This book serves as a reference for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and other mental health professionals who utilize therapeutic farm therapy with their children or adult clients. The Brief is also valuable for policy makers at state mental health agencies and legislators, who must decide how to best utilize limited funding for mental health care. Chapters focus on the development of the therapeutic farm approach, various models of therapeutic farms in the U.S. and Europe, and case studies of specific therapeutic farms.

Autorentext
Dr. Loue is a Professor in the Department of Bioethics and serves as the Vice Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity in the School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. She has secondary appointments in the Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Psychiatry, and Global Health and at MSASS, the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. Dr. Loue holds graduate degrees in law (J.D.), epidemiology (Ph.D.), medical anthropology (Ph.D.), social work (M.S.S.A.), and secondary education (M.A.). She is also ordained as an interfaith minister. Dr. Loue's primary research focus is on HIV risk and prevention and family violence in marginalized communities, such as non-English speakers, immigrants, sexual and ethnic/racial minorities, and persons with severe mental illness. Other research interests include forensic epidemiology, severe mental illness, and ethical issues in the conduct of research with vulnerable persons. She has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles and 58 book chapters, and has authored and/or edited 27 books.

Inhalt
The Development of the Therapeutic Farm.- Programmatic Approches.- Approaches to Organizational Structure and Financing.- Hopewell Therapeutic Farm Community.- CooperRiis Healing Community.- Slí Eile.- Moving Forward: Exploring Current Challenges and New Directions.