[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 951 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 951
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to eligible
organizations to provide service dogs to veterans with severe post-
traumatic stress disorder, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 24, 2021
Mrs. Fischer (for herself, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Menendez,
Mr. Scott of Florida, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rubio, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Cornyn)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to eligible
organizations to provide service dogs to veterans with severe post-
traumatic stress disorder, and for other purposes.
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 Act of 2021'' or the ``PAWS Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) According to the analysis of veteran suicide published
by the Department of Veterans Affairs in November 2020 entitled
``VA National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report''--
(A) an average of 17.6 veterans died by suicide
each day in 2018;
(B) mental health disorders, including major
depression and other mood disorders, have been
associated with increased risk for suicide;
(C) nearly 60 percent of veterans who received care
from the Veterans Health Administration and died by
suicide in 2018 had a mental health or substance use
disorder diagnosis within the two-year period preceding
their death; and
(D) in 2018, patients of the Veterans Health
Administration with a mental health or substance abuse
disorder diagnosis had a suicide rate of 57.2 patients
per 100,000, compared to a suicide rate of 58.6
patients per 100,000 in 2005.
(2) Pairing a service dog with a veteran costs
approximately $25,000, including with respect to training of
the service dog as well as training of the veteran with the
service dog.
(3) New, rigorous scientific research provides persuasive
weight to the growing anecdotal evidence that service dogs
ameliorate the symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress
disorder, and in particular, help prevent veteran suicide.
(4) According to the results of a recent study by the
Veterans Health Administration, veterans paired with service
dogs over an 18-month period experienced a 3.7 percent
improvement on the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist
(PCL-5) and also saw a decrease in depression and suicidal
measures.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Department of Veterans Affairs must be more effective in its approach
to reducing the burden of veteran suicide connected to mental health
disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, and should use all
tools at its disposal, including innovative treatments such as pairing
service dogs with veterans suffering from mental health disorders.
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM TO AWARD GRANTS FOR THE
PROVISION OF SERVICE DOGS TO CERTAIN VETERANS WITH SEVERE
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
(a) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
carry out a program under which the Secretary awards grants to
eligible organizations for eligible veterans referred to that
organization for a service dog pairing.
(2) Limitation.--The amount of the grant for each eligible
veteran referred to an eligible organization under paragraph
(1) shall not exceed $25,000.
(b) Benefits Provided.--
(1) In general.--An organization that receives a grant
under subsection (a) shall provide the following for each
service dog and veteran participating in the program under this
section:
(A) Coverage of a commercially available veterinary
health insurance policy to maintain the health of the
dog and keep the dog functioning in the prescribed role
for the life of the dog.
(B) Hardware, or repairs or replacements for
hardware, that are clinically determined to be required
by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the
veteran with the diagnosed disorder of the veteran.
(C) Payment for travel expenses for the veteran to
obtain the dog, calculated in the same manner as
similar travel expenses provided pursuant to section
111 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) Other travel expenses.--If a veteran is required to
replace a service dog provided pursuant to a grant under this
section, the Secretary shall pay for the travel expenses
described in paragraph (1)(C) required to obtain a new service
dog pursuant to subsection (c)(3), regardless of any other
benefits the veteran is receiving for the first service dog
under this section.
(c) Eligible Organizations.--To be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, an organization shall--
(1) be a nonprofit organization that--
(A)(i) is accredited by Assistance Dogs
International, the International Guide Dog Federation,
or another similar widely recognized accreditation
organization that the Secretary determines has
accreditation standards that meet or exceed the
standards of Assistance Dogs International and the
International Guide Dog Federation; or
(ii) meets the publicly available standards of the
Association of Service Dog Providers for Military
Veterans; and
(B) has expertise in the unique needs of veterans
with post-traumatic stress disorder;
(2) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount
to guarantee the benefits listed under subsection (b)(1);
(3) agree to reaccept or replace a service dog provided by
the organization to a veteran, if necessary, as determined by
the veteran and the organization; and
(4) submit to the Secretary an application containing such
information, certification, and assurances as the Secretary may
require.
(d) Eligible Veterans.--
(1) Approval and referral.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall review and approve veterans eligible to
participate under this section and shall refer approved
veterans to eligible organizations.
(B) Approval determination.--The period beginning
on the date on which a veteran applies to participate
under this section and the date on which the Secretary
makes an approval determination may not exceed 90 days.
(2) Initial eligibility.--For purposes of this section, an
eligible veteran is a veteran--
(A) who is enrolled in the system of annual patient
enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs
established and operated under section 1705(a) of title
38, United States Code;
(B) who has been treated and has completed an
established evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic
stress disorder yet remains diagnosed with post-
traumatic stress disorder by a qualified health care
provider as rated on the post-traumatic stress disorder
checklist (PCL-5);
(C) with respect to whom the health care provider
or clinical team of the Department that is treating the
veteran for such disorder determines based upon medical
judgment that the veteran may potentially benefit from
a service dog; and
(D) who agrees to successfully complete training
provided by an eligible organization.
(3) Ongoing eligibility.--To remain eligible to participate
in the program under this section, a veteran shall see the
health care provider or clinical team of the Department
treating the veteran for post-traumatic stress disorder at
least once every 180 days to determine, based on a clinical
evaluation of efficacy, whether the veteran continues to
benefit from a service dog.
(4) Other cases.--If at any point the veteran is no longer
able or willing to care for the service dog, the veteran and
the organization that provided the service dog to the veteran
shall determine the appropriate recourse to ensure the safety
of both the veteran and the service dog.
(e) Possession of Service Dog.--Except if determined otherwise
under subsection (d)(4), an eligible veteran in possession of a service
dog furnished under the program under this section may elect to keep
the service dog for the life of the dog, regardless of the continued
participation of the veteran in the program.
(f) Relationship to Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits.--The
provision of a service dog to a veteran under this section is in
addition to any other hospital care or medical service furnished by the
Department for that veteran for post-traumatic stress disorder, and an
improvement in symptoms as a result of the provision of a service dog
shall not affect the eligibility of the veteran for any other benefit
under the laws administered by the Secretary.
(g) Metrics.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall--
(1) develop metrics and other appropriate means to measure,
with respect to veterans participating in the program under
this section, the improvement in psychosocial function and
therapeutic compliance of such veterans and changes with
respect to the dependence on prescription narcotics and
psychotropic medication of such veterans; and
(2) establish processes to document and track the progress
of such veterans under the program in terms of the benefits and
improvements noted as a result of the program.
(h) Comptroller General Briefing and Report.--
(1) Briefing.--Not later than one year after the date on
which the Secretary commences the program under subsection (a),
the Comptroller General of the United States shall provide to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives
a briefing on the methodology established for the program.
(2) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than three years after
providing the briefing under paragraph (1), the
Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a
report on the program under this section.
(B) Elements.--The report required under
subparagraph (A) shall include an evaluation of the
approach and methodology used for the program with
respect to--
(i) helping veterans with severe post-
traumatic stress disorder return to civilian
life;
(ii) relevant metrics, such as reduction in
scores under the post-traumatic stress disorder
checklist (PCL-5), improvement in psychosocial
function, and therapeutic compliance; and
(iii) reducing the dependence of
participants in the program on prescription
narcotics and psychotropic medication.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for the period of fiscal year 2022 through fiscal year
2024, $10,000,000 to carry out the program under this section.
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