Baptist Hospital/Paws 4 Love Relationship

Just a reminder to all of us.

The Pet Therapy program at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont is a program established under the policies of the hospital and overseen by Vicki Holcombe. It was at Vicki and Janey Broussards invitation that Diane and I did the first workshop/evaluation for the hospital program---not for Paws or for HPHP---but to help the hospital establish it's own program.

Members of Paws were and are invited to become volunteers at the hospital just as they are volunteers at the schools, at the nursing homes, and elsewhere.

When Vicki requests a workshop/evaluation, she is incharge of all the "workings"---recruiting, publicity, registration, selling manuals, etc. She has asked Paws to do a workshop for the hospital in February. During the workshop we will present pet therapy does and don't, what we have learned, and about registration with a national/international registry. We will discuss Delta and then we will discuss ITA with the restriction of Paws membership. We will leave the option of Paws membership open tothose who want to participate in our group, but the hospital does not require Paws membership. The hospital only requires registry in one of these organizations and the attendance at the workshop (either the one Vicki hosts or one of ours in the community).

Those seeking Paws membership Must be shadowed/mentored by a Paws member. Those who do not seek Paws membership the volunteer program of the hospital is responsible for their orientation and shadowing (of course, Paws members may be asked to shadow these, but the acceptance is up to the member).

We are very pleased with our relationship with Vicki Holcombe and Baptist hospital. The hospital, staff, all have been wonderful hosts. It is a good relationship.