ESA/PSA Letters
Psychiatric Service Animal (PSA)
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is a companion animal that provides therapeutic benefits to individuals with mental health conditions or emotional disorders. Unlike service animals, ESAs are not required to undergo specific training to perform tasks. Instead, their mere presence offers comfort, companionship, and a sense of security to their owners, helping to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other emotional or psychological challenges.
ESAs are typically prescribed by licensed mental health professionals, such as therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists, as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. They can be any species of animal, including dogs, cats, birds, or even miniature horses, chosen based on the individual's preferences and needs.
Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), individuals with ESAs are entitled to request reasonable accommodation from housing providers, allowing them to live with their ESA even in residences with no-pet policies. Additionally, under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), ESAs are permitted to accompany their owners in the cabin of an aircraft during air travel, provided certain documentation and advance notice are provided to the airline.
Overall, ESAs play a crucial role in supporting the mental and emotional well-being of their owners, offering unconditional love, companionship, and a source of comfort during times of distress.
Emotional Support Animals (ESA)
PSA stands for Psychiatric Service Animal. A Psychiatric Service Animal is a type of service animal specifically trained to perform tasks that assist individuals with psychiatric disabilities. These tasks are directly related to the individual's disability and are aimed at mitigating the effects of mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and others.
Unlike Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), which provide comfort and companionship through their presence alone, Psychiatric Service Animals are trained to perform specific tasks or work that helps their handlers manage their psychiatric symptoms and navigate daily life more independently. These tasks can include:
Providing deep pressure therapy during times of anxiety or panic.
Reminding the individual to take medication on time.
Guiding the individual to a safe place during a panic attack or dissociative episode.
Waking the individual from nightmares or disrupting self-harming behaviors.
Alerting to changes in mood or physiological indicators of an impending episode.
Psychiatric Service Animals are recognized as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which grants them legal rights to accompany their handlers in various public places where pets are typically not permitted. This includes restaurants, stores, workplaces, and other establishments.
To qualify for a Psychiatric Service Animal, individuals must have a diagnosed psychiatric disability and a recommendation from a licensed mental health professional confirming the need for the animal as part of their treatment plan. Additionally, the animal must be trained to perform tasks that directly mitigate the individual's disability.