Using Interactions with Animals to Reduce the Burden of Mental Illness

Less than one third of those in need of mental health services receive any kind of treatment. Animal-assisted interventions may be an effective and efficient solution to improve mental health on a large scale. This talk will cover the theoretical and empirical bases for using interactions with animals to reduce stress and promote mental health across a range of populations. I will cover key advantages of human-animal interaction as a form of treatment, and highlight our recently completed evaluation of the animal visitation program at the Yale School of Medicine.