Heart of Iowa Community Services (HICS) is thrilled to have expanded our staff and services a la an adorable four-legged new employee. We’ve added a crisis canine to our roster of mental health support staff.

Tucker, a golden retriever, joined the HICS network in mid-2024. HICS noticed the need for a therapy pet and crisis canine after responding to the tragic event at Perry High School in January 2024. Crisis canines are similar to therapy dogs but have an advanced level of training so that they can offer support in times of crisis, remaining calm in large crowds and stressful, loud events.

“HICS staff and many of the law enforcement agencies and first responders we work with were some of the first organizations to offer crisis and mental health services to kids, families and staff in Perry,” said Darci Alt, CEO of the HICS Region. “And while our services were so necessary, we saw how quickly therapy pets offered comfort to those who were affected. HICS immediately started looking into crisis canines.”

Breanna Morman, an HICS jail alternatives coordinator, began researching available therapy dogs and found Crisis Canines of the Midlands out of Colfax, Iowa. Together with the Guthrie County Jail, HICS adopted Tucker. Morman and Tucker continue to work with Crisis Canines of the Midlands to obtain certificates and training on par with those required of a law enforcement canine.

Through her work at HICS, Morman provides mental health and jail supports for incarcerated individuals and she offers mental health supports to law enforcement officials and first responders. The positive impact Tucker has on inmates when they visit the Guthrie County and surrounding county jails is immediate, she said.

“I work with law enforcement and the jail population. They have a lot of trauma,” she noted. “It’s interesting to see the instant connection people have with Tucker and how he will work the room to comfort them. Through my work, I have to ask a lot of hard questions and help people through trauma. To do that, I have to build a rapport with them, and it takes time."

“The inmates will go up to Tucker and hug him and start crying. He’s providing comfort without them having to ever say a word. In a few moments, he’ll notice something else, get up and go over to another person. He sees what they need.”

HICS jail services coordinator, Breanna Morman
And while Tucker will be an incredible asset for incarcerated individuals, law enforcement and first responders who need support, he’s also available to educators and students who could benefit from crisis services or even time with a therapy pet.

Right now, Tucker continues to go through training and obtain certifications, recently completing aquarterly crisis canines training with a focus on peer support in law enforcement through Crisis Canines of the Midlands. As he trains,Tucker is still able to visit inmates, first responders, students and educators, and many others in the region who could benefit from therapy pet and crisis services.

“Dogs have an incredible intuition,” Breanna said. “We’re excited to see how our HICS community benefits from his help.”

Reach out to learn more about HICS’s crisis, mental health and jail services at HICSIowa.org.