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 gain congressional support for a petition that seeks the creation of a dedicated Veterans Administration department for the Service Dog Veterinary Health Insurance Benefit (VHIB) application.
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 situation exists because federal regulations have not been updated to fully implement the PAWS Act as intended, and there is no specific office responsible for issuing this benefit.
Recently, IAM Assistant Legislative Director Ty Richardson joined Evans, Stymacks, and Groves in a meeting with staff from U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) office to discuss Groves’ proposal to establish a VHIB program within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Groves, along with support from the IAM Union, previously 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 legislation, eligibility for VHIB remains limited to veterans with mobility impairments. Those whose disabilities are solely related to mental health are excluded because existing 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 about implementing changes related to both PAWS Act implementation and improvements 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.
