Assisting in Crisis and Trauma Situations

QC CAN is pleased to announce our assisting in crisis and trauma situations (ACTS) program for our registered therapy dog teams. QC CAN ACTS teams will be trained to provide emotional comfort and support to people affected by the impacts of crisis events. These teams will be invited to deploy in response to crisis events in our community.

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What is ACTS?

ACTS is a form of animal-assisted activities (AAA) which provides comfort to those who have been affected by natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. ACTS is effective because the safety, familiarity, novelty, and interest in therapy dogs have been found to have positive impacts when building rapport with a person affected by crisis.

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ACTS is not a professional mental health intervention. ACTS does not take the place of professional interventions, but provides support in the immediate wake of a crisis through listening, empathy, and sharing the unconditional love of a therapy animal. ACTS can be effective for everyone affected by the impact of a crisis, including first-responders and crisis management staff.

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ACTS Team Deployment

Crisis event coordinators and facilities are invited to contact us with a specific request for information about deploying QC CAN ACTS teams or fill out the program request form here.