 |
A partnership between at-risk youth and at-risk animals
The Teaching Loving Care Program (TLC) is a collaboration between ARF and the Contra Costa County Probation and Mental Health Departments. The goal of the project is to assist high-risk adolescent females in developing positive personal skills so that they can become contributing members of society.
At the same time, the project creates a home-like, foster care environment for homeless shelter cats and dogs in order to provide them with the training and socialization they need to be placed in permanent homes in the community. When the Probation Department built the Chris Adams Girls Center, they outfitted the residence with an "ARF House" kennel for the cats. TLC brings dogs in for day visits twice a week.
TLC is a structured, 12-week program that combines animal assisted mental health therapy with the training and behavior modification of rescue cats and dogs. With assistance from MN LYNC (Minnesota Linking Youth, Nature, and Critters, Inc.) ARF developed a structured, goal-directed curriculum for the TLC Program.
Throughout the 12 weeks, participants explore a variety of life topics through a curriculum designed to make a therapeutic and metaphorical connection between youth who have experienced emotional and behavioral difficulties and animals who have experienced poor socialization, neglect, and abuse. Working with the animals enables participants to gain insight into their own personal issues. As the rescue pets become socialized and trained during the 12-week period, the young women experience a period of personal growth, cognitive restructuring, and an opportunity to try things differently.
