Warrior Canine Connection Awarded One of 19 FY18 Small Grants by the Healthcare Initiative Foundation

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BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is a recipient of one of 19 Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF) FY18 Small Grant Awards, which focus on supporting Montgomery County, Maryland-based organizations that provide high-quality, comprehensive and sustainable health and wellness services in the area. WWC received $5,000 in grant funding earmarked to support delivery of its Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) Program to Veterans in Montgomery County.

“We are so appreciative of HIF’s commitment to health and wellness initiatives for our local community right here in Montgomery County,” said Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount, Warrior Canine Connection. “HIF’s continued support and recent grant funding are clear indicators and acknowledgment of the positive and transformative impact service dogs can have on our Warriors wrestling with both visible and invisible wounds. HIF has been helping us achieve our No Fail Mission since 2015.”

The MBTR model harnesses the healing power of the Warrior Ethos and the human-animal bond to reduce symptoms of combat trauma whereby patients with combat stress train dogs to assist another Veteran with invisible and/or physical wounds. The model provides recovering combat Veterans with a sense of purpose while they are recovering and is designed to remediate their symptoms of combat stress, such as isolation, emotional numbness and re-experiencing.

Crystal Townsend, President, Healthcare Initiative Foundation stated, “HIF is proud to once again invest in Warrior Canine Connection’s MBTR Program, as it supports one of our major priorities of providing comprehensive healthcare, which includes behavioral health and wellness. This innovative approach provides both treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, while simultaneously training service dogs to support additional veterans in need.”

The Healthcare Initiative Foundation awarded $74,000 in FY18 Small Grants to 19 organizations, which are projected to serve 69,580 individuals throughout Montgomery County. The grants support the following three main priorities:

  1. To improve the quality and availability of comprehensive healthcare;
  2. To build the capacity and sustainability of the healthcare network; and
  3. To grow a highly skilled and culturally competent healthcare workforce.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

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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, help in reintegrating back into their families and communities, and a potential career path as a service dog trainer. 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 and like HIF on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/hifmc.