II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1838 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 

on service dog training therapy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 9, 2011 

Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. BOOZMAN, and Mr. PRYOR) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a pilot program on service dog training therapy, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT 

4 PROGRAM ON SERVICE DOG TRAINING. 

5 (a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 

6 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec7 retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence a pilot program 

8 to assess the feasibility and advisability of using service 

9 dog training activities as components of integrated postVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:16 Nov 10, 2011 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1838.IS S1838

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1 deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress dis2 order rehabilitation programs at Department of Veterans 

3 Affairs medical centers— 

4 (1) to positively affect veterans with post-de5 ployment mental health conditions or post-traumatic 

6 stress disorder symptoms; and 

7 (2) to produce specially trained service dogs for 

8 veterans. 

9 (b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

10 pilot program during the three-year period beginning on 

11 the date of the commencement of the pilot program. 

12 (c) LOCATION.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The pilot program shall be 

14 carried out at one Department of Veterans Affairs 

15 medical center selected by the Secretary for such 

16 purpose other than in the Department of Veterans 

17 Affairs Palo Alto health care system in Palo Alto, 

18 California. In selecting medical centers for the pilot 

19 program, the Secretary shall— 

20 (A) ensure that the medical center se21 lected— 

22 (i) has an established mental health 

23 rehabilitation program that includes a clin24 ical focus on rehabilitation treatment of 


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1 post-deployment mental health disorder 

2 and post-traumatic stress disorder; and 

3 (ii) has a demonstrated capability and 

4 capacity to incorporate service dog training 

5 activities into the rehabilitation program; 

6 and 

7 (B) shall review and consider using rec8 ommendations published by experienced service 

9 dog trainers regulations in the art and science 

10 of basic third-party dog training and owner11 training dogs with regard to space, equipment, 

12 and methodologies. 

13 (2) PARTICIPATION OF RURAL VETERANS.—In 

14 selecting a medical center for the pilot program re15 quired under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give 

16 special consideration to Department of Veterans Af17 fairs medical centers that are located in States that 

18 the Secretary considers rural or highly rural. 

19 (d) DESIGN OF PILOT PROGRAM.—In carrying out 

20 the pilot program, the Secretary shall— 

21 (1) administer the program through the De22 partment of Veterans Affairs Patient Care Services 

23 Office as a collaborative effort between the Rehabili24 tation Office and the Office of Mental Health Serv25 ices; 


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1 (2) ensure that the national pilot program lead 

2 of the Patient Care Services Office has sufficient ad3 ministrative experience to oversee the pilot program 

4 site; 

5 (3) ensure that dogs selected are healthy and 

6 age- and temperament-appropriate for use in the 

7 pilot program; 

8 (4) consider dogs residing in animal shelters or 

9 foster homes for participation in the program if such 

10 dogs meet the service dog candidate selection under 

11 this subsection; 

12 (5) ensure that each dog selected for the pilot 

13 program— 

14 (A) is taught all basic commands and be15 haviors; 

16 (B) undergoes public access training; and 

17 (C) receives training specifically tailored to 

18 address the mental health conditions or disabil19 ities of the veteran with whom the dog is 

20 paired; 

21 (6) provide professional support for all training 

22 under the pilot program; and 

23 (7) provide or refer participants to business 

24 courses for managing a service dog training busi25 ness. 


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1 (e) VETERAN PARTICIPATION.—Veterans diagnosed 

2 with post-traumatic stress disorder or another post-de3 ployment mental health condition may volunteer to partici4 pate in the pilot program. 

5 (f) HIRING PREFERENCE.—In hiring service dog 

6 training instructors for the pilot program, the Secretary 

7 shall give a preference to veterans who have a post-trau8 matic stress disorder or other mental health condition. 

9 (g) COLLECTION OF DATA.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall collect 

11 data on the pilot program to determine the effective12 ness of the pilot program in positively affecting vet13 erans with post-traumatic stress disorder or other 

14 post-deployment mental health condition symptoms 

15 and the feasibility and advisability of expanding the 

16 pilot program to additional Department of Veterans 

17 Affairs medical centers. 

18 (2) MANNER OF COLLECTION.—Data described 

19 in paragraph (1) shall be collected and analyzed 

20 using a scientific peer-reviewed system, valid and re21 liable results-based research methodologies, and in22 struments. 

23 (h) REPORTS.— 

24 (1) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

2 after the date of the commencement of the pilot 

3 program and annually thereafter for the dura4 tion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall 

5 submit to Congress a report on the pilot pro6 gram. 

7 (B) ELEMENTS.—Each such report re8 quired by subparagraph (A) shall include the 

9 following: 

10 (i) The number of veterans partici11 pating in the pilot program. 

12 (ii) A description of the services car13 ried out by the Secretary under the pilot 

14 program. 

15 (iii) The effects that participating in 

16 the pilot program has on veterans with 

17 post-traumatic stress disorder and post-de18 ployment adjustment symptoms. 

19 (2) FINAL REPORT.—At the conclusion of the 

20 pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to Con21 gress a final report that includes recommendations 

22 with respect to the feasibility and advisability of ex23 tending or expanding the pilot program. 

Æ 


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