DOL Approves Carolina Canines for Veterans Program as an Apprenticeship Program

Carolina Canines for Veterans, S.C. – June 16, 2011 Naval Consolidated Brig Charleston, in partnership with Carolina Canines for Service, announces the approval of the service dog training program as a United States Department of Labor Apprentice Program for Service Dog Technicians.

NAVCONBRIG Charleston houses prisoners from all branches of the military sentenced up to five years; longer sentences on a case-by-case basis. The brig provides extensive prisoner programs, including rehabilitative treatment; substance abuse treatment; counseling, education and training (academic, vocational, military, physical); productive work; and religious.

NAVCONBRIG Charleston work programs support military and federal agencies to provide productive, cost-effective work, which also is used as a skill-training process. Work programs include carpentry/furniture making/repair, auto maintenance/repair, metal works and welding, sign making, upholstery, service dog canine training, and culinary arts.

In April 2010, the brig received an internationally unprecedented seventh consecutive 100 percent compliance rating during its triennial re-accreditation audit by the American Correctional Association (ACA), the oldest and largest international correctional association in the world. NAVCONBRIG Charleston is the only adult prison in the United States or Canada to have ever achieved seven consecutive 100 percent ratings in ACA’s 141-year history.

Carolina Canines for Service is a nonprofit health and human services organization that trains service dogs for people with disabilities. In 2008, CCFS launched a national program, Carolina Canines for Veterans, to train rescue dogs from local shelters to assist wounded veterans. Operating entirely on private donations, CCFS instructs prisoners to raise and train each service dog.

A Carolina Canines service dog is a constant companion that can perform more than 70 tasks for the wounded veteran, including retrieving and carrying objects, opening doors, helping with stress and balance difficulties, as well as providing a bridge back to society. They can also:

• Pull their partner in a wheelchair, push elevator buttons and even transfer money at the grocery store.
• Provide social support by acting as a link to conversation and acceptance. When a service dog accompanies a wounded veteran, the focus is on the dog, not the disability.
• Provide balance and stability for an amputee or someone who has lost mobility.
• Be a source of love and companionship. Both the veteran and the dog are a team and make the transition back to independence together.

NAVCONBRIG and Carolina Canines, working in collaboration, documented the over 3600-hour program which defines standards of training for service dog trainers. The successful approval of the Apprenticeship Program for Service Dog Technicians provides a level of skill based on competency for the prisoners enrolled in the program. Upon successful completion of the competency, the prisoner will receive a U.S. Department of Labor Journeyman Certificate.

“This is a major step for the service dog training industry”, says Rick Hairston, President & CEO of Carolina Canines’ and “will have long term effects on shaping the industry of service dog providers for our Veterans ensuring the quality of the dogs trained.”

Commander Raymond Drake, Commanding Officer NAVCONBRIG Charleston: “The approval of the service dog training program as a United States Department of Labor Apprentice Program is another major success for this program and ensures continued high standards while providing prisoners valuable, documented, nationally recognized job skill training that will greatly benefit them upon release.”

To learn more about Carolina Canines for Service and their program visit www.carolinacanines.org