SRU receives equine therapy grant for veterans
Slippery Rock University received a $76,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the school’s equine-assisted programs for veterans at the on-campus Storm Harbor Equestrian Center.
The grant allows SRU to enhance programs that promote independence, well-being and quality of life for veterans, with a particular focus on their mental health.
Veterans from Butler and four surrounding counties have been coming to SRU to work with horses since 2006, shortly after Storm Harbor was founded. Funded through various grants and donor support, the center has offered free equine-assisted programs to veterans.
More veterans became interested in attending the sessions, leading Betsy Kemeny, SRU professor of recreational therapy, to seek funding to further integrate coping skills and mindfulness interventions into the equine-assisted programs.
“We’ve always worked with social work,” Kemeny said. “But now we’re collaborating with licensed social workers and clinical psychologists in an interdisciplinary approach with recreational therapy to provide an even better program for the veterans.”
Before receiving the grant, the center was hosting 50 to 60 veterans per month. The grant will allow Storm Harbor to accommodate more than 80 per month, officials said.
