Monique Gaines, a master's student in the Wayne State School of Social Work, has won a federally funded fellowship to support her graduate work in interpersonal practice.

Gaines was awarded a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Minority Fellowship Program-Youth (MFP-Y) master's student fellowship for the 2015-2016 academic year. Funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the fellowship provides training and financial and professional development supports to students committed to providing mental health services to at-risk children, adolescents, and young adults in underserved minority communities.

Gaines, who works 16 hours a week at Mariner's Inn as a substance abuse counselor for her degree work, is interested in youth substance abuse, mental health, art, and animal-assisted therapy. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and recently joined the NASW-Michigan Human Animal Bond Work Group. The human-animal bond, which underpins the increasingly popular fields of veterinary social work and animal-assisted social work, can be marshalled to improve a client's social, emotional, or cognitive functioning and is used in a wide variety of therapies.

Gaines, who received an undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on urban social dynamics from University of Michigan, plans to use her M.S.W. to address substance abuse and mental health challenges from a family systems perspective in Metro Detroit. Specifically, she would like to develop a community hub for substance abuse and mental health services for children and families in the region - services that include a horseback riding therapy program.

Horseback riding was a kind of therapy for Gaines herself, helping her reconcile her love for animals with her fear of them.

"It's hard to explain the feelings of accomplishment and relief after riding a horse and not being thrown off," Gaines recalled. "I did a group project on animal-assisted therapy and had the crazy idea that I could use horses to facilitate youth and family development in Detroit."

Gaines, who also works part-time at Covenant House Michigan as a residential advisor for youth 18-22, said the MFP-Y fellowship provides a wonderful opportunity for her to create professional networks to assist her work after graduation.

"It's a great way to meet passionate experts who can help me cultivate my ideas and get a good grounding in the field I'm pursuing," she said.