Description
The use of Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) within a variety of healthcare settings has been noted back to the 1800s and has gained popularity over the last several decades. Within the mental health literature, many have described the presence of animals as enhancing rapport, decreasing anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and building social skills. Exposure to therapy dogs increases both oxytocin and endorphins and lowers cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. Positive outcomes have been described with trauma survivors, psychiatric inpatients with psychotic disorders, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and populations with depression. Within the college mental health arena, animal assisted outreach activities have demonstrated positive impacts in reducing perceived stress during exam time, reducing homesickness in first year university students, and reducing blood pressure. In more structured group sessions with college students, reductions in depression have been reported. More and more colleges and universities have incorporated animal assisted activities into their counseling center activities and outreach. However, this is not as simple as bringing a pet to work. It is important to be aware of legal and ethical implications of AAA, particularly as more and more patients make inquiries into what it means to have an emotional support animal. This workshop will describe the planning and implementation of animal assisted activities into the college mental health environment including logistical, legal, and ethical considerations. We will distinguish between animal assisted therapy (AAT) with individual patients and more outreach-based programming to reach the student body. We will discuss variations in practice standards across multiple university counseling programs and distinguish between the use of “therapy dogs,” emotional support animals, and service animals.
Format
Recorded webinar.
This content was recorded during the APA 2023 Annual Meeting.
Learning Objectives
- Describe data to support and refute the use of animals within the therapeutic environment.
- Summarize neurochemical changes that result from animal assisted activities.
- Identify the legal and ethical considerations when implementing this type of treatment.
- Distinguish animal assisted treatment with service animals and emotional support animals.
- Integrate animal assisted treatment into clinical practice.
Target Audience
Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, Psychologists
Estimate Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours
Program Start Date: May 1, 2025
Program End Date: May 1, 2028
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Instructors
- Meera Menon, MD
- Colleen Tennyson, MD
- LaRae Copley, MD, PhD
- Evita Singh, MD, MBA
Planners
- Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance