Gateway HorseWorks' 2023 Annual Report

We started 2023 still feeling the immense weight of the mental health crisis in our community Inquiries, referrals, and waitlists were growing exponentially at Gateway HorseWorks. To meet this need, we onboarded a Mental Health Practitioner and Equine Specialist, doubling our capacity to serve. We also expanded our herd by adding a new horse, ensuring that all of our horses have time off to rest and restore between sessions. These critical additions to our team directly impacted the community, allowing us to increase the number of sessions over 2022 by 85%.

None of this significant growth would have happened without you: our community of donors, volunteers, partners, and supporters You continue to play a central role in advocating for access and equity in mental health care.

Because of you, we are stepping into 2024 energized to serve even more people with our collective, transformative vision by prioritizing access to our most vulnerable and marginalized communities. Our free-to-participant community programs remain at the heart of Gateway HorseWorks, and thanks to you, we will be extending our services more widely to children and adults throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.

We are proud to move forward with each of you, stewarding our mission to incorporate horses for the mental health treatment of people, and amplifying the call for equitable access to mental

treatment for all

Warmly,

“Gateway HorseWorks changed my life.”

- Susannah, Air-Force Veteran & Individual Client

health

By the Numbers

Since 2015, our gates have been open, welcoming children and adults in search of innovative mental health treatment. Each day, our staff and herd of horses meet our clients exactly where they are, and facilitate sessions which provide the space for each person to uncover their own best solutions.

While numbers only tell a fraction of the story about the clients that we serve, they create a window into ways in which Gateway HorseWorks continues to prioritize access for people who too often are made vulnerable and pushed to the margins.

2023 Program Highlights

8 5 % INCREASEIN SESSIONS FACILITATED IN2023

1 6 in INDIVIDUAL/FAMILIES ACCESSEDASLIDING PAYMENTSCALE

25% OFCLIENTS SERVEDWERE CHILDRENAND YOUTH

5 7 % OFCLIENTSSERVED HAVEAFAMILYINCOME BELOW$50KOR OTHERWISEDONOT KNOWTHEIRINCOME

Programs for Children & Youth

Since 2016, the Beyond the Barn p has proven to be an effective supp intervention for kids who are involv Chester County Juvenile Proba Children, Youth, and Family Serv 2023, The Beyond the Barn p expanded to include service caregivers in order to better se family system.

In fiscal year 2022-2023, 100% youth enrolled completed a full course of treatment, 92% had no rearrest within six months of completion of the program, and 100% were not placed out of home within six months of the completion of the program.

In 2024, Montgomery and Delaware Counties have engaged Gateway HorseWorks with an intention to replicate this highly regarded program in their communities

receiving emotional support. Thanks to the support of the Anderson Family Foundation and the Neubauer Family Foundation, this pro-social learning program has demonstrated the power and importance of providing access to diverse learning opportunities. The outcomes tracked have affirmed what we know: when given the opportunity to lead, explore, and connect in a safe and supportive environment alongside horses, our young people can thrive.

100% of students who participated in Leading the Way improved their attendance, decreased the number of disciplinary referrals, and decreased the number of suspensions they received during the program period. All of the student participants either made progress on the behavioral goals outlined in their IEP or stayed the same No one regressed

In 2024, Leading the Way will be a central growth point for Gateway HorseWorks It is our goal that young people throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area have the opportunity to experience the transformational power of incorporating horses for their mental health and socialemotional growth

Expanded Services for Veterans and Justice-Involved Adults

The Veterans Affairs Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention released a report, analyzing suicide mortality rates among Veterans and non-Veteran adults, from 2001 through 2021. The report is a call to action, underscoring the growing need for Veteran-focused suicide prevention. “Suicide remains the 13th leading cause of death for Veterans overall, and the second leading cause of death for Veterans under the age of 45.”

The suicide rate for women Veterans increased at a significantly higher rate than their male counterparts.

In 2023, Gateway HorseWorks hosted a free full-day women Veterans’ retreat in collaboration with Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving We continued to provide free individual, reoccurring sessions to Veteran clients with PTSd. In 2024, we are prioritizing access to innovative treatment for those Veterans who need individualized mental health solutions.

Because of the long-reported positive participant outcomes (results indicate an 8% recidivism rate for program graduates 5 years post-release, dramatically below the national average of 79%), we were able to serve six times the number of people experiencing incarceration in 2023.

Each week our herd of horses is transported to provide a full day of mental health programming to adults who are preparing for their release. In addition to studying recidivism, last year we collected data through a PHQ-9, a self-administered, validated screening tool which measures depression. Offered before the start and at the end of the Stable Pathways Program, this questionnaire asks participants to score their experience of depression across nine criteria. Of the participants who completed both the pre and post questionnaires in 2023, those with Moderate or Moderately Severe Depression at the beginning, all decreased to Minimal or Mild Depression at the close of sessions.

This survey and the demonstrable improvement in depression for people experiencing incarceration affirms our belief that equitable access to mental health care is necessary in supporting people as they transition back to the community.

Recovery Programming

Philadelphia declared the overdose crisis a public health emergency in 2023, yet statistics confirm the long-held affirmation that recovery is possible.

SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, reports the percentage of adults in recovery from substance use was higher among adults who had ever received substance use treatment in their lifetime or in the past year. This finding suggests that through varied, holistic, and intentional services, community and mental health programs can play a vital role in increasing access to the tools and treatments that make recovery more possible for more people

Through the Breaking Free program, Gateway HorseWorks has provided group mental health programs for people in recovery in partnership with several agencies and organizations since founding in 2015. This past year, in partnership with MVP Recovery and the Chester County Department of Drug & Alcohol, Breaking Free reached more individuals through specialized mental health support and programming.

In November 2023, Scott Simon, Martin Patience, and the team at NPR’s Weekend Edition featured the impact of services at Gateway HorseWorks.

Recently, a client shared that “[b]eing here is where I’ve actually talked the most out of the last couple of months, really... I don’t really like to talk but, I don’t know, once I’m here it just feels a lot better.”

In 2024, the reach of Breaking Free is set to double in partnership with Chester County Drug & Alcohol. Throughout this next year and beyond, Gateway HorseWorks commits to being a key community resource for all who are seeking tools and treatment to support their recovery

Our Horses

Horses - like access to innovative mental health treatments - are all too often an elite experience. Our herd of mostly rescue horses are central to our mission, and are key agents of transformation in every session.

This year, our community came together on #GivingTuesday to support the care and well-being of our horses who offer so much to our clients Thanks to your support, we were able to exceed our HayRaiser goal, the proceeds of which help provide hay and straw to meet our horses health and nutritional needs our horses during the coldest winter months

Meet Our New Team Members

Growing Our Team

TALIBA FOSTER, MD KAREN BASSETTI, MA, LCSW

Dr Taliba Foster, Medical Director of Main Line Psychiatric, is Gateway HorseWorks’ newest Board Member. Dr. Foster is a leading psychiatrist,

academic lecturer, and active member of several major committees for mental health including American Medical Association’s Minority Consortium and the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. Dr. Foster has clinical faculty appointments at New York University-Bellevue Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In private practice, Dr. Foster calls on her broad skill set and extensive experience to create tailored treatment plans for her many patients

ANNA FITZHUGH

na is an Equine ecialist and the Barn nager for Gateway rseWorks. Anna brings wealth of experience d an immense love for

horses and the community surrounding them. Anna has ridden competitively at the upper levels of Eventing, worked for Olympic gold medalists, taught people of all ages about horses, and held leadership roles in the equestrian community. Following graduation from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Anna has committed to work in ways that horses could help under- served and under-represented populations Anna is passionate about: mental health, horses, and advocating for equity

Karen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has a private counseling practice for

er Certification in Perinatal Mental Health. Karen earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Marymount University and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from East Carolina University. Riding horses since she was eight years old, Karen knows first-hand the power of healing offered by our four legged friends and their natural surroundings She feels the opportunity to work for Gateway HorseWorks is a true melding of her two greatest passions: caring for horses and helping others

DEWEY

Dewey is a 25 year old Rocky Mountain Horse who joined Gateway HorseWorks as the sixth member of our herd in November 2023. With an additional herd-member, our team can offer concurrent sessions all the while ensuring that all of our horses get the necessary time off, ultimately increasing our capacity to serve the community. Dewey’s gentle nature makes him a great fit with children. He loves to voluntarily join sessions even during his “time off.” Dewey loves spending time with his new best friend, Willow, and goes everywhere she goes! He devours apple nuggets and always greets you with his ears pricked wondering, “what’s in your pocket?!”

Second Annual Events

Our second year of annual events garnered an immense display of community support and engagement Beginning in Spring, the Double-Feature Fundraiser, in partnership with People’s Light and Theater Company, provided the platform for a deeper conversation about reentry in our community We showcased footage from Healing in the Open about Stable Pathways, our program for justice-involved adults, hosted a panel, and proceeded to a special production of Lettie, a play that tells the story of one mother’s journey after incarceration

Our Fall event, Boots & BBQ, focused on our programs for children and youth With Principal Meredith Lowe of the Andrew J Morrison School as keynote speaker, she underscored the impact of the Leading the Way program Her speech inspired attendees as a call to action around the need for such equitable access to social supports, mental health resources, community, and natural space for all our children and youth

Winter Wonder-Farm, our family-friendly, community event sold out during registration for the second year in a row! While having to reschedule due to rain, the atmosphere was beautiful as an evening event Each year we learn more about how best to meet and serve the community through our events and fundraisers, all while advocating for equitable access to mental health care!

Our organization is made better by the dedication of the people who serve our mission alongside our treatment teams, herd, staff, and board. We would not be able to create the healing, farm-based environment that we are fortunate enough to call home without them. The impact of your dedication ripples out to our clients, and our horses From individual volunteers, to corporate teams, to a dedicated core of weekly volunteers, thank you from all of us at Gateway HorseWorks for making our mission possible

Funding Report

Gateway HorseWorks receives support from a diverse network of donors, foundations, organizations, institutional partners and agencies In order to sustainably steward our mission, it is our goal to maintain a high program expense ratio while continuing our fiscal growth, development, well-being, and capacity of our team and herd.

88%

A n d e r s o n F a m i l y

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C h e s t e r C o u n t y Y o u n g

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2 0 0 + i n d i v i d u a l d o n o r s

Berndt Family

Dr. Nadine Bean

Carraway Family

Caroline Moran

Churchman Family

Saunders & Sallie Dixon

Joy Family

Majid Alsayegh

Trina Kadakia

Tillson Family

Allan Myers

Alliance Equine Health Care

Amy Lambert Coaching

Aneu Catering

Ariat

Fenceworks

Chester County Commissioner's Office

Chester County Children Youth & Families

Chester County Juvenile Probation

Chester County Prison Complex

Coatesville VA Medical Center

Montgomery County Children Youth & Families

Montgomery County Juvenile Probation

First Bank Charitable Foundation

Fox Rothschild, LLP

Gawthrop Greenwood, PC

Goldberg, Goldberg, & Maloney

Grossman Furniture

Joey Chops Restaurant

Kimberton Whole Foods

The Light Program

Mainline Gardens

Providence One Development

Revivalist Spirits

Stable 12

Trader Joe’s

Wegman’s

WSFS Bank

The Morrison School

Penn Medicine

Penn Hospice

Philadelphia VA Medical Center

Salvation Army

School District of Philadelphia

Wissahickon Charter School