More on the project
PATH Intl. was granted funding to help develop, implement and evaluate the training program for delivery of a first of its kind, evidence-based equine-assisted group treatment for veterans with significant PTSD symptoms. The overarching goal is to disseminate the EAP-PTSD program to the larger field of mental health professionals and equine specialist teams thereby significantly increasing the availability of the only existing research-based EAP curriculum and treatment for veterans with PTSD.
The EAP-PTSD program was developed by Drs. Prudence Fisher and Yuval Neria, co-directors of the Man O’ War Project at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The Man O’ War team, prepared a well-specified manual, the first of its kind in the field of mental health services incorporating equines, which they then tested in an open trial of veterans with PTSD, demonstrating a measurable reduction of PTSD and depressive symptoms (Hillburn et al., 2017, Fisher et al., 2018).
MOW and PATH Intl. partnered on this project, each bringing their expertise to make this curriculum and training effective and ultimately available to EAP providers all over the country. This in turn will provide access to this proven treatment to hundreds of veterans with PTSD and other trauma and stressor-related symptoms. The PATH Intl.–MOW partnership is a perfect match of verified curriculum, subject matter experts, training experience and a network of experienced EAP providers. Together, they used their vision and experience to successfully create, implement, evaluate and disseminate a training program to deliver EAP-PTSD.