NONPROFIT
By Tricia Moore | Photos courtesy of Sheep Dog Impact Assistance
Heroes on the Frontlines: Prioritizing Mental Health for Veterans and First Responders
Veteran and first responder suicide rates are staggering, with numbers substantially higher than the national average. While combat trauma, PTSD and the transition to civilian life are often cited as factors contributing to veteran suicides, the primary cause of first responder suicides tends to be repeated exposure to trauma as part of their job duties.
​
The nonprofit Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, led by CEO and founder Sgt. Maj. Lance Nutt, has focused on putting action into solutions since its founding in 2010. Headquartered in Rogers, SDIA has mobilized veterans and first responders to take a focused look at their mental health.
​
SDIA views veterans and first responders as the protectors of our communities — much like sheep dogs — and encourages them to tap into that inherent trait to positively impact communities in need. But the organization also urges them to reach out to peer Sheep Dogs when they are struggling.
SDIA’s programs aim to reframe the trauma that often leads to PTSD, coaching participants to accept it as an integral part of their healing journey and work through it to achieve post-traumatic growth, or PTG. PTG is a positive psychological change that occurs through structured reflection and personal development, and SDIA’s programs emphasize this shift in perspective. According to the SDIA website, “PTG offers hope that they can thrive — not in spite of but because of — their experiences.” The strength of these programs lies in its deep connection with participants, providing both in-person and technology-based support for those on their healing journey.
​
Heroes Ranch is “where the healing happens,” said John Parker, director of communications. The facility, which SDIA opened in 2023, hosts many thriving programs, and funding from sponsors and donors helps the ranch continue its mission. Heroes Ranch offers a welcoming space for individuals who have shared similar experiences — whether from military deployment, policing, firefighting or EMT careers. It serves as a shining example of what SDIA’s approach to healing looks like in action.
​
​
Located just over the Arkansas border in Jane, Missouri, Heroes Ranch Training Facility spans 53 acres of rolling Ozark hills, offering breathtaking vistas and stunning sunsets. This is the primary — though not only — location where SDIA hosts participants for its three interconnected programs.
The first program, Outdoor Adventures, fosters in-person camaraderie, peer support and healing, while encouraging Sheep Dogs to return to an active lifestyle.
​
The second program, Warrior PATHH, is a 90-day program designed to promote PTG and offer the most intense and immersive training. The first seven days are conducted in person, followed by continued engagement through an app that ensures participants remain connected even after leaving Heroes Ranch. The program teaches participants “proven practices and techniques to make peace with the past, live in the present and plan for a great future,” according to the SDIA website.
The third program, Continued Service/Disaster Response, empowers Sheep Dogs to continue to serve communities and the country in times of need. “While larger, national disasters make up most of these missions,” the website states, “SDIA encourages our members to help with local community ‘disasters,’ such as conducting minor home repairs for disabled veterans, making a park safe for children, cleaning national cemetery headstones and grounds, working in a soup kitchen, or coaching a youth sports team.”
​
“Heroes Ranch offers a beautiful, non-judgmental, free zone,” said Raffy Morales, Heroes Ranch manager. The ranch offers a full range of facilities, supporting every aspect of SDIA’s mission.
​
Reflecting on his own experience as a first responder, Morales emphasized the importance of SDIA’s work. “Working and living in my own community, I would often return home with troubling thoughts from work stuck in my head,” he said. “Eventually, those things needed to come out.”
He noted veterans often come back from deployment and reenter civilian life, only to find themselves scattered, unlike the close-knit groups they formed during service. SDIA programs help many reclaim their sense of purpose and belonging, reminding them why they got into these jobs in the first place.
“A lot of participants arrive here with very heavy rucksacks,” Morales said. “We offer a place for them to unload that weight they carry and leave their burdens here.”
Morales said sponsorships and donations help to keep the programs cost-free for the participants. On April 12, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance will host its Heroes Gala in Springdale. This formal event is its largest fundraiser of the year, with proceeds directly benefiting the programs that aim to improve physical and mental well-being and reengage veterans and first responders in living their best lives. Tickets and information for the event can be found on the website.