Full article here:
http://www.stripes.com/va-says-no-service-dogs-benefits-warranted-for-ptsd-sufferers-1.188166
The Department of Veterans Affairs will pay service-dog benefits to veterans with vision, hearing or mobility-related injuries but not to veterans suffering only with post-traumatic-stress-disorder and other mental health disabilities.
A 67-page, final draft of rules concerning veterans in need of service dogs was published today in the Federal Register and will become final in 30 days. In justifying its decision, the VA cited “nationally established” and “widely accepted” training protocols for sight, hearing and mobility-assistance dogs and the lack of similar training protocols for mental health service dogs.
In addition, because there is little clinical research on mental health service dogs, the “VA has not yet been able to determine that these dogs provide medical benefit to veterans with mental illness.”
“Until such determination can be made, VA cannot justify providing benefits for mental health service dogs,” according to a pre-released copy of the rules obtained by The Palm Beach Post on Tuesday.
Veterans with service dogs were baffled by the rule.
“You get doctors and people telling you that you’re not disabled enough,” said Jim Stanek, an infantryman in the U.S. Army who served three tours of combat duty in Iraq. Stanek, who has been diagnosed with PTSD and traumatic brain injury, helped found Paws and Stripes, a non-profit group in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that provides service dogs and training to veterans with PTSD and mental health disabilities.
“What do I have to do? Have my leg amputated?” Stanek asked. “Is that what I need to do to get what I need to recover?”
Service dogs are individually trained to perform tasks for a specific person. Some of the tasks performed to assist veterans with PTSD include surveying darkened rooms, turning on lights, re-orienting their owner during nightmares or flashbacks, navigating through crowds, sensing anxiety, enforcing boundaries for personal space and retrieving a cellphone, said Sally Chester, secretary of Genesis Assistance Dogs Inc. of West Palm Beach.
The only thing I can think of is that the VA has to save money so the govt can take better care of illegals. "Screw the guy who was born here, fought for us, and now is to sick to live alone or support himself. We need to care for that random guy who isn't supposed to be here in the first place."