#aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 ,r4 
#addh  ,,an ,,act  ,to direct !         
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry   
out a pilot program on dog tra9+ !rapy1 
& to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates      
,code1 to au?orize ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to provide s]vice dogs
 to vet]ans ) m5tal illnesses :o d n h  
mobility impairm5ts4  #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 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs pilot program on dog tra9+     
!rapy  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ahj    
days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,act1 
! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all    
comm5ce ! conduct ( a pilot program to  
provide can9e tra9+ to eligible vet]ans 
diagnos$ ) po/-traumatic /ress disord]  
79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ,,ptsd7 z an 
elem5t ( a complem5t>y & integrative    
heal? program = su* vet]ans4  7b7       
,duration2 m$ical c5t]s  7#a7 ,duration 
,! ,secret>y %all c>ry out ! pilot      

program "u subsection 7a7 = a #e-ye>    
p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t ( 
! pilot program4  7#b7 ,m$ical c5t]s ,! 
,secret>y %all ensure t su* pilot       
program is c>ri$ out by n few] ?an five 
m$ical c5t]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs locat$ 9 geographically div]se 
areas4  7c7 ,agreem5ts ) entities ,9    
c>ry+ out ! pilot program "u subsection 
7a71 ! ,secret>y %all seek to ent] into 
agreem5ts ) nongov]nm5tal entities t !  
,secret>y det]m9es h ! demon/rat$       
ability to provide ! can9e tra9+        
specifi$ 9 subsection 7a74  7d7 ,requir$
 conditions ,! ,secret>y %all include 9 
any agreem5t "u subsection 7c7          
conditions requir+ t ! nongov]nm5tal    
entity seek+ to ent] into ! agreem5t--  
7#a7 submits to ! ,secret>y c]tification
 t ! entity is an accr$it$ s]vice dog   
tra9+ organization2  7#b7 agrees to     
ensure t vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot   
program "u subsection 7a7 receive tra9+ 
f c]tifi$ s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructors = 
a p]iod ( "t det]m9$ appropriate by !   

entity2  7#c7 agrees to ensure t vet]ans
 p>ticipat+ 9 su* pilot program are     
prohibit$ f hav+ access to a dog "u su* 
pilot program at any "t dur+ su*        
p>ticipation )\t ! sup]vision ( a       
c]tifi$ s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructor2     
7#d7 agrees to ensure t vet]ans         
p>ticipat+ 9 su* pilot program receive  
tra9+ 9 skills unique to ! ne$s ( !     
vet]an to address or alleviate ,,ptsd   
symptoms ( ! vet]an2  7#e7 agrees n to  
use %ock coll>s or prong coll>s z tra9+ 
tools & to use positive re9=cem5t tra9+2
 &  7#f7 agrees to provide any foll[-up 
tra9+ support specifi$ 9 subsection     
7e77#b71 z applicable4  7e7 ,adoption ( 
dog  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a vet]an :o has     
p>ticipat$ 9 ! pilot program "u         
subsection 7a7 may adopt a dog t !      
vet]an assi/$ 9 tra9+ dur+ su* pilot    
program if ! vet]an & ! vet]an's heal?  
provid] 79 consultation ) ! entity t    
provid$ ! can9e tra9+ ) respect to ! dog
 "u su* pilot program7 det]m9e t x is 9 
! be/ int]e/ ( ! vet]an4  7#b7 ,foll[-up

 tra9+ support ,if a vet]an adopts a dog
 "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! entity t provid$ ! 
can9e tra9+ ) respect to ! dog "u !     
pilot program %all provide foll[-up     
tra9+ support = ! life ( ! dog4 ,su*    
support %all include ! provision ( a    
contact plan betwe5 ! vet]an & ! entity 
t enables ! vet]an to seek & receive    
assi/ance f ! entity to ensure ! dog is 
be+ prop]ly c>$ =4  7f7 ,eligibility =  
o!r c>e & treatm5t ,p>ticipation 9 !    
pilot program "u subsection 7a7 may n   
preclude a vet]an f receiv+ any o!r     
m$ical c>e or treatm5t = ,,ptsd furni%$ 
by ! ,dep>tm5t1 includ+ !rapy1 = :i* !  
vet]an is o!rwise eligible4  7g7        
,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>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program "u         
subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 ! numb] ( su*     
vet]ans p>ticipat+2  7,b7 ! satisfaction
 ( su* vet]ans ) ! pilot program2  7,c7 
:e!r p>ticipation 9 ! pilot program     

