New Paws to Heal Program at St. Vincent

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Paws & Think is thrilled to announce a new partnership with St. Vincent. Today was the kickoff of the Paws to Heal Program at St. Vincent. This new Paws & Think program allows our trained therapy teams to provide love and support to those most in need at the St. Vincent campus. This includes visits with patients, their families, and associates of St. Vincent.

“While we may not be able to provide a cure, Healing Arts at St. Vincent Indianapolis can take steps towards healing our patients, their families, and our associates on a holistic level. Paws to Heal, a Paws and Think, Inc. program, will help patients cope and normalize the hospital environment. We are very excited to have Pet Therapy integrated into our treatment model. Together we will break down professional silos and make way for interprofessional collaboration for the betterment of the individuals we care for,” says Kaitlin Knapp, Manager of Healing Arts at St. Vincent.

As part of this new program, we are happy to announce the hiring of our Paws to Heal Program Coordinator Sandi Kammerer. Sandi’s background includes over 11 years in Project Management, being a Certified Animal Assisted Therapy Professional from the Animal Behavior Institue, and being a Paws & Think Therapy Team and volunteer for the past 4 years.

Paws & Think Executive Director Kelsey Burton says, “We are honored to be partnering with St. Vincent and look forward to helping comfort and support those in need and being an integral part of the healing process.”

Pet Therapy is part of St. Vincent’s Healing Arts Department and is generously funded through the St. Vincent Foundation.

Volunteers interested in learning more about how to become a Paws to Heal therapy team or escort may contact Sandi Kammerer at skammerer@pawsandthink.org.