Page 94 - North State Parent March 2021

SPECIAL NEEDS NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE SPRING/SUMMER 2021
(left to right) Janet, Jamie on Uno the horse, Wayne Miles and owner Eileen Reese
Benefits of Equine Therapy
BY JENNIFER ARNOLD
Equine therapy is a treatment that incorporates horses into the therapeu- tic process. Along with riding, people who partake in equine therapy en- gage in grooming, feeding and leading a horse. This type of treatment
promotes emotional regulation, self-confidence and responsibility in individuals with a wide range of developmental and behavioral diagnoses.
One such program in the North State is Triple Creek Ranch in Red Bluff, CA. The ranch is home to 14 horses who freely roam the 40-acre property. The horses, which include seven miniatures, have all been rescued or donated, and once they come to Triple Creek, they live out their lives there. The ranch is also home to rescued sheep and goats.
In addition, Stable Hands in Siskiyou County, which was formed in 1996, has eight special horses and serves 40-60 clients in small group lessons. Stable Hands is also home to “Horses Helping Heroes,” a special program for wounded veterans.
Riding has physical, emotional and mental rewards
“Research shows that many students who participate in therapeutic riding have experienced physical, emotional and mental rewards. That unique relationship formed with the horse can lead to increased confidence, patience, self-esteem and a sense of independence,” says Eileen Reese, director of the equine therapy program at Triple Creek Ranch.
The benefits of equine therapy are multifaceted. Being on a horse can help kids with limited mobility in learning how to walk.“Horseback riding gently and rhythmically moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to a human gait,” Eileen explains. Many of the students ride bareback, and some prefer lying down on the horse’s back while the horse is led around. This type of motion can be soothing to people with sensory issues because it gives them the input they seek. Equine therapy can also help regulate sleep as it is emotionally calming and can be physically demand-ing.
Building a relationship with the horses
Lessons always go at the student’s pace at Triple Creek Ranch. Eileen explains, “It’s about building a relationship with the horse.” Equine therapy is more than just riding, she says. It is also a whole ranch experience. The ranch is a place where the students can run and climb trees. “Many times,” Eileen says happily, “just watching the horses run free on the property can be healing.”
The riding program at Triple Creek Ranch is free of charge to families, but there is an application process, and there is currently a waiting list. Triple Creek Ranch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is open to volunteers. For more information on Triple Creek Ranch or how you can volunteer, you can visit their website at www.tcri.org or call (530) 527-9394. Stable Hands programs require payment, and some financial assistance may be available. For more information on programs and volunteering, check www.stablehands.org
94 North State Parent Family Resource Guide Spring/Summer 2021 • www.northstateparent.com
Butte Co; Chico. 1370 E. Lassen Ave. Suite 110. (530) 895-5507.
Shasta Co; Redding. 1900 Churn Creek Rd., Ste. 100. (530) 224-4708.
Siskiyou Co; Yreka. 500 N. Main St. (530) 842-1662.
Tehama Co; Red Bluff. 705 Pine St. (530) 529-4270. Intake interviews are being held by phone during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Center for Parent Information & Resources; Sacramento. A network for parents of children with disabilities. The Parent Center for Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta & Siskiyou counties is Warmline Family Resource Center. parentcenterhub. org & warmline frc.org. 2424 Castro Way. (916) 455-9500 or (844) 455-9517. Cerebral Palsy Guidance; Created to provide answers, support and assistance to parents of children with cerebral palsy. Provides information and resources for everything from financial assistance to medical equipment. Medical information on the site has been medically reviewed by board certified physicians. cerebralpal- syguidance.com. (866) 579-8495. Disability Action Center; Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou & Tehama Counties. Serving the needs of people with disabilities since 1980. Advocacy, peer advising, information & referrals, housing strategies, assistive technology, durable medical equipment reuse program, volunteer opportunities, vision resources & traumatic brain injuries program. Offers voice options & senior communications program (social media), for all ages, families & individuals. ac- tionctr.org.
