What to do if your patient asks for an emotional support animal?

The Issue: Many therapists, doctors, social workers, and nurses don’t know what to do when their patient asks them to verify an emotional support animal and provide documentation. ESA letters have legal significance for individuals but not all healthcare providers know how to write them.  

The Solution: You can suggest your patient looks into a service like ESA Doctors. ESA Doctors works with doctors, therapists, and other healthcare professionals that specialize in the ESA qualification process. They can help your patient remotely and take responsibility for ESA issues by conducting an ESA evaluation, issuing an ESA letter, and handling landlord inquiries.  

If you or you know someone who suffers from a mental health disorder and would like to qualify for an Emotional Support Animal online, ESA Doctors can help connect you to a health professional who is licensed in your state. Start the assessment by clicking below:

Why is an ESA letter necessary for your patient?

Under federal and state housing laws, emotional support animals are recognized as protected assistance animals. As long as a tenant has valid documented proof, they can live in no-pet buildings and be exempt from pet fees and pet restrictions.

The necessary proof comes in the form of an ESA letter. By law, an ESA letter must be signed by a licensed therapist, doctor, social worker, or nurse. An ESA letter must establish the tenant has a qualifying mental health disability and a recommendation for an emotional support animal to help with their symptoms. Sometimes a patient will mistakenly ask for an ESA “certification” or certificate instead of an ESA letter. 

Why Some Practitioners Can’t Help with Emotional Support Animals

Many doctors and therapists are stumped when asked to write an ESA letter or certify an ESA. They may be unfamiliar with ESA rules and the contents of an ESA letter or worry about potential liability. They may also be confused by what criteria they need to follow to properly evaluate someone for an emotional support animal. And there is a web of federal and state laws that apply to emotional support animals to consider. 

Some providers can be constrained by the clinic, hospital, or practice rules, which may not allow their practitioners to write ESA letters. And some healthcare professionals are reluctant to write ESA letters due to the follow-up that is sometimes needed with landlords, HOAs, condo associations, and co-op boards. 

If you fall into one of these categories, there are, fortunately, healthcare professionals that specialize in ESA letters. It is also widespread and acceptable to qualify for ESA letters from providers who offer their services remotely. 

The Best Place to Refer a Patient that Needs an Emotional Support Animal

If your patient needs an ESA letter, there is no better choice than ESA Doctors. They work with dedicated healthcare professionals licensed for your state who treat their patients with empathy, kindness, and respect. ESA Doctors has a proven track record with stellar client ratings and an industry-rare A+ rating from the BBB. 

ESA Doctors and the licensed professionals they work with prioritize ethical integrity and adherence to the latest federal and state ESA rules. 

If you or your patient just want more information on ESAs, we can help. We are ESA advocates and publish extensively about emotional support animals. If you have a question about ESAs, we have it answered in our many articles and FAQs.

If you or your patient want to know if they qualify for an emotional support animal, an online assessment can help.