38 U.S.C. § 1714: Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances; guide dogs; service dogs

Any veteran who is entitled to a prosthetic appliance shall be furnished such fitting and training, including institutional training, in the use of such appliance as may be necessary, whether in a Department facility or other training institution, or by outpatient treatment, including such service under contract, and including travel and incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title ) to and from such veteran’s home to such hospital or training institution. In furnishing prosthetic appliances under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure women veterans are able to access clinically appropriate prosthetic appliances through each medical facility of the Department. The Secretary may provide guide dogs trained for the aid of the blind to veterans who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title . The Secretary may also provide such veterans with mechanical or electronic equipment for aiding them in overcoming the disability of blindness. service dogs trained for the aid of the hearing impaired to veterans who are hearing impaired and are enrolled under section 1705 of this title ; service dogs trained for the aid of persons with spinal cord injury or dysfunction or other chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility to veterans with such injury, dysfunction, or impairment who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title ; and service dogs trained for the aid of persons with mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder, to veterans with such illnesses who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title . In the case of a veteran provided a dog under subsection (b) or (c), the Secretary may pay travel and incidental expenses for that veteran under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title to and from the veteran’s home for expenses incurred in becoming adjusted to the dog. The Secretary may provide a service dog to a veteran under subsection (c)(3) regardless of whether the veteran has a mobility impairment. The Secretary shall provide to any veteran described in paragraph (2) a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for each dog provided to such veteran under subsection (b) or (c). is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or a visual, hearing, or substantial mobility impairment; has received a dog under subsection (b) or (c) in connection with such disorder or impairment; and meets such other requirements as the Secretary may prescribe. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Act [probably means “this Act”, approved Aug. 25, 2021 ], the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall commence the conduct of a pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (in this section referred to as ‘PTSD’) as an element of a complementary and integrative health program for such veterans. The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) for a 5-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot program. The Secretary shall ensure that such pilot program is carried out by not fewer than five medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in geographically diverse areas. In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall seek to enter into agreements with nongovernmental entities that the Secretary determines have the demonstrated ability to provide the canine training specified in subsection (a). submits to the Secretary certification that the entity is an accredited service dog training organization; agrees to ensure that veterans participating in the pilot program under subsection (a) receive training from certified service dog training instructors for a period of time determined appropriate by the entity; agrees to ensure that veterans participating in such pilot program are prohibited from having access to a dog under such pilot program at any time during such participation without the supervision of a certified service dog training instructor; agrees to ensure that veterans participating in such pilot program receive training in skills unique to the needs of the veteran to address or alleviate PTSD symptoms of the veteran; agrees not to use shock collars or prong collars as training tools and to use positive reinforcement training; and agrees to provide any follow-up training support specified in subsection (e)(2), as applicable. A veteran who has participated in the pilot program under subsection (a) may adopt a dog that the veteran assisted in training during such pilot program if the veteran and the veteran’s health provider (in consultation with the entity that provided the canine training with respect to the dog under such pilot program) determine that it is in the best interest of the veteran. If a veteran adopts a dog under paragraph (1), the entity that provided the canine training with respect to the dog under the pilot program shall provide follow-up training support for the life of the dog. Such support shall include the provision of a contact plan between the veteran and the entity that enables the veteran to seek and receive assistance from the entity to ensure the dog is being properly cared for. Participation in the pilot program under subsection (a) may not preclude a veteran from receiving any other medical care or treatment for PTSD furnished by the Department, including therapy, for which the veteran is otherwise eligible. the number of such veterans participating; the satisfaction of such veterans with the pilot program; whether participation in the pilot program resulted in any clinically relevant improvements for such veterans, as determined by the health care provider or clinical team that referred the veteran to participate in the pilot program; and such other factors as the Secretary may determine appropriate; and establish processes to document and track the progress of such veterans under the pilot program with respect to health benefits and improvements. whether to extend or make permanent the pilot program; and the feasibility and advisability of expanding the pilot program to address mental health conditions other than PTSD. Not later than 1 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 pilot program. assisting veterans with PTSD; and measuring relevant metrics, such as reduction in scores under the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), improvement in psychosocial function, and therapeutic compliance. provides service dogs to veterans with PTSD; and is accredited by 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 (as determined by the Secretary). is enrolled in the patient enrollment system in the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1705 of title 38 , United States Code; and has been recommended for participation in the pilot program under subsection (a) by a qualified mental health care provider or clinical team based on medical judgment that the veteran may benefit from such participation with respect to the diagnosed PTSD of the veteran. The term ‘service dog training instructor’ means an instructor who provides the direct training of veterans with PTSD in the art and science of service dog training and handling.”