The Paul Oliver Foundation

About the foundation:

▫ The Paul Oliver Foundation(TPOF) is a non-profit founded in 2014 devoted to helping
combat Veterans adjust to life back home in the Memphis, TN area.
▫ With a mission of Honoring Our Nation's Heroes Through Actions and Service, TPOF
provides service animals, at no cost, to veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder(PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI).
What are PTSD and TBI?
▫ PTSD is a psychological response developed after experiencing or witnessing any
traumatic or life-threatening event including seeing dead bodies, being shot at/ambushed,
and witnessing someone known being seriously wounded.
▫ Those with PTSD re-experience those traumas often, avoid conversation about them,
have outburts of extreme emotions and lose sleep over them, so much so, that it disrupts
everyday life.
▫ Research shows alarming percentages of Veterans who suffer from PTSD:
 11-20% of Operations Iraqi Freedom(OIF) and Operations Enduring
Freedom(OEF) Veterans
 12% of Gulf War Veterans
 15% Vietnam Veterans
▫ TBI is permanent neurological brain damage in varying degrees stemming from a
concussion.
▫ In the last 16 years over 350,000 service men and women have been diagnosed with TBI
How can service dogs help?
▫ Canine-caretaking gives Veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI a way to reconnect by
 Overcoming emotional numbness
 Communicating without aggression
 Becoming a reason to go outside and be active
▫ Evidence shows that bonding with dogs causes one to produce elevated levels of
oxytocin, known to destress.
How to help?
▫ The VA will not offer service dogs for PTSD treatments until more research is gathered
▫ TPOF says with over a years worth of training needed for these service dogs, the costs
range from $11,000 to $20,000.
▫ Contributions can be made at thepauloliverfoundation.org.

4444 Given Ave (901)634-0126 thepauloliverfoundation.org

Memphis, TN abutler@thepauloliverfoundation.org Facebook.com/ThePaulOliverFoundation
38122
 Bibliography

About the Foundation. (2014). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from

http://www.thepauloliverfoundation.org/?page_id=90
Bagalman, Erin. (2013). Mental Disorders Among OEF/OIF Veterans Using VA Health Care:
Facts and Figures. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved From:
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41921.pdf.
How Common is PTSD. (2017, July 05). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-overview/basics/how-common-is-ptsd.asp
Mental Health Effects of Serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. (2015, January 01). Retrieved January
29, 2018, from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/reintegration/overview-
mental-health-effects.asp
PTSD Basics. (2017). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-
overview/basics
Severe TBI Symptoms. (2013). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from
http://www.traumaticbraininjury.com/symptoms-of-tbi/severe-tbi-symptoms/

4444 Given Ave (901)634-0126 thepauloliverfoundation.org

Memphis, TN abutler@thepauloliverfoundation.org Facebook.com/ThePaulOliverFoundation
38122