,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ahc  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,january #d1 #bjac   
,mr4 ,grimm 7for himself and ,mr4       
,michaud7 introduced the following bill2
 which was referred to the ,committee on
 ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to    
direct the ,secretary of ,veterans      
,affairs to carry out a pilot program on
 dog training therapy4  #a4 ,short title
 ,this ,act may be cited as the         
,veterans ,dog ,training ,therapy ,act4 
#b4 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
pilot program on dog training therapy   
7a7 ,in general ,commencing not later   
than #abj days after the date of the    
enactment of the ,act1 the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs shall carry out a   
pilot program for the purpose of        
assessing the effectiveness of          
addressing post-deployment mental health
 and post-traumatic stress disorder     
symptoms through a therapeutic medium of
 training service dogs for veterans with
 disabilities4  7b7 ,duration of pilot  

program ,the pilot program required by  
subsection 7a7 shall be carried out at  
least three and not more than five      
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
medical centers during the five-year    
period beginning on the date of the     
commencement of the pilot program4  7c7 
,locations of pilot program ,in         
selecting medical centers for the pilot 
program required under subsection 7a71  
the ,secretary shall ensure that each   
medical center selected provides a      
training area for educating veterans    
with mental health conditions in the art
 and science of service dog training and
 handling4 ,such training area shall--  
7#a7 include a dedicated space that is  
suitable for grooming and training dogs 
indoors2  7#b7 be wheelchair accessible2
  7#c7 include classroom or lecture     
space2  7#d7 include office space for   
staff2  7#e7 include a suitable space   
for storing training equipment2  7#f7   
provide for periodic use of other       
training areas for training the dogs    

with wheelchairs and conducting other   
exercises2  7#g7 include outdoor        
exercise and toileting space for dogs2  
and  7#h7 provide transportation for    
weekly field trips to train dogs in     
other environments4  7d7 ,design of     
pilot program ,in carrying out the pilot
 program under this section1 the        
,secretary shall--  7#a7 administer the 
program through the ,recreation ,therapy
 ,service of the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs under the direction  
of a certified recreational therapist   
with sufficient administrative          
experience to oversee all pilot program 
sites2  7#b7 establish1 for purposes of 
overseeing the training of dogs at      
medical centers selected for the pilot  
program1 a director of service dog      
training with a background working in   
social services1 experience in teaching 
others to train service dogs in a       
vocational setting1 and at least one    
year of experience working with veterans
 or active duty service members with    

post-traumatic stress disorder in a     
clinical setting2  7#c7 ensure that each
 pilot program site has certified       
service dog training instructors2  7#d7 
ensure that in selecting assistance dogs
 for use in the program1 dogs residing  
in animal shelters or foster homes are  
looked at as an option1 if appropriate1 
and ensure that all dogs used in the    
program have adequate temperament and   
health clearances2  7#e7 ensure that    
each service dog in training            
participating in the pilot program is   
taught all essential commands pertaining
 to service dog skills2  7#f7 ensure    
that each service dog in training lives 
at the pilot program site or a volunteer
 foster home in the vicinity of such    
site while receiving training2  7#g7    
ensure that the pilot program involves  
both lecture of service dog training    
methodologies and practical hands-on    
training and grooming of service dogs2  
and  7#h7 ensure that the pilot program 
is designed to--  7,a7 maximize the     

therapeutic benefits to veterans        
participating in the program2 and  7,b7 
provide well-trained service dogs to    
veterans with disabilities4  7e7        
,veteran eligibility ,a veteran with    
post-traumatic stress disorder or other 
post-deployment mental health condition 
may volunteer to participate in the     
pilot program under subsection 7a7 if   
the ,secretary determines that there are
 adequate program resources available   
for such veteran at the pilot program   
site4 ,veterans may participate in the  
pilot program in conjunction with the   
compensated work therapy program of the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  7f7 
,hiring preference ,in hiring service   
dog training instructors under the pilot
 program under subsection 7a71 the      
,secretary shall give a preference to   
veterans who have successfully graduated
 from post-traumatic stress disorder or 
other residential treatment programs and
 who have received adequate             
certification in service dog training4  

7g7 ,collection of data ,the ,secretary 
shall collect data on the pilot program 
required under subsection 7a7 to        
determine how effective the program is  
for the veterans participating in the   
program4 ,such data shall include data  
to determine how effectively the program
 assists veterans in--  7#a7 reducing   
stigma associated with post-traumatic   
stress disorder or other post-deployment
 mental health condition2  7#b7         
improving emotional regulation2  7#c7   
improving patience2  7#d7 instilling or 
re-establishing a sense of purpose2     
7#e7 providing an opportunity to help   
fellow veterans2  7#f7 reintegrating    
into the community2  7#g7 exposing the  
dog to new environments and in doing so1
 helping the veteran reduce social      
isolation and withdrawal2  7#h7 building
 relationship skills1 including         
parenting skills2  7#i7 relaxing the    
hyper-vigilant survival state2  7#aj7   
improving sleep patterns2 and  7#aa7    
enabling veterans to decrease the use of

 pain medication4  7h7 ,reports to      
,congress ,not later than one year after
 the date of the commencement of the    
pilot program under subsection 7a71 and 
each year thereafter for the duration of
 the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall
 submit to ,congress a report on the    
pilot program4 ,each such report shall  
include--  7#a7 the number of veterans  
participating in the pilot program2     
7#b7 a description of the services      
carried out by the ,secretary under the 
pilot program2  7#c7 the effects that   
participating in the pilot program has  
on the following--  7,a7 symptoms of    
post-traumatic stress disorder and      
post-deployment adjustment difficulties1
 including depression1 maintenance of   
sobriety1 suicidal ideations1 and       
homelessness2  7,b7 potentially relevant
 physiological markers that possibly    
relate to the interactions with the     
service dogs2  7,c7 family dynamics2    
7,d7 insomnia and pain management2 and  
7,e7 overall well-being2 and  7#d7 the  

recommendations of the ,secretary with  
respect to the extension or expansion of
 the pilot program4  7i7 ,definition    
,for the purposes of this section1 the  
term service dog training instructor    
means an instructor who provides the    
direct training of veterans with        
post-traumatic stress disorder and other
 post-deployment issues in the art and  
science of service dog training and     
handling4