,i #aac? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ahc ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,janu>y #d1 #bjac ,mr4 ,grimm 7= himself & ,mr4 ,mi*aud7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a pilot program on dog tra9+ !rapy4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,dog ,tra9+ ,!rapy ,act4 #b4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs pilot program on dog tra9+ !rapy 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,comm5c+ n lat] ?an #abj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all c>ry out a pilot program = ! purpose ( assess+ ! effectiv5ess ( address+ po/-deploym5t m5tal heal? & po/-traumatic /ress disord] symptoms ?r\gh a !rapeutic m$ium ( tra9+ s]vice dogs = vet]ans ) disabilities4 7b7 ,duration ( pilot program ,! pilot program requir$ by subsection 7a7 %all be c>ri$ out at lea/ ?ree & n m ?an five ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical c5t]s dur+ ! five-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program4 7c7 ,locations ( pilot program ,9 select+ m$ical c5t]s = ! pilot program requir$ "u subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y %all ensure t ea* m$ical c5t] select$ provides a tra9+ area = educat+ vet]ans ) m5tal heal? conditions 9 ! art & sci5ce ( s]vice dog tra9+ & h&l+4 ,su* tra9+ area %all-- 7#a7 include a d$icat$ space t is suitable = groom+ & tra9+ dogs indoors2 7#b7 be :eel*air accessible2 7#c7 include classroom or lecture space2 7#d7 include (fice space = /aff2 7#e7 include a suitable space = /or+ tra9+ equipm5t2 7#f7 provide = p]iodic use ( o!r tra9+ areas = tra9+ ! dogs ) :eel*airs & conduct+ o!r ex]cises2 7#g7 include outdoor ex]cise & toilet+ space = dogs2 & 7#h7 provide transportation = weekly field trips to tra9 dogs 9 o!r environm5ts4 7d7 ,design ( pilot program ,9 c>ry+ out ! pilot program "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 adm9i/] ! program ?r\gh ! ,recreation ,!rapy ,s]vice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs "u ! direction ( a c]tifi$ recreational !rapi/ ) suffici5t adm9i/rative exp]i5ce to ov]see all pilot program sites2 7#b7 e/abli%1 = purposes ( ov]see+ ! tra9+ ( dogs at m$ical c5t]s select$ = ! pilot program1 a director ( s]vice dog tra9+ ) a backgr\nd work+ 9 social s]vices1 exp]i5ce 9 tea*+ o!rs to tra9 s]vice dogs 9 a vocational sett+1 & at lea/ "o ye> ( exp]i5ce work+ ) vet]ans or active duty s]vice memb]s ) po/-traumatic /ress disord] 9 a cl9ical sett+2 7#c7 ensure t ea* pilot program site has c]tifi$ s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructors2 7#d7 ensure t 9 select+ assi/ance dogs = use 9 ! program1 dogs resid+ 9 animal %elt]s or fo/] homes are look$ at z an option1 if appropriate1 & ensure t all dogs us$ 9 ! program h adequate temp]am5t & heal? cle>ances2 7#e7 ensure t ea* s]vice dog 9 tra9+ p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program is taught all ess5tial comm&s p]ta9+ to s]vice dog skills2 7#f7 ensure t ea* s]vice dog 9 tra9+ lives at ! pilot program site or a volunte] fo/] home 9 ! vic9ity ( su* site :ile receiv+ tra9+2 7#g7 ensure t ! pilot program involves bo? lecture ( s]vice dog tra9+ me?odologies & practical h&s-on tra9+ & groom+ ( s]vice dogs2 & 7#h7 ensure t ! pilot program is design$ to-- 7,a7 maximize ! !rapeutic b5efits to vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! program2 & 7,b7 provide well-tra9$ s]vice dogs to vet]ans ) disabilities4 7e7 ,vet]an eligibility ,a vet]an ) po/-traumatic /ress disord] or o!r po/-deploym5t m5tal heal? condition may volunte] to p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program "u subsection 7a7 if ! ,secret>y det]m9es t !re are adequate program res\rces available = su* vet]an at ! pilot program site4 ,vet]ans may p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program 9 conjunction ) ! comp5sat$ "w !rapy program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4 7f7 ,hir+ pref]5ce ,9 hir+ s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructors "u ! pilot program "u subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y %all give a pref]5ce to vet]ans :o h successfully graduat$ f po/-traumatic /ress disord] or o!r resid5tial treatm5t programs & :o h receiv$ adequate c]tification 9 s]vice dog tra9+4 7g7 ,collection ( data ,! ,secret>y %all collect data on ! pilot program requir$ "u subsection 7a7 to det]m9e h[ effective ! program is = ! vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! program4 ,su* data %all include data to det]m9e h[ effectively ! program assi/s vet]ans 9-- 7#a7 r$uc+ /igma associat$ ) po/-traumatic /ress disord] or o!r po/-deploym5t m5tal heal? condition2 7#b7 improv+ emotional regulation2 7#c7 improv+ pati5ce2 7#d7 in/ill+ or re-e/abli%+ a s5se ( purpose2 7#e7 provid+ an opportunity to help fell[ vet]ans2 7#f7 re9tegrat+ into ! community2 7#g7 expos+ ! dog to new environm5ts & 9 do+ s1 help+ ! vet]an r$uce social isolation & )drawal2 7#h7 build+ relation%ip skills1 includ+ p>5t+ skills2 7#i7 relax+ ! hyp]-vigilant survival /ate2 7#aj7 improv+ sleep patt]ns2 & 7#aa7 enabl+ vet]ans to decrease ! use ( pa9 m$ication4 7h7 ,reports to ,congress ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program "u subsection 7a71 & ea* ye> !reaft] = ! duration ( ! pilot program1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to ,congress a report on ! pilot program4 ,ea* su* report %all include-- 7#a7 ! numb] ( vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program2 7#b7 a description ( ! s]vices c>ri$ out by ! ,secret>y "u ! pilot program2 7#c7 ! effects t p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program has on ! foll[+-- 7,a7 symptoms ( po/-traumatic /ress disord] & po/-deploym5t adju/m5t difficulties1 includ+ depression1 ma9t5ance ( sobriety1 suicidal ideations1 & homelessness2 7,b7 pot5tially relevant physiological m>k]s t possibly relate to ! int]actions ) ! s]vice dogs2 7,c7 family dynamics2 7,d7 insomnia & pa9 managem5t2 & 7,e7 ov]all well-be+2 & 7#d7 ! recomm5dations ( ! ,secret>y ) respect to ! ext5sion or expansion ( ! pilot program4 7i7 ,def9ition ,= ! purposes ( ?is section1 ! t]m s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructor means an in/ructor :o provides ! direct tra9+ ( vet]ans ) po/-traumatic /ress disord] & o!r po/-deploym5t issues 9 ! art & sci5ce ( s]vice dog tra9+ & h&l+4