PAWS Act of 2021
Bill: S.951 | Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb (R-NE)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2021 or the PAWS Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a grant program for the purpose of pairing service dogs with eligible veterans. Organizations that receive grants shall provide veterinary health insurance coverage, hardware, and travel expenses for each service dog and veteran participating in the program.
Eligible veterans are those who (1) are enrolled in the VA health care system, (2) have been evaluated and treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but remain diagnosed with PTSD, (3) may benefit from a service dog, and (4) agree to successfully complete training provided by an eligible organization. Veterans are required to see a VA health care provider at least once every 180 days to determine whether the veteran continues to benefit from a service dog.
Eligible organizations are nonprofit organizations that
Any improvement in PTSD symptoms as a result of the provision of a service dog shall not affect the veteran's eligibility for any other VA benefits.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the grant program.

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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