[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1448 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1448
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program on dog training therapy, and to amend title 38, United States
Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide service
dogs to veterans with mental illnesses who do not have mobility
impairments.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Puppies Assisting Wounded
Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act'' or the ``PAWS for Veterans
Therapy Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM ON DOG TRAINING
THERAPY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall commence
the conduct of a pilot program to provide canine training to eligible
veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (in this section
referred to as ``PTSD'') as an element of a complementary and
integrative health program for such veterans.
(b) Duration; Medical Centers.--
(1) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program under subsection (a) for a 5-year period beginning on
the date of the commencement of the pilot program.
(2) Medical centers.--The Secretary shall ensure that such
pilot program is carried out by not fewer than five medical
centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in
geographically diverse areas.
(c) Agreements With Entities.--In carrying out the pilot program
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall seek to enter into agreements
with nongovernmental entities that the Secretary determines have the
demonstrated ability to provide the canine training specified in
subsection (a).
(d) Required Conditions.--The Secretary shall include in any
agreement under subsection (c) conditions requiring that the
nongovernmental entity seeking to enter into the agreement--
(1) submits to the Secretary certification that the entity
is an accredited service dog training organization;
(2) agrees to ensure that veterans participating in the
pilot program under subsection (a) receive training from
certified service dog training instructors for a period of time
determined appropriate by the entity;
(3) agrees to ensure that veterans participating in such
pilot program are prohibited from having access to a dog under
such pilot program at any time during such participation
without the supervision of a certified service dog training
instructor;
(4) agrees to ensure that veterans participating in such
pilot program receive training in skills unique to the needs of
the veteran to address or alleviate PTSD symptoms of the
veteran;
(5) agrees not to use shock collars or prong collars as
training tools and to use positive reinforcement training; and
(6) agrees to provide any follow-up training support
specified in subsection (e)(2), as applicable.
(e) Adoption of Dog.--
(1) In general.--A veteran who has participated in the
pilot program under subsection (a) may adopt a dog that the
veteran assisted in training during such pilot program if the
veteran and the veteran's health provider (in consultation with
the entity that provided the canine training with respect to
the dog under such pilot program) determine that it is in the
best interest of the veteran.
(2) Follow-up training support.--If a veteran adopts a dog
under paragraph (1), the entity that provided the canine
training with respect to the dog under the pilot program shall
provide follow-up training support for the life of the dog.
Such support shall include the provision of a contact plan
between the veteran and the entity that enables the veteran to
seek and receive assistance from the entity to ensure the dog
is being properly cared for.
(f) Eligibility for Other Care and Treatment.--Participation in the
pilot program under subsection (a) may not preclude a veteran from
receiving any other medical care or treatment for PTSD furnished by the
Department, including therapy, for which the veteran is otherwise
eligible.
(g) Collection of Data.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall--
(1) develop metrics and other appropriate means to measure,
with respect to veterans participating in the pilot program
under subsection (a)--
(A) the number of such veterans participating;
(B) the satisfaction of such veterans with the
pilot program;
(C) whether participation in the pilot program
resulted in any clinically relevant improvements for
such veterans, as determined by the health care
provider or clinical team that referred the veteran to
participate in the pilot program; and
(D) such other factors as the Secretary may
determine appropriate; and
(2) establish processes to document and track the progress
of such veterans under the pilot program with respect to health
benefits and improvements.
(h) Report by Secretary.--Not later than 1 year before the date on
which the pilot program under subsection (a) terminates, the Secretary
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report containing the recommendations
of the Secretary regarding--
(1) whether to extend or make permanent the pilot program;
and
(2) the feasibility and advisability of expanding the pilot
program to address mental health conditions other than PTSD.
(i) GAO Briefing and Study.--
(1) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
commencement of the pilot program under subsection (a), the
Comptroller General of the United States shall provide to the
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a briefing on the methodology established for
the pilot program.
(2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date on
which the pilot program terminates, the Comptroller General
shall submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1) a
report on the pilot program. Such report shall include an
evaluation of the approach and methodology used for the pilot
program with respect to--
(A) assisting veterans with PTSD; and
(B) measuring relevant metrics, such as reduction
in scores under the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale
(CAPS), improvement in psychosocial function, and
therapeutic compliance.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``accredited service dog training
organization'' means an organization described in section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that--
(A) provides service dogs to veterans with PTSD;
and
(B) is accredited by an accrediting organization
with demonstrated experience, national scope, and
recognized leadership and expertise in the training of
service dogs and education in the use of service dogs
(as determined by the Secretary).
(2) The term ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who--
(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system in
the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1705
of title 38, United States Code; and
(B) has been recommended for participation in the
pilot program under subsection (a) by a qualified
mental health care provider or clinical team based on
medical judgment that the veteran may benefit from such
participation with respect to the diagnosed PTSD of the
veteran.
(3) The term ``service dog training instructor'' means an
instructor who provides the direct training of veterans with
PTSD in the art and science of service dog training and
handling.
SEC. 3. PROVISION OF SERVICE DOGS AND VETERINARY INSURANCE BENEFITS TO
VETERANS WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER WHO DO NOT
HAVE CERTAIN IMPAIRMENTS.
(a) In General.--Section 1714 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(e) The Secretary may provide a service dog to a veteran under
subsection (c)(3) regardless of whether the veteran has a mobility
impairment.
``(f)(1) The Secretary shall provide to any veteran described in
paragraph (2) a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for
each dog provided to such veteran under subsection (b) or (c).
``(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who--
``(A) is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or a
visual, hearing, or substantial mobility impairment;
``(B) has received a dog under subsection (b) or (c) in
connection with such disorder or impairment; and
``(C) meets such other requirements as the Secretary may
prescribe.''.
(b) Applicability.--Section 1714(f) of title 38, United States
Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to a veteran
provided a dog by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on or after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives May 12, 2021.
Attest:
Clerk.
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1448
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program on dog training therapy, and to amend title 38, United States
Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide service
dogs to veterans with mental illnesses who do not have mobility
impairments.