Instagram | @usveteransservicedogs

House Unanimously Approves Bill To Provide Service Dogs To Veterans With PTSD

House lawmakers have unanimously passed a bill that would allow the Department of Veteran Affairs to provide service dogs to veterans suffering from mental health issues, including PTSD.

According to a Stars and Stripes report, the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers, or PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act, would allow the VA to launch a pilot program to fund service dogs for struggling veterans.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Steve Stivers, who served in Iraq in the Ohio National Guard.

"Our veterans fought for our freedom, and I've heard from many veterans who say that's exactly what their service dog gives them — freedom," Stivers told Stars and Stripes. "They're free to go to restaurants, to fly on planes, to go to the movies, things that post-traumatic stress [disorder] had made impossible."

Per the bill, the VA would implement their pilot program to issue federal grants to nonprofits which provide service dogs to veterans suffering from mental health issues.

The VA would also be required to asses the effectiveness of dog therapy on those vets.

While the department has recently been studying the use of service dogs for mental health treatment, it only covers service dogs for use in mobility issues.

If approved by the Senate, the pilot program will last for 10 years in 10 locations across the U.S.

Lawmakers have been increasingly exploring different ways to combat veteran's post-combat mental health issues.

Instagram | @usveteransservicedogs

As Stivers outlined in a press release, PTSD affects between 11 and 30 percent of veterans, and an average of 20 veterans commit suicide every single day.

Various research has shown that working and interacting with service dogs not only alleviates PTSD symptoms, but can also lower the risk of substance abuse and lead to better interpersonal relationships as well.

Stivers explained that his bill is not just about improving lives, "it's about saving lives."

Instagram | @repstevestivers

"We need to ensure that our veterans have access to every available mental health resource, and that includes service dogs," he said. "As a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I'm proud to support this bill and will continue to fight for our veterans and ensure that they receive the high-quality care they need and deserve."

The bill now heads to the Senate for an as-of-yet unscheduled vote.

h/t: Stars and Stripes

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