Announcements

A comprehensive joint research project between Green Chimneys’ special education school/residential treatment center and the University of Denver’s renowned Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC).
In early 2017, Green Chimneys and the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection initiated a joint research project to study the impact of Green Chimneys’ unique farm programs on developmental health and education outcomes for the students who attend Green Chimneys School. The goal is to better understand how nature-based activities support the therapeutic and educational needs of students, and how the programs might be made even more effective.
Work began with Denver graduate students observing and documenting daily activities at the Farm & Wildlife Center as part of the development of an innovative research agenda aimed at measuring the impacts of the animal and horticultural programs on students’ success.
The result of this documentation can be viewed here
Currently underway is direct data collection from Green Chimneys staff and students via interviews with staff to get perspectives on how the farm animal and gardening programs support the students’ goals; students are being asked a brief series of questions before and after activities at the farm to assess how they feel about the program or themselves.
Several published articles sharing these perspectives can be viewed here
Quantitative data will also include observations from classrooms by video recording students to assess their emotions and behaviors before and after programs outside the classroom.
This is a multi-year project under The Sam and Myra Ross Institute, which serves to facilitate understanding and clinical recognition of the significant benefits of nature-based therapies, education and interactions. The Institute seeks to set benchmarks for effective intervention methods and encourage data-driven, evidence-based practices that can be replicated.
All studies conducted have been approved by the University of Denver and Green Chimneys Institutional Review Boards. Parental consent to include children in these studies has been obtained and will be secured for all future work.
Please contact Green Chimneys Clinical Director Steven Klee, PhD at sklee@greenchimneys.org and Institute Director Michael Kaufmann at mkaufmann@greenchimneys.org
Bo Peep arrived at just 3 months old from a local lamb and mutton farm that felt her slower growth would prevent her from keeping up with the rest of the flock. She was also in need of veterinary care for infections in both eyes and an upper respiratory infection. Bo received the care and love she needed and is now strong and healthy but remains a bit smaller than her peers. She loves following around her human friends and while she is housed with two goat kids she still prefers people, knocking staff with her front hoof if their attention veers even a minute.