PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act
Bill: S.613 | Sponsor: Sen. Tillis, Thomas (R-NC)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act
This bill implements a program and a policy related to service dog therapy for veterans. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to assess the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder through a method where veterans train service dogs for veterans with disabilities.
The bill also authorizes the VA to provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses, regardless of whether they have a mobility impairment.

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 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. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) According to the analyses of veteran suicide published 
        by the Department of Veterans Affairs in August 2016 and titled 
        ``Suicide Among Veterans and Other Americans'' and in June 2018 
        and titled ``VA National Suicide Date Report''--
                    (A) an average of 20 veterans died by suicide each 
                day in 2014;
                    (B) mental health disorders, including major 
                depression and other mood disorders, have been 
                associated with increased risk for suicide;
                    (C) since 2001, the proportion of users of health 
                care from the Veterans Health Administration with 
                mental health conditions or substance use disorders has 
                increased from approximately 27 percent in 2001 to more 
                than 40 percent in 2014; and
                    (D) overall, suicide rates are highest among 
                patients with mental health and substance use disorder 
                diagnoses who are in treatment and lower among those 
                who received a mental health diagnosis but were not at 
                risk enough to require enhanced care from a mental 
                health provider.
            (2) 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 (in this section referred to as 
        ``PTSD''), and new, rigorous scientific research provides 
        persuasive weight to the growing anecdotal evidence that 
        service dogs ameliorate the symptoms associated with PTSD, and 
        in particular, help prevent veteran suicide.
            (3) Several organizations have proven track records of 
        training service dogs for veterans with severe PTSD and 
        dramatically improving the quality of life, ability to re-enter 
        society, and, most importantly, the chances of survival of 
        those veterans.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM ON DOG TRAINING 
              THERAPY.

    (a) In General.--Commencing not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall make grants 
to one or more appropriate non-government entities for the purpose of 
assessing the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health 
and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (in this section 
referred to as ``PTSD'') through a therapeutic medium of training 
service dogs for veterans with disabilities.
    (b) Duration of Pilot Program.--The pilot program required by 
subsection (a) shall be carried out during the five-year period 
beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot program.
    (c) Conditions on Receipt of Grants.--As a condition of receiving a 
grant under this section, a non-government entity shall--
            (1) submit to the Secretary certification that the entity 
        is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under 
        section 501(a) of such code that--
                    (A) provides service dogs to veterans with PTSD; 
                and
                    (B) is accredited by, or adheres to standards 
                comparable to those of, 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;
            (2) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount;
            (3) agree to reaccept or replace the service dog the entity 
        provided to a veteran, if necessary, as determined by the 
        entity and the veteran;
            (4) provide a wellness certification from a licensed 
        veterinarian for any dog participating in the pilot program 
        under this section;
            (5) employ at least one person with clinical experience 
        related to mental health;
            (6) ensure that veterans participating in the pilot program 
        receive training from certified service dog training 
        instructors for a period of time determined appropriate by the 
        entity and the Secretary, including service skills to address 
        or alleviate symptoms unique to the needs of veterans;
            (7) agree to provide--
                    (A) lectures on service dog training methodologies; 
                and
                    (B) practical hands-on training and grooming of 
                service dogs;
            (8) agree that in hiring service dog training instructors 
        to carry out training under the pilot program, the entity will 
        give a preference to veterans who have successfully graduated 
        from PTSD or other residential treatment program and who have 
        received adequate certification in service dog training;
            (9) agree not to use shock collars or prong collars as 
        training tools and to use positive reinforcement training;
            (10) agree that upon the conclusion of training provided 
        using the grant funds--
                    (A) the veteran who received the training will keep 
                the dog unless the veteran and the health care provider 
                of the veteran decide it is not in the best interest of 
                the veteran;
                    (B) if the veteran does not opt to own the dog, the 
                entity will be responsible for caring for and 
                appropriately placing the dog;
                    (C) the Department of Veterans Affairs will have no 
                additional responsibility to provide for any benefits 
                under this section; and
                    (D) the Department of Veterans Affairs will have no 
                liability with respect to the dog;
            (11) provide follow-up support service for the life of the 
        dog, including a contact plan between the veteran and the 
        entity to allow the veteran to reach out for and receive 
        adequate help with the service dog and the entity to 
        communicate with the veteran to ensure the service dog is being 
        properly cared for; and
            (12) submit to the Secretary an application containing such 
        information, certification, and assurances as the Secretary may 
        require.
    (d) Veteran Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--A veteran is eligible to participate in 
        the pilot program under this section if the veteran--
                    (A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of 
                the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1705 
                of title 38, United States Code;
                    (B) has been recommended to participate in the 
                pilot program by a qualified health care provider or 
                clinical team based on the medical judgment that the 
                veteran may potentially benefit from participating; and
                    (C) agrees to successfully complete training 
                provided by a non-government entity in receipt of a 
                grant under this section.
            (2) Relationship to participation in other program.--
        Veterans may participate in the pilot program under this 
        section in conjunction with the compensated work therapy 
        program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (3) Continuing eligibility requirement.--To remain eligible 
        to participate in the pilot program under this section, a 
        veteran shall see the health care provider or clinical team of 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs treating the veteran for 
        PTSD not less frequently than once every six months to 
        determine, based on a clinical evaluation of efficacy, whether 
        the veteran continues to benefit from the pilot program.
    (e) Collection of Data.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
        this section, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) develop metrics and other appropriate means to 
                measure, with respect to veterans participation in the 
                pilot program, the improvement in psychosocial function 
                and therapeutic compliance of such veterans and changes 
                with respect to the dependence of such veterans on 
                prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication; and
                    (B) establish processes to document and track the 
                progress of such veterans under the pilot program in 
                terms of the benefits and improvements noted as a 
                result of the pilot program.
            (2) Continued collection.--The Secretary shall continue to 
        collect data under paragraph (1) for each veteran who has 
        continued with the dog he or she has personally trained under 
        the pilot program under this section for a five-year period 
        following the date on which the veteran decides to keep the 
        dog.
    (f) GAO Briefing and Report.--
            (1) Briefing.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the commencement of the pilot program under this section, the 
        Comptroller General of the United States shall brief the 
        Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
        on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives on the 
        methodology established for the pilot program.
            (2) Report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the 
                date on which the pilot program under this section 
                terminates, 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 pilot program.
                    (B) Elements.--The report required by subparagraph 
                (A) shall include an evaluation of the approach and 
                methodology used for the pilot program under this 
                section with respect to--
                            (i) helping veterans with severe PTSD 
                        return to civilian life;
                            (ii) relevant metrics, including reduction 
                        in scores under the PTSD checklist (PCL-5), 
                        improvement in psychosocial function, and 
                        therapeutic compliance; and
                            (iii) reducing the dependence of 
                        participants in the pilot program on 
                        prescription narcotics and psychotropic 
                        medication.
    (g) Service Dog Training Instructor Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``service dog training instructor'' means an instructor who 
provides the direct training of veterans with PTSD and other post-
deployment issues in the art and science of service dog training and 
handling.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE SERVICE 
              DOGS TO VETERANS WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES WHO DO NOT HAVE 
              MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS.

    Section 1714 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) The Secretary may provide a service dog to a veteran under 
subsection (c)(3) regardless of whether the veteran has a mobility 
impairment.''.
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