NATIONAL CENTER FOR EQUINE FACILITATED THERAPY (NCEFT)

Founded in 1971 and located in Woodside, California on the San Francisco Peninsula, NCEFT is internationally recognized as a pioneer and leader of equine-assisted programs. For over 50 years, NCEFT has tapped into the profound rehabilitative power of the human-horse relationship to facilitate healing to thousands of Bay Area children and adults (ages 2-85+) living with physical, cognitive, and neuromuscular disabilities, as well as mental health conditions/concerns. Typical patient diagnoses we treat include, but are not limited to, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Down syndrome, autism, developmental delay, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, stroke, genetic disorders, ADHD, and learning or language disabilities, PTSD, anxiety, depression, social isolation, grief, and loss.

Horses are at the heart of NCEFT’s programming, which include Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy (incorporating a horse’s dynamic movement into the patient’s treatment plan, known as hippotherapy), Adaptive Riding (recreational horseback riding and horsemanship lessons adapted for an individual’s ability), Horsemanship Academy (ground-based horsemanship skills and education), Equine-Assisted Mental Health & Resilience Programs, Happy Trails Summer Camp, Special Education School Program, Employment Skills Internship Program, Diversity Community Outreach Programs, and Veterans and First Responder Programs.

NCEFT offers financial assistance to those who qualify as one of our core goals is to never turn away an individual who qualifies for our services due to their inability to afford treatment. Additionally, we automatically provide our services for free to veterans and first responders.

NCEFT’s breadth and depth of programming, tenure, and history of pioneering equine-assisted programs in the United States sets us apart from other similar organizations in the area. Our fiscal integrity and transparency is evidenced by our Platinum status from Guidestar.org and a 5-Star rating with GreatNonProfits.org. Additionally, NCEFT has Guardian status with EQUUS Foundation (indicating the highest standards of care for horses), and we have the distinction of being the only Northern California Facility member of the American Hippotherapy Association.

To watch highlights of our Mental Health & Resilience Workshops, please visit: vimeo.com/522917627

To watch the impact of our programs on Military Veterans, please visit: https://youtu.be/Vo2yxeDUhD0

To watch our Equine-Assisted Physical and Occupational Therapy work in action online, please visit: https://nceft.org/reaching-beyond-boundaries/

https://nceft.org/

As part of its operational strategies, NCEFT regularly considers and reviews its progress in the areas of administration, services, financial assistance, veterans programs, first responder programs, and property maintenance and care. Our point of view about each area and goals for the coming year are summarized below.

Administration: Our employees, board and advisory council work tirelessly to maintain NCEFT's standard of excellence, improve our processes and find new ways to meet the needs of our patient and client populations. This year, we conducted a strategic review of our operations with the goal of ensuring NCEFT's sustainability. The result gives us a new benchmark against which we can measure our progress.

Services: It is our wish to significantly impact and enhance the lives of every person who becomes a part of the NCEFT community. We envision a place where the focus is on hope and healing rather than limitations and we work daily to create it. In 2020, we expanded our programming to include Equine-Assisted Mental Health & Resilience Programs.

Financial Assistance: NCEFT provides financial assistance to those who qualify as one of our core goals is to never turn away an individual who qualifies for our programs due to their inability to pay. Additionally, we automatically provide 100% scholarship funding to veterans and first responders as a way of giving back to this often-overlooked at-risk population. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, NCEFT provides financial subsidy to approximately 40% of clientele.

Military Veterans & First Responder Programs: NCEFT's programs make a profound difference for veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress or other mental or physical impairments. Our equine-assisted activities enable recovery, offer healing and the mastery of new skills, and restore strength, confidence, and independence. NCEFT offers our services at no cost to veterans and first responders.

Property Maintenance and Care: NCEFT resides on an historic property with a wooded setting that provides a respite for patients and families alike. We care for our 12-acre facility to provide a safe, comfortable and sustainable environment for our hard-working horses, community and staff. Our 100-year-old barn is a treasure to be preserved. We will continue to improve our property to maintain its effectiveness and beauty for our community.

NCEFT's breadth and depth of programming, tenure, and history of pioneering equine-assisted programs in the United States sets NCEFT apart from other organizations in the area. NCEFT’s unique programming and industry-leading reputation are unmatched in the Bay Area.

NCEFT is the only organization in the Bay Area that is staffed with full-time, credentialed therapists, instructors, and clinicians, and equipped to deliver long-term, deep-impact equine-assisted physical, occupational, or speech therapy, along with a range of other equine-assisted programs. Many centers have limited capacity, share their space with traditional barns, and/or deliver only one form of programming, such as adaptive riding or emotional support animals. Our stability, professionalism, and use of licensed therapists who have additional certification through the American Hippotherapy Association equates to a high standard of care for our patients, and our treatments complement other therapies to deliver significant results.

NCEFT’s Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy strategy cannot be replicated in clinical settings and is frequently a breakthrough component in a patient’s course of treatment. Routinely, NCEFT clients achieve remarkable outcomes, such as taking their first steps or speaking their first words. In contrast to indoor office clinics and inanimate training equipment, our therapy takes place outdoors and is facilitated by the warm, powerful connection between humans and horses.

Each Therapy and Adaptive Riding session involves a minimum of five NCEFT staff and volunteers per patient/client: one therapist/instructor, one horse handler, two volunteers (one on each side of the horse to ensure the patient's safety), and one horse. The client receives intense attention and focus from each member of their team.

Our Mental Health & Resilience Workshop sessions also involve a team of at least four: one or more licensed therapists, one equine expert, one peer mentor, and one or more horses.

NCEFT’s fiscal integrity and transparency is evidenced by its Platinum status from Guidestar.org and a 5-Star rating with GreatNonProfits.org. Additionally, NCEFT has Guardian status with EQUUS Foundation (indicating the highest standards of care for horses), and we have the distinction of being the only Northern California Facility member of the American Hippotherapy Association.

January 2023 Update:

One of NCEFT’s goals since the pandemic has been to return to its pre-COVID Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Adaptive Riding session counts which were significantly reduced due to the mandatory closures, social distancing/not being able to hold many sessions concurrently as we did prior to COVID, and because not all clients were able to return for sessions or wear a mask. We are happy to report that since February 2022 as the COVID restrictions have eased, we have made steady progress to safely add more client sessions to the schedule and are on track to resuming our pre-COVID session numbers.