Madison nonprofit Custom Canines Service Dog Academy (CCSDA) and Dean Health Plan by Medica are teaming up to establish a Crisis Assistance & Response Enhancement (CARE) Team program, where specially-trained volunteers, their service dogs-in-training and fully trained service dogs will support people affected by a critical incident.
Dean Health Plan donated $105,000 to CCSDA to develop the CARE Team program. The donation will fund specialized training for dog handlers, equipment for dogs, support at community engagement and awareness events, sponsorships of service dogs-in-training and staffing to coordinate the program.
Over the past two years, an informal alliance between CCSDA volunteers and Dean Health Plan employees and their dogs has offered Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) support to employer groups insured by the health plan. The health promotion team aided healing for people in 12 organizations in 2023 and 18 in 2024.
