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In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month and National Service Dog Month, Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA) Subcommittee on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC), introduced the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist with programs that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. The bill includes training for the service dog and extends the availability of this program to other veteran disabilities, such as blindness, deafness, traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma, paralysis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“As veterans fight to survive the invisible wounds of war, it’s been my priority to do everything possible to ensure veterans have access to every mental health resource out there,” said Congressman Luttrell. “Long after our veterans have left the battlefield, service dogs play an invaluable role in supporting the men and women who fought for our freedoms. The legislation I introduced provides another tool in the toolbox for wounded vets when they return home by providing the resources to raise, train, and place service dogs with more veterans. Meeting the needs of our veterans is not something I take lightly, and I’ll continue to work to provide them with the best care.”
“Service dogs have a proven track record of providing life-saving assistance to Veterans,” said K9s For Warriors Vice President of Government & External Affairs Bill McCabe. “The SAVES Act will ultimately put more service dogs in the hands of Veterans in critical need, allowing them to regain their independence and reintegrate into civilian life. We applaud this bipartisan, bicameral effort and urge Congress to pass this important legislation without delay.”
It is estimated that upwards of 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffer from PTSD, and more than 450,000 service members have been diagnosed with at least one traumatic brain injury over the past two decades. As a result, these veterans suffer from high rates of depression, anxiety, joblessness, homelessness, and substance use disorders. Nearly 20 veterans die by suicide each day.
Today, tens of thousands of service dogs across the United States assist veterans with a wide range of disabilities and ailments. A service dog is defined as a dog specifically trained to conduct actions for a person suffering from a disability. These can include seeing-eye dogs, seizure alert and response dogs, and actions assisting individuals suffering from mental health conditions such as PTSD.
As demand for alternative treatment modalities increases, the bipartisan Service Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES) Act directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program at the Veterans Health Administration. This program would award funds on a competitive basis to accredited nonprofit organizations that provide highly trained service dogs free of charge to eligible veterans suffering from blindness or visual impairments; mobility impairments; loss of hearing; PTSD; TBI; or military sexual trauma.
Nonprofit organizations would be required to submit an application including descriptions of training provided by their organization for eligible veterans; training for dogs serving as service dogs; aftercare services provided for both service dogs and eligible veterans; and plans for publicizing availability free-of-charge service dogs for veterans. Approved nonprofits must also have experience working directly with veterans and adhere to Assistance Dogs International (ADI) standards or another widely recognized accreditation determined by the Secretary.
Several veteran organizations have endorsed this legislation: Americas Warrior Partnership (AWP), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Chief Warrant & Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard, Dog Tag Buddies, HunterSeven Foundation, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of America (JVW), Kayas K9s, K9s For Warriors National Military Families Association (NMFA), Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Paralyzed Veterans Of America (PVA), Pet Advocacy Network Semper K9 Assistance Dogs The American Legion (TAL), The Independence Fund (TIF), Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS) The Enlisted Association(TREA)Veterans Of Foreign Wars(VFW) Vietnam Veteran Of America(VVA).