Brighton Area Schools addresses rising mental health concerns with therapy dog program

According to the Michigan School Safety and Mental Health Commission, schools statewide are facing a shortage of school counselors and psychologists.

What can school districts do to ensure the mental well-being of students?

One solution is something Brighton Area Schools have invested in for almost 20 years. The answer is therapy dogs.

Hope, Ford, Suzie, and Martha are just four of the Brighton Area Schools’ 15 therapy dogs.

“You can pet them a lot, and like they’re excited, and sometimes they like belly rubs,” said Avery Shorkey, a student at Hornung Elementary School. 

Eight-year-old Avery says just seeing her elementary school’s dog, Suzie, walking down the hallway makes her happy, especially on days when there’s a big test.

“When there was a time on a test, and it makes me, like, stressed out and scared,” Avery said.

According to the Michigan Department of Education, about 16% of children aged 0-17 have a diagnosed mental health disorder, with more than 1 in 5 children facing emotional or behavioral concerns.

“As a parent, I can’t put it into words how much that means to me, knowing that if my child is upset, stressed, anxious, or sad that there’s a therapy dog at this school,” said Andrea Shorkey, Avery’s mom.

The mental health commission report shows the state’s ratio is one school psychologist for every 1,500 students, which is three times higher than the National Association of School Psychologists’ recommendation of one for every 500 students.

“It’s difficult, whether you’re in school or whether you’re working in different settings. It’s a difficult position for people to have longevity in,” said Michelle Allison, Special Education Director for Brighton Area Schools. 

The report says more than 1.37 million students at Michigan schools are sharing the services of roughly 1,000 trained psychologists. Statewide, about 200 positions remain unfilled. 

“Teletherapy, that grew considerably after and during COVID times. So, I think there’s definitely opportunities there too that people are interested in pursuing,” Allison said.

That’s where therapy dogs can bridge the gap.

“A dog can just come in and not use any words, just look at them and love them unconditionally without any judgment,” said Kaitlyn Lipinski, co-lead of the Brighton Area School’s Pack of Dogs.

The dogs work right alongside mental health professionals.

“He (Ford) can be assigned to the counselor’s office, and anytime there’s a student in crisis or in high need, that trumps a regular classroom schedule,” Meg Fole, a teacher and dog handler at Scranton Middle School, said.

The pack has even visited other school districts like Oxford and Michigan State University after tragic school shootings.

“We had handlers and dogs placed everywhere. So as the kids were coming in, it was just this immediate sense of kind of calm and security for the kids,” Karina Miller, a special education teacher, said.

The Brighton therapy dog program is fully funded by the district.

Between the purchase of a single dog from the breeder, specialized training, and medical expenses, it can cost $5,000 at the onset.

“Brighton pays for all of her (Suzie’s) bills and owns her outright until she retires,” Lipinski said. 

If you ask anyone, the price is well worth it.