IAM Veterans Services Coordinator Rich Evans and Assistant Coordinator Bryan Stymacks are working with Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines recipient Brennon Groves to seek congressional backing for a petition aimed at establishing a dedicated Veterans Administration department to handle the Service Dog Veterinary Health Insurance Benefit (VHIB) application process.
Currently, veterans who have service dogs for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cannot access veterinary insurance benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs unless they also have a mobility disability. This is due to an outdated federal regulation that has not been revised to implement the PAWS Act as intended, and the absence of an office specifically tasked with issuing this benefit.
IAM Assistant Legislative Director Ty Richardson recently joined Evans, Stymacks, and Groves in meeting with staff from U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) office to discuss Groves’ proposal for a Department of Veterans Affairs VHIB program.
Groves, with support from the IAM Union, advocated for H.R. 1448, known as the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act (2021-2022). The act was passed and authorized the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide service dogs to veterans dealing with mental health conditions.
Despite this legislative progress, eligibility for VHIB remains restricted to veterans with mobility impairments. Those whose disabilities are solely related to mental health are excluded because regulations have not been updated in line with the law’s intent.
“Under the PAWs Act, veterans with only mental health conditions have the right to this benefit,” said Evans. “But without updating the regulation for it, these veterans don’t qualify for it. All we need is for Congress to make an amendment to the regulation to correlate with the intent of the PAWs Act, which was passed.”
IAM International President Brian Bryant has sent two letters to Congressman Hoyer regarding implementation of the PAWS Act and improvements needed in VHIB.
“We’re going to keep lobbying members of Congress to explain the situation and pressure our legislators to make sure veterans with mental health disabilities can access the benefit according to the law’s intent,” said Groves.
