According to research — and what we see every day at Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville — when pet therapy animals visit, healing gets a little easier. The smiles on the faces of the kids in our care seems to back that up. Our patients and their families have a better experience overall, and their results are often better, too.
That’s why we have long offered visits by registered volunteer therapy animal teams to our patients in our Animal-Assisted Support Services program. As part of an Implementation Science Research initiative in partnership with the University of North Florida, Nemours Children’s offers our patients and families the enhanced clinical service of AATx.
AATx includes specially trained and licensed medical, mental health or other service providers working with qualified animals in each child’s treatment process and local expert animal handlers to help with kids’ emotional growth and learning.
ADAPT
The Assisted Dog and Pony Therapy (ADAPT) Program at Nemours Children's helps address a variety of kids’ mental and emotional health needs, including anxiety, anger issues, grief and loss, behavioral and family relationship concerns, communication difficulties, depression and emotional adjustment to medical issues.
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How does it work?
Nemours is among the first pediatric health care systems in the United States to offer this innovative approach to clinical care.
AATx at Nemours Children’s is integrated throughout our care by our behavioral and medical providers with specialized training and experience.
AATx is incorporated into a child’s treatment plan with specific, individualized goals.
For more information, please contact us at ADAPT@nemours.org.