HV Paws is very excited to partner with Pace University’s program, Parenting, Prison & Pups (PPP)! This program, the only program of its kind, is an evidence-based parenting program provided to female jail-based prisoners, the most underserved of all corrections populations, to help them reinvest in their relationships with their children.

PPP involves a multi-year research study. Utilizing a pre and posttest quasi experimental design, female prisoners will be evaluated to determine whether, upon program completion, female prisoners, who complete this evidence-based parenting program have: lower measures of stress, parental stress, anxiety, depression, and disciplinary infractions in addition to higher levels of self-esteem, increased parental knowledge, increased contact with their children, and more confidence in their parenting skills.

Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause will participate in this program with the female prisoners.Therapy dogs are known to benefit humans in a number of different ways, including: reducing anxiety and stress while increasing well-being; facilitating better communications; and enhancing the learning environment.

The animal assisted therapy (AAT) activities that include our dog/handler teams are structured to support lesson plans that comprise the 14-class parenting curriculum for female prisoners.

For more information on the program click on this link: https://ppp.blogs.pace.edu