,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #eiah  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #bb1 #bjah,ms4  
,shea-,porter 7for herself1 ,mr4        
,lo,biondo1 ,mr4 ,norcross1 ,mr4 ,walz1 
and ,mr4 ,jones7 introduced the         
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,armed ,services  ,a  
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,defense to carry out a program on      
service dog training for members of the 
,armed ,forces with post-traumatic      
stress disorder or other post-deployment
 mental health conditions4  #a4 ,short  
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,department of ,defense ,service ,dog   
,training ,therapy ,act4  #b4 ,service  
dog training therapy for members with   
post-traumatic stress disorder or other 
post-deployment mental health conditions
  7a7 ,program ,the ,secretary of       
,defense1 acting through the ,director  
of the ,defense ,health ,agency1 shall  
carry out a program under which members 
of the ,armed ,forces with              

post-traumatic stress disorder or other 
post-deployment mental health conditions
 train service dogs for veterans with   
disabilities4 ,the ,secretary shall     
carry out the program in a manner that  
ensures that such training is a form of 
therapy that addresses such             
post-traumatic stress disorder or other 
post-deployment mental health           
conditions4  7b7 ,appropriate           
nongovernment entities ,the ,secretary  
shall carry out the program under       
subsection 7a7 by entering into a       
contract with one or more appropriate   
nongovernment entities that are         
certified in the training and handling  
of service dogs and have experience     
carrying out such a program4  7c7       
,member eligibility ,a member of the    
,armed ,forces may participate in the   
program under subsection 7a7 if the     
,secretary determines that--  7#a7 such 
member has post-traumatic stress        
disorder or other post-deployment mental
 health conditions2 and  7#b7 there are 

adequate program resources available for
 the member to participate at the       
location of the member4  7d7 ,locations 
,the ,secretary shall seek to enter into
 a contract under subsection 7b7 with   
appropriate nongovernment entities      
located in close proximity to military  
medical treatment facilities4  7e7      
,training area ,the ,secretary shall    
provide to a nongovernment entity with  
which the ,secretary enters into a      
contract under subsection 7b7 access to 
a training area in a facility of the    
,department that would be appropriate   
for use in educating members of the     
,armed ,forces participating in the     
program 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  7f7 ,design of     
program ,each contract entered into     
under subsection 7b7 shall provide that 
the nongovernment entity shall-- 7#a7   
employ at least one person with clinical
 experience related to mental health2   
7#b7 ensure that members of the ,armed  
,forces participating in the program    
receive training from certified service 
dog training instructors2  7#c7 ensure  
that each service dog in training       
participating in the program is taught  
all essential commands pertaining to    
service dog skills2  7#d7 ensure that   
the program involves both lecture of    
service dog training methodologies and  
practical hands-on training and grooming

 of service dogs2 and  7#e7 ensure that 
the program is designed to-- 7,a7       
maximize the therapeutic benefits to    
members of the ,armed ,forces           
participating in the program2 and  7,b7 
provide well-trained service dogs to    
veterans with disabilities4  7g7        
,administration ,in order to carry out  
the program under subsection 7a71 the   
,secretary shall--  7#a7 administer the 
program through the ,defense ,health    
,agency under the direction of a        
certified occupational recreational     
therapist with sufficient administrative
 experience to help oversee the program2
 and  7#b7 establish a director of      
therapeutic service dog training with a 
background working in social services1  
experience in teaching others to train  
service dogs in a military medical      
treatment facility setting1 and at least
 one year of experience working with    
veterans or active duty service members 
with post-traumatic stress disorder in a
 clinical setting4  7h7 ,collection of  

data ,the ,secretary shall collect data 
on the program under subsection 7a7 to  
determine how effective the program is  
for the members of the ,armed ,forces   
participating in the program4 ,such data
 shall include data to determine how    
effectively the program assists members 
in--  7#a7 reducing stigma associated   
with post-traumatic stress disorder or  
other post-deployment mental health     
conditions2  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 veterans2  7#f7     
reintegrating into the community2  7#g7 
exposing the dog to new environments and
 in doing so1 helping the member 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 members to decrease the use of 
pain medication4  7i7 ,reports ,each    

year the ,secretary shall submit to the 
,committees on ,armed ,services of the  
,house of ,representatives and the      
,senate a report on the program under   
subsection 7a74 ,each such report shall 
include--  7#a7 the number of members of
 the ,armed ,forces participating in the
 program2  7#b7 a description of the    
services carried out under the program2 
7#c7 the effects that participating in  
the program has on-- 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 expansion of the program4
  7j7 ,service dog training instructor  
defined ,in this section1 the term      

service dog training instructor means an
 instructor who provides the direct     
training of members of the ,armed       
,forces with post-traumatic stress      
disorder and other post-deployment      
mental health conditions in the art and 
science of service dog training and     
handling4