Medically reviewed by: You can qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog if you have a psychiatric disability (a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities).
Determining if a person qualifies for a Psychiatric Service Dog
- Do they have a psychiatric disability?
- Can their dog be trained to perform one or more tasks that specifically helps to manage their psychiatric disability?
To qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog, the answer to both questions above must be yes.
What is a Psychiatric Service Dog?
Psychiatric service dogs (PSD) is a type of service dog as defined by the ADA. PSDs assist people with psychiatric disabilities, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxieties, depression, and schizophrenia. These dogs perform tasks that enable people with psychiatric disorders to manage day-to-day life. A few examples of tasks that psychiatric service dogs carry out are:
- Execute safety checks for people who have PTSD by entering a room first and checking the area.
- Preventing individuals who have dissociative or anxiety episodes from wandering or from entering dangerous areas.
- Interrupting an individual from harming themselves.
- Provide tactile stimulation for people in catatonic or anxious states.
- Prompt individuals to perform their activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, and taking medicine.
- Awaken individuals when they are having disturbing nightmares.
- Provide Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT) to people with anxiety, helping reduce stress levels.
What is a Psychiatric Disability?
The ADA defines a psychiatric disability as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”
For example, everyone feels stress every so often. Intermittent stress is a universal experience and occurs with everyone. On the other hand, severe anxiety is not a universal experience. Severe anxiety can last for long periods, making it difficult for an individual to work or do well in school. A psychiatric disability holds a person back from carrying out life activities. You can work with a licensed mental healthcare professional to see if you have a qualifying disability.
Does a Psychiatric Disability Qualify You for a Psychiatric Service Dog?
A psychiatric disability qualifies a person for a psychiatric service dog if a psychiatric service dog can help reduce symptoms and accomplish the tasks a person can’t do on their own.
What makes a service dog vital is its trained ability to perform specific tasks. Unlike emotional support animals (ESA), whose presence provides comfort and support for people with mental or emotional disorders, service dogs have specialized training. The training they obtain targets particular tasks, like retrieving medication or prompting a person to stop injuring themselves. Dogs don’t become psychiatric service dogs because their owner has a psychiatric disability. Dogs become psychiatric service dogs because they are trained to perform specific psychiatric disability-related tasks.
A person qualifies for a psychiatric service dog if there is an essential task that their psychiatric disability prevents them from doing safely or efficiently. A service dog could perform that task for them. For example, a person with anxiety might find that their panic attacks prevent them from working. A service dog trained to offer tactile stimulation to help prevent a panic attacks and could help prevent an episodes at work and allow them to keep their job.
Do You Qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog?
Because psychiatric disorders vary in each individual, it’s best to consult with a licensed mental healthcare provider. Your doctor or licensed therapist might find that a psychiatric service dog can benefit your quality of life.
When people think of service dogs, very often guide dogs for people with visual impairment and mobility support dogs come to mind. Thankfully, service dogs can work with people with psychiatric disabilities, too. If you have a psychiatric disorder, working with a PSD could make all the difference. If you’re interested, consult with a doctor or therapist to determine if a psychiatric service dog can help.
Get your PSD Letter in three easy steps.
Hello, how long does it take to receive a PSD letter after filling out the form and paying for the order?
That depends on the particular LMHP you are assigned to. Please reach out to our support team (support@esadoctors.com) with the state you live in and they will be able to give you a more precise response.