they can't find a way to spice up their jobs. No administrator wants the headache and expense of hiring new staff to key positions. Giving EAP a try will be well worth his/her time if this headache can be avoided. Best of luck getting your program off the ground! Barry Howell Executive Director Articles of Interest Article #1 Title: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy by Julie K. Trevelyn What it's about: the benefits of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, how it works, and the issues EAP addresses. Article #2 Title: EAP from a Gestalt Therapist's Perspective by Catherine Johnson What it's about: the principles of Gestalt therapy that are basis of EAP and their application to the work. Article #3 Title: EAP at Work in the World by Jeannette Galarneau What it's about: a camp program for 'at risk' teens and the benefits gained by participants. Article #4 Title: Safety First on the Ground by Greg Kersten What it's about: safety tips for being around horses. Article #5 Title: Straight from the Horse's Mouth: The Truth about Equine-Assisted Therapy by Greg Kersten and Lynn Thomas What it's about: how EAP began, what happens in an EAP session, the type of clients that can benefit, and the outcomes. Article #6 Title: Equine Assisted Growth and Learning: Q & A Sheet by Winning Strides What it's about: Frequently Asked Questions. Article #7 Title: Why Should Administrators Support EAP? To Sierra Boys Ranch What it's about: how to pitch EAP to your agency's administration team. Article #8 Title: Safety or Control by Laurie Messner What it's about: the controversy about whether or not keeping clients safe is really about too much control.