Standards Reorganization
Standards Reorganization Task Force
Task Force Members:
Staff Advisors:
• Ainslie Kraeck, Co-Chair
• Leanne Woodward,
Co-chair
• Sharon Butler, DVM
• Catherine McKinnon
• Elizabeth Long
• Roberta Hirshon
• Kristen Sanders
• Carrie Garnett
• Jeff Kelling
• Jama Rice
Standards Reorganization
• What
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–
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Moving current standards into new sections
Clarifying intent and interpretations
Combining like standards
No intent change
• Why
– Professionalism
– PAC facilitation
– Inclusion of providers
• How
– New model – not just rearrangement
Current Standards Organization
• Core
– Admin - 20
– Program -32
– Facilities - 27
• Specialty
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Hippotherapy - 13
Interactive vaulting – 11
Driving - 22
EFP - 8
core H PO T D riving
IV
• Non-profit, therapeutic riding center driven
• Isolated development
Current Standard Challenges
Core
• Admin – non-profit, U.S. centric
– Plans, policies and procedures scattered throughout
Programs and Facility standards
• Program - therapeutic riding centric
– Exclusionary to growing EFP/L community
• Facility and equine welfare are intertwined
– Fosters perception of equines as tools
Current Standard Issues
Specialty
• Repetitive
– Same requirements (credentialing, training, conditioning)
in specialties
• Limited to present concepts
– Requires constant update to include new specialized
activities
• Constantly expanding
– EFL coming; new medical models
• Downplays professionalism of therapeutic riding,
not “specialized”
– No session/lesson safety standards for
therapeutic riding (driving standards set the
example)
What we tried – and abandoned
• Task force attempted original reorganization into
– Core
 Business/admin
 Facilities
 Equine Welfare/management
– Activities
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Therapeutic Riding
Driving
Interactive Vaulting (IV)
Hippotherapy
Equine-facilitated Psychotherapy
• We couldn’t do it.
What we tried – and abandoned
Problems:
• Redundancy in activities
– For example mounted hippotherapy and therapeutic riding have
similar equipment and safety requirements
– All activities have ground components
• Policies for activities were in different places
– Written helmet standards for interactive vaulting but not for
others
• No specific therapeutic riding standards – all defined
mounted
Why a new model?
• We abandoned our attempt and began to
explore new models.
• When the major categories of SERVICES and
ACTIVITIES were identified the individual
standards began to fall in to place.
Service Delivery Model
• Why do we use equine-assisted activities?
• To provide a service
– Practicing as a medical professional
 Currently, PT, OT and SLP but open to rehab, pediatrics
as well as new services.
 This model easily accommodates new growth areas in the
industry.
– Practicing as a mental health professional
– Practicing as an educational professional
 IEP and/or self growth open to other – spiritual, social, etc.
– Providing a therapeutic horsemanship activity
 Recreation, sport, competition, etc.
Activities Offered
• What activities can we use to deliver EAAT?
–
–
–
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Mounted
Driving
Interactive vaulting
Groundwork
NEW
Model
Service Delivery Model
• Our common approach in delivering services to
clients
–
–
–
–
We are businesses
We are credentialed professionals
We require additional training/proficiencies
We select appropriate equine activities from the
spectrum
– We use a team approach
– We respect the equine
– We value safety and ethics
Service Delivery Model
• Separate delivery of service from activity.
– There are only 4 things we do as an activity
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
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We are on the horse
We are off the horse
We are on and off the horse
We are attached to the horse from behind
– All other differentiation is in the goal of the activity
Service Delivery Model
• Medical Objective Model
– practiced by a licensed and credentialed medical
professional
– to facilitate a medical treatment goal
• Mental Health Objective Model
– practiced by a licensed and credentialed mental
health professional
– to facilitate a mental health treatment goal
Service Delivery Model
• Educational Objective Model
– practiced by a licensed and credentialed educational
professional
– to facilitate educational goals
• Equestrian Skills Objective Model
– provided by a professional credentialed instructor
– to facilitate achievement of equestrian skills goals
Activity Types
• Mounted
– Includes tandem-mounted
• Vaulting
• Driving
• Groundwork
– Includes groundwork for all other activities such as
grooming, lungeing, long-lining
What the Model looks like
Medical/
Mental
Health
Mounted
Driving
Interactive
Vaulting
Ground
Therapeutic
Services
EFL
Eventually
????
New System of Standards Organization
• Five sections
– Administration and Business Section (old admin)
– Facilities Section (old facilities)
– Equine Welfare and Management Section (old
facilities/program)
– Activities Section (old specialty)
– Services Section (old specialty)
New System of Standards (continued)
• Administration and Business Standards
– Plans, policies and procedures
– Human resources
– Training
• Facility Standards
– Grounds/Buildings
– Equipment storage and maintenance
– Activity area
• Equine Welfare and Management Standards
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–
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Safety
Care
Equipment fit and assignment
Selection/training/lifecycle
New System of Standards (continued)
• Activity Standards
– Safety of participant
– Activity equipment (safety/selection)
– Equine training
• Service Standards
– Credentialing and certifications
– Professional responsibility
– Paperwork requirements specific to service
Assumptions
•
•
Baseline certification criteria will include
competencies in all ground activities that support
other (mounted, driving, interactive vaulting)
activities
All standards will be reviewed
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•
•
Task force has defined policies, procedure and practice
Technology update
International applicability
Reference to PATH Intl. certifications will be stated
as “appropriately PATH Intl. Credentialed
Professional”
Duplicate standards will ultimately be combined
resulting in effective organization and reduced
redundancy
Benefits
• Responds to membership requests for manual
organization to facilitate the premier accredited
center process success
• Positions the association to retain the leadership
role in providing EAAT industry best practices
• Ultimately increases the professionalism of our
Industry
Timeline
• August – October 2011
– Review on-site work
– Write new standards for repetitive standards
• October 2011
– Programs & Standards Oversight Committee
comfortable with direction and reorganization
• November 2011
– Membership conceptual update
• March 2012
– Manual ready for staff to print