GAIT FAQ

GAIT Program FAQ

What is GAIT?

Guided Animal Intervention Therapy (GAIT) is an equine therapy program designed to support children in meeting their mental health & behavioral needs. GAIT serves children in the community who have mental health goals and specializes in treating children who have experienced trauma and supports these children in being able to build trust, positive self-esteem, and coping skills.


Why horses?

Horses have the amazing gift of offering immediate reactions to one’s emotional state and behaviors. If a person comes into the barn fearful and anxious the horse will mirror those emotions. The individual will then be prompted to utilize coping skills to calm their body and mind, and that too will be immediately reflected in their equine partner.

Horses also act as a bridge to therapy. If a person battling mental health issues isn’t quite ready, or is struggling in traditional therapy, the horses is there to meet them halfway.  The horses offer a less intimidating environment, providing room for the client to reach their goals.


Medi-Cal Vs. Fee for service

If a participant is a youth ages 5-21, who is also seeing a therapist on a weekly basis, they may be eligible for coverage through Medi-cal. If this is not the case, we are able to offer a fee for service program, at a cost of $75/session and a one time intake cost of $200.  (*PLEASE NOTE: fee will be increasing to $90/individual session and $65/group session beginning July 1st, 2023)

How does GAIT work?

A specially trained Equine Mental Health Worker (EMHW) will work with the participant and their team to create an individualized treatment plan. The program is designed around the goals set by the client and team to support and promote improved mental health.

Participants are offered a variety of equine based therapeutic activities including learning to care for the horse, riding and mounted activities, and creative and art-based interventions.

For Medi-Cal participants, the therapist and EMHW will consult on a weekly basis about the client’s progress and changes in behaviors to coordinate care. EMHW will also attend child and family team meetings to support the continuum of treatment.

Who is a good candidate for GAIT?

Almost anyone with mental health goals can benefit from equine therapy. Our program is designed to support participants with behaviors and mental health struggles that are impacting their day-to-day life.

Medi-Cal covers children and youth ages 5-21. For Fee for Service, we can accept participants ages 5- adult.

To participate in our mounted activities, participants must be under 230lbs. There is no limit for our unmounted activities. Participants over this limit will still enjoy an abundance of therapeutic and enjoyable equine interventions.

Who may not be a good fit?

Participants struggling with intense dysregulation who may become overly dysregulated around the horses, participants with active psychosis that may interfere with safety, and participants with active animal cruelty behavior may not be a great fit for the program. However, all the above can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Those under the age of 5 years are not able to participate at this time.

How long is the program?

In most cases, participants will attend weekly GAIT sessions for 12 weeks.  Each GAIT session runs for approximately 1 hour.

Group Vs. Individual

We offer both group and individual sessions.

Our small groups are a terrific opportunity for participants to practice skills in a social setting with peers working towards similar goals. Our groups are a safe, supportive environment to challenge and grow social skills and alternative coping skills.  Participants must be at least 8 years old to participate in a group.

Individual sessions are best suited to those struggling with self-regulation or who have behaviors and needs that require one on one care. Some clients may wish to start out in individual sessions until they feel more confident working with the horses.

How to refer

There is almost always a wait list for GAIT. It is difficult to say when your referral will make it to the top as it is based on availability. GAIT is open for clients Tuesday- Saturday. If a participant is able to come on a weekday morning, that participant will be able to start faster than someone who needs a Saturday spot for example.

 

For fee for service referrals

The first step is to reach out to the program coordinator (Nancy Lewis 714-308-2001) to discuss program details.

Next, the health form (the first pages, ‘health history’ is to be filled out by the caregivers and the second page ‘Physician’s clearance’ is to be filled out and signed by the participant’s primary care provider/doctor. This is a lot like a sports physical, and just verifies the participant is healthy enough to ride and be around the horses).

For Medi-Cal referrals

The first step is to reach out to the program coordinator (Nancy Lewis 714-308-2001) to discuss program details.

Next, the health form (the first pages, ‘health history’ is to be filled out by the caregivers and the second page ‘Physician’s clearance’ is to be filled out and signed by the participant’s primary care provider/doctor. This is a lot like a sports physical, and just verifies the participant is healthy to ride and be around the horses).

We also need the following items:

  • GAIT Referral form
  • DSM 5 Diagnosis and Code
  • Clinical Assessment
  • Clinical Treatment Plan
    • This must include Individual rehab and group rehab, Intensive home-based services if applicable AND Case management or Intensive Care coordination if applicable.
  • CANS – 50
  • PWB / Intensive Services Eligibility
  • PSC – 35 (unless kiddo is in foster care)

All the items must be submitted to get a spot on the wait list.

More Questions?

If you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the program coordinator (Nancy Lewis 714-308-2001), or email [email protected]