,,iib #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dcje ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #aj1 #bjbj ,receiv$2 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,,an ,,act ,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 ! ,puppies ,assi/+ ,w\nd$ ,s]vicememb]s = ,vet]ans ,!rapy ,act or ! ,,paws = ,vet]ans ,!rapy ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,accord+ to ! analyses ( vet]an suicide publi%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 9 ,augu/ #bjaf & titl$ ,suicide ,among ,vet]ans & ,o!r ,am]icans1 & 9 ,june #bjah1 titl$ ,,va ,national ,suicide ,date ,report-- 7,a7 an av]age ( #bj vet]ans di$ by suicide ea* day 9 #bjad2 7,b7 m5tal heal? disord]s1 includ+ major depression & o!r mood disord]s1 h be5 associat$ ) increas$ risk = suicide2 7,c7 s9ce #bjja1 ! proportion ( us]s ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration ) m5tal heal? conditions or sub/ance use disord]s has increas$ f approximately #bg p]c5t 9 #bjja to m ?an #dj p]c5t 9 #bjad2 & 7,d7 ov]all1 suicide rates are highe/ among pati5ts ) m5tal heal? & sub/ance use disord] diagnoses :o are 9 treatm5t & l[] among ^? :o receiv$ a m5tal heal? diagnosis b 7 n at risk en\gh to require enhanc$ c>e f a m5tal heal? provid]4 7#b7 ,! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs mu/ be m effective 9 its approa* to r$uc+ ! burd5 ( vet]an suicide connect$ to m5tal heal? disord]s1 includ+ po/-traumatic /ress disord] 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ,,ptsd71 & new1 rigor\s sci5tific rese>* provides p]suasive weight to ! gr[+ anecdotal evid5ce t s]vice dogs ameliorate ! symptoms associat$ ) ,,ptsd1 & 9 p>ticul>1 help prev5t vet]an suicide4 7#c7 ,sev]al organizations h prov5 track records ( tra9+ s]vice dogs = vet]ans ) sev]e ,,ptsd & dramatically improv+ ^? vet]ans' quality ( life1 ability to re-ent] society1 &1 mo/ importantly1 _! *ances ( survival4 #c4 ,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 subject to ! availability ( appropriations1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all c>ry out a pilot program "u :i* ! ,secret>y %all make grants to "o or m appropriate non-gov]nm5t entities = ! purpose ( assess+ ! effectiv5ess ( address+ po/-deploym5t m5tal heal? & po/-traumatic /ress disord] 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ,,ptsd7 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 dur+ ! #e-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program4 7c7 ,conditions on receipt ( grants ,z a condition ( receiv+ a grant "u ?is section1 a non-gov]nm5t entity %all-- 7#a7 submit to ! ,secret>y c]tification t ! entity is an organization describ$ 9 section #eja7;c77#c7 ( ! ,int]nal ,rev5ue ,code ( #aihf t-- 7,a7 provides s]vice dogs to vet]ans ) ,,ptsd2 & 7,b7 is accr$it$ by1 or adh]es to /&>ds comp>able to ^? (1 an accr$it+ organization ) demon/rat$ exp]i5ce1 national scope1 & recogniz$ lead]%ip & exp]tise 9 ! tra9+ ( s]vice dogs & education 9 ! use ( s]vice dogs2 7#b7 agree to cov] all co/s 9 excess ( ! grant am\nt2 7#c7 agree to reaccept or replace ! s]vice dog ! organization provid$ to ! vet]an1 if necess>y1 z det]m9$ by ! organization & ! vet]an2 7#d7 provide a wellness c]tification f a lic5s$ vet]9>ian = any dog p>ticipat+ 9 ! program2 7#e7 employ at lea/ "o p]son ) cl9ical exp]i5ce relat$ to m5tal heal?2 7#f7 ensure t vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program receive tra9+ f c]tifi$ s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructors = a p]iod ( "t det]m9$ appropriate by ! organization & ! ,secret>y1 includ+ s]vice skills to address or alleviate symptoms unique to vet]ans' ne$s2 7#g7 agree to provide bo? lectures on s]vice dog tra9+ me?odologies & practical h&s-on tra9+ & groom+ ( s]vice dogs2 7#h7 agree t 9 hir+ s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructors to c>ry out tra9+ "u ! pilot program1 ! non-gov]nm5t entity w give a pref]5ce to vet]ans :o h successfully graduat$ f ,,ptsd or o!r resid5tial treatm5t program & :o h receiv$ adequate c]tification 9 s]vice dog tra9+2 7#i7 agree n to use %ock coll>s or