Ongoing Health Initiative Foundation grant supports Warrior Canine Connection’s MBTR Program

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is proud to announce continued support from the Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF) through a grant to advance its Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) program. This year marks a decade of partnership between WCC and HIF—a collaboration that has helped bring innovative, community-based mental health programming to Veterans in Montgomery County since 2015. Through HIF’s sustained support, WCC has expanded its reach and impact, offering Veterans a powerful path to healing through the human-animal bond.

“We are grateful to the Healthcare Initiative Foundation for its steadfast support of our MBTR program,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director of Warrior Canine Connection. “This partnership has helped us bring meaningful, evidence-informed support to Montgomery County’s Veterans. With HIF’s continued investment, we’re able to bring the healing power of the human-animal bond to even more Warriors—and help them rediscover a sense of purpose through service to others.”

With support from HIF, WCC launched its Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) program at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Silver Spring in 2020. The goal was to complement traditional counseling services with a unique, hands-on approach to healing. MBTR taps into the power of the human-animal bond by having Veterans train service dogs for fellow Warriors. Along the way, those participating in the program often experience their own therapeutic benefits, building connection and a renewed sense of purpose, while also improving sleep, emotional regulation and impulse control, and reducing stress, depression and hypervigilance.

“HIF is honored to be able to continue our partnership with Warrior Canine Connection,” said Kathy Stevens, president & chief executive officer, HIF. “Since 2015, HIF has invested $168,000 into this work, ensuring that our nation’s military veterans and their families have access to innovative therapeutic programming here in Montgomery County. This most recent grant to Warrior Canine Connection will continue to allow the Mission Based Trauma Recovery program to flourish, for people and puppies.”

Building on the success of its programming at the Cohen Clinic, with the help of HIF WCC is now expanding the MBTR model to the Silver Spring Vet Center (SSVC), which serves 400 to 500 Veterans and family members each month—many of whom seek support for post-traumatic stress. The addition of MBTR to SSVC’s suite of therapeutic offerings—which already includes yoga, meditation and equine therapy—will further enhance the center’s ability to support Veterans’ behavioral and mental health needs.
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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About the Healthcare Initiative Foundation
The Foundation’s mission is to support organizations that offer solutions to improve the quality and delivery of health and wellness services for residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. Within our geographic and focus area, HIF considers efforts to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare, expand the availability of comprehensive healthcare, build appropriate capacity in the healthcare network, and grow the healthcare workforce. To learn more, please visit: http://www.hifmc.org.