“Paw-Some” Priority Pups®

Priority Health for Good is continuing its mission of supporting student mental health with the placement of three highly trained working facility dogs at schools in southeast Michigan – the first dogs to serve students in the Metro Detroit area since the program launched in West Michigan in fall 2023.

Priority Health hosted a launch party Oct. 29 at Hamilton Elementary School in Westland, where students and teachers celebrated the pups from three area schools.

The facility dogs, all goldendoodles, are part of Priority Health’s Priority Pups® signature program, which is a partnership with nonprofit Canines for Change to help reduce anxiety and encourage learning for students. The program also includes a children’s book, “Frida’s Fireworks,” aimed at building mental resilience and offering practical tools for school-aged kids.

Madden, Charlie, and Beau were trained and certified with their human handlers, who also work at the schools. As a team, each dog and his handler work together to support students in successfully developing social-emotional tools and incorporate each dog into the school’s positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS).

Priority Pups® is a signature program of Priority Health for Good, Priority Health’s corporate responsibility initiative. For more information, visit priorityhealth.com/prioritypups.