8 months ago. Washington D.C., DC, USA

US to address veterans' PTSD issues with new PAWS bill

The bipartisan PAWS – Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers – bill was passed by Congress last month
The Department of Veteran Affairs will partner with non-profits to provide service dogs to veterans
Training the dogs for specific tasks requires weeks-long processes that can cost over $25,000

The United States is set to pass a new bill that will allow military veterans diagnosed with PTSD to be accompanied by service dogs. The Congress has already passed the bipartisan bill PAWS – Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers – with President Joe Biden expected to sign it soon.

After the bill is signed, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will collaborate with organisations like Florida-based non-profit K9s for Warriors to provides service dogs to veterans, NBC reported. The channel quoted Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s for Warriors, saying that the five-year programme will take effect from January 1, 2022.

Also Read | FDA issues warning to pet food company after 130 pet poisoning links

“We’re encouraged by the passage of this bill by both houses of Congress as an integral first step in the fight against veteran suicide,” Diamond said.

Diamond said that 72% of the over 700 veterans that have gone through the K9s for Warriors programme had attempted suicide before meeting their service dogs. “We're incredibly good at keeping them alive. So why wouldn't the VA want to be part of that?” Diamond said.

Also Read | 7 Afghans killed in Kabul airport chaos, says British Defence Ministry

The bill comes at a time which has been testing for veterans, with data from the VA suggesting as many as a fifth of the veterans that have returned from Iran and Afghanistan have PTSD. Coming to terms with America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, and watching the Taliban take over the country since, has further complicated mental health issues for the veterans.

Service dogs specifically trained to help veterans have been proven to be very effective at countering PTSD issues. They are taught to recognise symptoms of anxiety and can force veterans to focus on them instead of spiraling into a panic attack, according to a report in The Hill.

Training the dogs for such tasks requires weeks-long processes that can cost over $25,000, which the VA will cover once Biden clears the bill.

#Army #Law #MentalHealth #USA

US to address veterans' PTSD issues with new PAWS bill

Trending on Opoyi