Congress and the Administration both have roles to play in expanding veterans’ access to services that help heal the wounds of war, both physical and psychological. In 2015, a congressional report on military casualties estimated that approximately 140,000 of America’s veterans deployed since 9/11 suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This number does not take into account the hundreds of thousands of veterans affected by PTSD from wars prior to 9/11. PTSD lowers quality of life and puts those affected at a greater risk of self-harm and suicide.

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Standard treatments include cognitive behavioral therapies and psychiatric medications that often produce negative side effects and have even been linked to an increased number of suicides among veterans. An alternative? Dogs.

Service dogs are trained to perform practical tasks like “searching” rooms for perceived dangers, sleeping on top of their handlers to prevent sleepwalking, and calmly standing between their handlers and approaching strangers. They also provide emotional comfort, stable companionship, and ultimately enable PTSD-affected veterans to lead a higher quality of life.

In March 2016, Representative Ron DeSantis (R–FL) first introduced a bipartisan bill called the Puppies Assisting Wounded Service Members (PAWS) Act. On July 6, 2016, Senator Deb Fischer (R–NE) introduced a similar bill that was later referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. On May 3, 2017, Representatives DeSantis and Stephen Lynch (D–MA) reintroduced the bipartisan PAWS Act in the House. Senators Fischer and Cory Booker (D–NJ) did the same in the Senate.

There is no “one size fits all” solution for veterans combatting post-traumatic stress. However, with more than 140,000 veterans suffering from PTSD just since 9/11, it is clear that current treatment methods are limited and new avenues must be explored. The PAWS Act highlights another treatment option and outlines a program that would establish empirical research on the effectiveness of service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD. America’s veterans deserve no less.

Read the source article at The Heritage Foundation