VA PTSD Service Dogs Rule: Senator Schumer NY Pushes Back

New York Senator Charles Schumer is speaking out against the new US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rule that cuts off funds for service dogs of veterans with PTSD.  This new VA rule is set to take effect next months.

According to CBS New York:

Senator Schumer said research shows that trained service dogs are effective in helping veterans with mental and emotional disorders such as PTSD cope with their return to civilian life.

Federal law currently states that the VA can reimburse vets for the cost of owning a service dog if a doctor signs off on it, but the new policy would limit that reimbursement only to vets with physical disabilities.

The senator was joined by service dogs and veterans during his news conference to appeal for the directive to be tossed out in favor of allowing doctors to decide if a service dog can assist a veteran.

The VA is conducting research on how effective service dogs are at helping vets cope, but wanted to end the program until the study is complete in 2014.

In fact, the VA is conducting a three year clinical trial study on the effects of service dogs relieving PTSD symptoms.  The study is in the first year of the three year study.  

The purpose of this study is to evaluate use of service dogs for individuals who have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Objectives include:

(1) assess the impact service dogs have on the mental health and quality of life of Veterans;

(2) to provide recommendations to the VA to serve as guidance in providing service dogs to veterans; and

(3) To determine cost associated with total health care utilization and mental health care utilization among veterans with PTSD.

 Several service dog organizations are participating in this study.  Dogs are adopted from animal shelters, trained as PTSD service dogs, then matched with a veteran.  Individual base line studies are done, then followed quarterly to determine if medical stats - such as blood pressure - change after the veteran is working with the service dog.  At present, there are 350 veterans enrolled in this Florida based study.