,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #fac  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #e1 #bjba ,mr4    
,tillis 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,s9ema1 ,mr4   
,cram]1 & ,mrs4 ,fe9/e97 introduc$ !    
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & 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+ !rapy & to am5d    
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
au?orize ! ,secret>y 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 ,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]icans & 9 ,june #bjah & 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 ( heal? c>e f
 ! ,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+ ! quality ( life1 ability to    
re-ent] society1 &1 mo/ importantly1 !  
*ances ( survival ( ^? vet]ans4  #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 ( ?is ,act1 !         
,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? & ! symptoms (
 po/-traumatic /ress disord] 79 ?is     
section ref]r$ to z ,,ptsd7 ?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+
 ! five-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 & is exempt f     
taxation "u section #eja7;a7 ( su* code 
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 ! entity provid$  
to a vet]an1 if necess>y1 z det]m9$ by !
 entity & ! vet]an2  7#d7 provide a     
wellness c]tification f a lic5s$        
vet]9>ian = any dog p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot
 program "u ?is section2  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 ! entity & ! ,secret>y1  
includ+ s]vice skills to address or     
alleviate symptoms unique to ! ne$s (   
vet]ans2  7#g7 agree to provide-- 7,a7  
lectures on s]vice dog tra9+            
me?odologies2 &  7,b7 practical h&s-on  
tra9+ & groom+ ( s]vice dogs2  7#h7     
agree t 9 hir+ s]vice dog tra9+         
in/ructors to c>ry out tra9+ "u ! pilot 
program1 ! entity w give a pref]5ce to  
vet]ans :o h successfully graduat$ 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 & !  
heal? c>e provid] ( ! vet]an 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 & ! entity 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 ,a vet]an is 
eligible to p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program
 "u ?is section if ! vet]an-- 7,a7 is   
enroll$ 9 ! pati5t enrollm5t sy/em ( !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs "u section
 #agje ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2
  7,b7 has be5 recomm5d$ to p>ticipate 9

 ! pilot program 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 a
 non-gov]nm5t entity 9 receipt ( a grant
 "u ?is section4  7#b7 ,relation%ip to  
p>ticipation 9 o!r program ,vet]ans may 
p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program "u ?is     
section 9 conjunction ) ! comp5sat$ "w  
!rapy program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs4  7#c7 ,cont9u+ eligibility    
requirem5t ,to rema9 eligible to        
p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program "u ?is     
section1 a vet]an %all see ! heal? c>e  
provid] or cl9ical team ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs treat+ ! vet]an =     
,,ptsd n less frequ5tly ?an once e six  
mon?s to det]m9e1 bas$ on a cl9ical     
evaluation ( efficacy1 :e!r ! vet]an    
cont9ues to b5efit f ! pilot program4   
7e7 ,collection ( data  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,9
 c>ry+ out ! pilot program "u ?is       
section1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 develop
 metrics & o!r appropriate means to     

measure1 ) respect to vet]ans           
p>ticipation 9 ! pilot program1 !       
improvem5t 9 psy*osocial function &     
!rapeutic compliance ( su* vet]ans &    
*anges ) respect to ! dep5d5ce ( su*    
vet]ans on prescription n>cotics &      
psy*otropic m$ication2 &  7,b7 e/abli%  
processes to docum5t & track ! progress 
( su* vet]ans "u ! pilot program 9 t]ms 
( ! b5efits & improvem5ts not$ z a      
result ( ! pilot program4  7#b7 ,cont9u$
 collection ,! ,secret>y %all cont9ue to
 collect data "u p>agraph 7#a7 = ea*    
vet]an :o has cont9u$ ) ! dog he or %e  
has p]sonally tra9$ "u ! pilot program  
"u ?is section = a five-ye> p]iod foll[+
 ! date on :i* ! vet]an decides to keep 
! dog4  7f7 ,,gao brief+ & report  7#a7 
,brief+ ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date (
 ! comm5cem5t ( ! pilot program "u ?is  
section1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates %all brief ! ,committee on      
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives on ! me?odology 

e/abli%$ = ! pilot program4  7#b7       
,report  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #bgj 
days aft] ! date on :i* ! pilot program 
"u ?is section t]m9ates1 ! ,comptroll]  
,g5]al %all submit to ! ,committee on   
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on !   
pilot program4  7,b7 ,elem5ts ,! report 
requir$ by subp>agraph 7,a7 %all include
 an evaluation ( ! approa* & me?odology 
us$ = ! pilot program "u ?is section )  
respect to-- 7i7 help+ vet]ans ) sev]e  
,,ptsd return to civilian life2  7ii7   
relevant metrics1 includ+ r$uction 9    
scores "u ! ,,ptsd *eckli/ 7,,pcl-#e71  
improvem5t 9 psy*osocial function1 &    
!rapeutic compliance2 &  7iii7 r$uc+ !  
dep5d5ce ( p>ticipants 9 ! pilot program
 on prescription n>cotics & psy*otropic 
m$ication4  7g7 ,s]vice dog tra9+       
in/ructor def9$ ,9 ?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  #d4 ,au?ority ( ,secret>y
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to provide s]vice  
dogs to vet]ans ) m5tal illnesses :o d n
 h mobility impairm5ts ,section #agad ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$
 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new          
subsection3  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  4