Title: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act
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 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a 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.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4305 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4305

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
                    program on dog training therapy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 2019

 Mr. Stivers (for himself, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Rutherford, Ms. 
Sherrill, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Waltz, Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Roy, and 
Mr. Joyce of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
                    program on dog training therapy.

    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, 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 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 those veterans' quality of life, ability 
        to re-enter society, and, most importantly, their chances of 
        survival.

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 the 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 post-traumatic stress disorder (in this section referred to as 
``PTSD'') symptoms 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 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 
        organization provided to the veteran, if necessary, as 
        determined by the organization and the veteran;
            (4) provide a wellness certification from a licensed 
        veterinarian for any dog participating in the program;
            (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 
        organization and the Secretary, including service skills to 
        address or alleviate symptoms unique to veterans' needs;
            (7) agree to provide both lectures on service dog training 
        methodologies and 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 non-
        government 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 veteran's health 
                provider 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 organization 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.--For the purposes of this section, an 
        eligible veteran is 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;
                    (B) has been recommended for the pilot program 
                under this section 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 an eligible organization that receives a 
                grant under this section.
            (2) Relationship to participation in other program.--
        Veterans may participate in the pilot program 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 program, a veteran shall see the health 
        care provider or clinical team of the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs treating the veteran for PTSD at least once every six 
        months to determine, based on a clinical evaluation of 
        efficacy, whether the veteran continues to benefit from the 
        program.
    (e) Collection of Data.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) develop metrics and other appropriate means to measure, 
        with respect to veterans participation in the program, 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;
            (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; and
            (3) in addition, the Secretary shall continue to collect 
        these data over the course of five years for each veteran who 
        has continued with the dog he or she has personally trained.
    (f) GAO Briefing and Study.--
            (1) Briefing.--Not later than one 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 program.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date on 
        which the program terminates, the Comptroller General shall 
        submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1) a report on 
        the program. Such report shall include an evaluation of the 
        approach and methodology used for the program with respect to--
                    (A) helping veterans with severe PTSD return to 
                civilian life;
                    (B) relevant metrics, including reduction in 
                metrics such as reduction in scores under the PTSD 
                check-list (PCL-5), improvement in psychosocial 
                function, and therapeutic compliance; and
                    (C) reducing the dependence of participants on 
                prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication.
    (g) Definition.--For the purposes of 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.
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