Chico. 1161 East Ave. (530) 893-8527. Redding. 2453 Athens Ave. (530) 242- 8550.
Disability Rights of CA; Provides ed- ucation and community outreach, self advocacy help, legal advice or representa- tion. disabilityrightsca.org
Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network;
DSDN supports parents who have recently received a diagnosis for their child or unborn baby by connecting them to other families. Resources, education, and sup- port for parents and caregivers of a loved one with Down Syndrome. (612) 460-0765. dsdiagnosisnetwork.org.
Down Syndrome Information Alliance (DSIA); Serving Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, El Dorado, Nevada, Yuba, Shasta, Solano and Sutter counties. Provides support, referrals and resources to empower individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and our community. downsyndromeinfo.org. (916) 658-1686.
Far Northern Regional Center. In upper CA counties, serving individuals with developmental disabilities & their families. Provides services and support that allow for a person with developmental disabil- ities to live a meaningful and productive life. Referrals to services & support for infants to adults. farnorthernrc.org.
Chico. 1377 East Lassen Ave. (530) 895- 8633.
Redding. 1900 Churn Creek Rd., Ste. 319. (530) 222-4791.
Mt. Shasta. 421 Chestnut St. (530) 222- 4791.
Lake Almanor. 401 Peninsula Dr., Ste. 2. (530) 257-5516
All mail must be directed to P.O. Box 492418, Redding, CA 96049.
Head Start/Early Head Start. Offers sup- port for children ages 5 & under with special needs & their parents. To find a program in your area, use the Head Start Locator online or call a local office in your county. eclkc. ohs.acf.hhs.gov. (866) 763-6481. Homeschool Association of California (HSC) Special Needs Homeschooling Information. Volunteer contact person for general information about homeschool- ing kids with special needs. hsc.org. (888) 472-4440.
In-Home Support Services. California will pay parents of minor children as providers. To qualify, a child must have an undeniable level of need & documentation from a physician or regional center. In a 2-parent household, 1 parent must be working
or enrolled full time in an educational program for the other parent to be paid as a provider. The provider parent must prove inability to maintain employment due to the needs of the child. cdss.ca.gov/ In-Home-Supportive-Services
Medi-Cal & Medi-Cal Waivers. Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, offers waiv- ers to specific groups of individuals based on specific geographic areas of the state & provides medical coverage to individuals who may not otherwise be eligible under Medicaid rules. dhcs.ca.gov.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); NAMI is the nation’s largest grass- roots mental health organization dedicat- ed to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. nami.org/home.(703) 524-7600. Local chapters: Butte: (530) 343-7775, Shasta: (530) 691-4450.
National Association for Down Syn- drome (NADS). The oldest Down syn- drome advocacy organization in the coun- try. Helps people with Down syndrome reach their full potential. Offers prenatal information for parents expecting a child with Down syndrome. nads.org.
National Organization for Rare Disor- ders (NORD); A database and resource center for people living with, or have loved ones with a rare disease. rarediseases.org. (800) 999-6673
Northern California Center on Deafness. North Highland. Serves clients in Shasta, Butte, Siskiyoum Glenn and Tehama coun- ties by providing communication services; counseling; advocacy, services; indepen- dent living skills instruction; job devel- opment and placement; information and referral; and community education norcal- center.org. (916) 349-7500.
Parent Infant Programs; Redding. Serving most upper CA counties. In-home program for children ages 0-5 with developmental needs. Curriculum focuses on maximizing the development of the individual child, strengthening the parent-child relation- ship & helping parents develop strong ad- vocacy skills. parentinfantprograms.com.
Redding. 2628 Victor Ave., Ste. B. (530) 247-1375.
Chico. 2550 Floral Ave. (530) 343-8106
Rowell Family Empowerment of North- ern CA; Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, Tehama, Butte & Glenn County. Parent-founded, parent-operated, nonprofit organization that offers free services to families of children ages 3-22 with special needs.