prong coll>s z tra9+ tools & to use positive re9=cem5t tra9+2 7#aj7 agree t ^u ! conclusion ( tra9+ provid$ us+ ! grant funds-- 7,a7 ! vet]an :o receiv$ ! tra9+ w keep ! dog unless ! vet]an & ! vet]an's heal? provid] decide x is n 9 ! be/ int]e/ ( ! vet]an2 7,b7 if ! vet]an does n opt to own ! dog1 ! entity w be responsible = c>+ = & appropriately plac+ ! dog2 7,c7 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs w h no additional responsibility to provide = any b5efits "u ?is section2 & 7,d7 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs w h no liability ) respect to ! dog2 7#aa7 provide foll[-up support s]vice = ! life ( ! dog1 includ+ a contact plan betwe5 ! vet]an & ! entity to all[ ! vet]an to rea* out = & receive adequate help ) ! s]vice dog & ! organization to communicate ) ! vet]an to ensure ! s]vice dog is be+ prop]ly c>$ =2 & 7#ab7 submit to ! ,secret>y an application conta9+ su* in=mation1 c]tification1 & assurances z ! ,secret>y may require4 7d7 ,vet]an eligibility 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,= ! purposes ( ?is section1 an eligible vet]an is a vet]an :o-- 7,a7 is enroll$ 9 ! pati5t enrollm5t sy/em 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs "u section #agje ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 7,b7 has be5 recomm5d$ = ! pilot program "u ?is section by a qualifi$ heal? c>e provid] or cl9ical team bas$ on ! m$ical judgm5t t ! vet]an may pot5tially b5efit f p>ticipat+2 & 7,c7 agrees to successfully complete tra9+ provid$ by an eligible organization t receives a grant "u ?is section4 7#b7 ,relation%ip to p>ticipation 9 o!r program ,vet]ans may p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program 9 conjunction ) ! comp5sat$ "w !rapy program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4 7#c7 ,cont9u+ eligibility requirem5t ,to rema9 eligible to p>ticipate 9 ! program1 a vet]an %all see ! heal? c>e provid] or cl9ical team ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs treat+ ! vet]an = ,,ptsd at lea/ once e #f mon?s to det]m9e1 bas$ on a cl9ical evaluation ( efficacy1 :e!r ! vet]an cont9ues to b5efit f ! program4 7e7 ,collection ( data ,9 c>ry+ out ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 develop metrics & o!r appropriate means to measure1 ) respect to vet]ans p>ticipation 9 ! program1 ! improvem5t 9 psy*osocial function & !rapeutic compliance ( su* vet]ans & *anges ) respect to ! dep5d5ce on prescription n>cotics & psy*otropic m$ication ( su* vet]ans2 7#b7 e/abli% processes to docum5t & track ! progress ( su* vet]ans "u ! program 9 t]ms ( ! b5efits & improvem5ts not$ z a result ( ! program2 & 7#c7 9 addition1 ! ,secret>y %all cont9ue to collect ^! data ov] ! c\rse ( #e ye>s = ea* vet]an :o has cont9u$ ) ! dog he or %e has p]sonally tra9$4 7f7 ,,gao brief+ & /udy 7#a7 ,brief+ ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program "u subsection 7a71 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all provide to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a brief+ on ! me?odology e/abli%$ = ! program4 7#b7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #bgj days aft] ! date on :i* ! program t]m9ates1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al %all submit to ! committees specifi$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 a report on ! program4 ,su* report %all include an evaluation ( ! approa* & me?odology us$ = ! program ) respect to-- 7,a7 help+ vet]ans ) sev]e ,,ptsd return to civilian life2 7,b7 relevant metrics1 includ+ r$uction 9 metrics su* z r$uction 9 scores "u ! ,,ptsd *eck-li/ 7,,pcl-#e71 improvem5t 9 psy*osocial function1 & !rapeutic compliance2 & 7,c7 r$uc+ ! dep5d5ce ( p>ticipants on prescription n>cotics & psy*otropic m$ication4 7g7 ,def9ition ,= ! purposes ( ?is section1 ! t]m s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructor means an in/ructor :o provides ! direct tra9+ ( vet]ans ) ,,ptsd & o!r po/-deploym5t issues 9 ! art & sci5ce ( s]vice dog tra9+ & h&l+4 ,pass$ ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives ,febru>y #e1 #bjbj4;,*]yl ,l4 ,johnson1,cl]k