result$ 9 any cl9ically relevant        
improvem5ts = su* vet]ans1 z det]m9$ by 
! heal? c>e provid] or cl9ical team t   
ref]r$ ! vet]an to p>ticipate 9 ! pilot 
program2 &  7,d7 su* o!r factors z !    
,secret>y may det]m9e appropriate2 &    
7#b7 e/abli% processes to docum5t &     
track ! progress ( su* vet]ans "u !     
pilot program ) respect to heal? b5efits
 & improvem5ts4  7h7 ,report by secret>y
 ,n lat] ?an #a ye> be=e ! date on :i* !
 pilot program "u subsection 7a7        
t]m9ates1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to !  
,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !   
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a    
report conta9+ ! recomm5dations ( !     
,secret>y reg>d+-- 7#a7 :e!r to ext5d or
 make p]man5t ! pilot program2 &  7#b7 !
 feasibility & advisability ( exp&+ !   
pilot program to address m5tal heal?    
conditions o!r ?an ,,ptsd4  7i7 ,,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%$ = ! pilot program4 
7#b7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #bgj days aft] 
! date on :i* ! pilot program t]m9ates1 
! ,comptroll] ,g5]al %all submit to !   
committees specifi$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 a   
report on ! pilot program4 ,su* report  
%all include an evaluation ( ! approa* &
 me?odology us$ = ! pilot program )     
respect to-- 7,a7 assi/+ vet]ans )      
,,ptsd2 &  7,b7 measur+ relevant        
metrics1 su* z r$uction 9 scores "u !   
,cl9ician ,adm9i/]$ ,,ptsd ,scale       
7,,caps71 improvem5t 9 psy*osocial      
function1 & !rapeutic compliance4  7j7  
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 ,! t]m
 accr$it$ s]vice dog tra9+ organization 
means 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$it$
 by 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 dogs 7z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y74 
7#b7 ,! t]m eligible vet]an means 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$ = p>ticipation 9 ! pilot      
program "u subsection 7a7 by a qualifi$ 
m5tal heal? c>e provid] or cl9ical team 
bas$ on m$ical judgm5t t ! vet]an may   
b5efit f su* p>ticipation ) respect to !
 diagnos$ ,,ptsd ( ! vet]an4  7#c7 ,!   
t]m s]vice dog tra9+ in/ructor means an 
in/ructor :o provides ! direct tra9+ (  
vet]ans ) ,,ptsd 9 ! art & sci5ce (     
s]vice dog tra9+ & h&l+4  #c4 ,provision
 ( s]vice dogs & vet]9>y insurance      
b5efits to vet]ans ) po/-traumatic /ress
 disord] :o d n h c]ta9 impairm5ts  7a7 
,9 g5]al ,section #agad ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+ new subsections3  7e7 ,!
 ,secret>y may provide a s]vice dog to a

 vet]an "u subsection 7c77#c7 reg>dless 
( :e!r ! vet]an has a mobility          
impairm5t4  7f7 7#a7 ,! ,secret>y %all  
provide to any vet]an describ$ 9        
p>agraph 7#b7 a comm]cially available   
vet]9>y insurance policy = ea* dog      
provid$ to su* vet]an "u subsection 7b7 
or 7c74  7#b7 ,a vet]an describ$ 9 ?is  
p>agraph is a vet]an :o-- 7,a7 is       
diagnos$ ) po/-traumatic /ress disord]  
or a visual1 he>+1 or sub/antial        
mobility impairm5t2  7,b7 has receiv$ a 
dog "u subsection 7b7 or 7c7 9          
connection ) su* disord] or impairm5t2 &
  7,c7 meets su* o!r requirem5ts z !    
,secret>y may prescribe4  4  7b7        
,applicability ,section #agad7;f7 (     
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z add$  
by subsection 7a71 %all apply ) respect 
to a vet]an provid$ a dog by ! ,secret>y
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs on or aft] ! date (
 ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  ,pass$ ! ,h\se 
( ,repres5tatives ,may #ab1             
#bjba4;,cl]k4