§ 1714 — Fitting And Training In Use Of Prosthetic Appliances; Guide Dogs; Service Dogs

(1) Any veteran who is entitled to a prosthetic appliance shall be furnished such fitting and training, including institutional training, in the use of such appliance as may be necessary, whether in a Department facility or other training institution, or by outpatient treatment, including such service under contract, and including travel and incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title) to and from such veteran’s home to such hospital or training institution. (2) In furnishing prosthetic appliances under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure women veterans are able to access clinically appropriate prosthetic appliances through each medical facility of the Department. (b) The Secretary may provide guide dogs trained for the aid of the blind to veterans who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title. The Secretary may also provide such veterans with mechanical or electronic equipment for aiding them in overcoming the disability of blindness. (c) The Secretary may, in accordance with the priority specified in section 1705 of this title, provide— (1) service dogs trained for the aid of the hearing impaired to veterans who are hearing impaired and are enrolled under section 1705 of this title; (2) service dogs trained for the aid of persons with spinal cord injury or dysfunction or other chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility to veterans with such injury, dysfunction, or impairment who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title; and (3) service dogs trained for the aid of persons with mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder, to veterans with such illnesses who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title. (d) In the case of a veteran provided a dog under subsection (b) or (c), the Secretary may pay travel and incidental expenses for that veteran under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title to and from the veteran’s home for expenses incurred in becoming adjusted to the dog. (e) The Secretary may provide a service dog to a veteran under subsection (c)(3) regardless of whether the veteran has a mobility impairment. (1) The Secretary shall provide to any veteran described in paragraph (2) a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for each dog provided to such veteran under subsection (b) or (c). (2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who— (A) is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or a visual, hearing, or substantial mobility impairment; (B) has received a dog under subsection (b) or (c) in connection with such disorder or impairment; and (C) meets such other requirements as the Secretary may prescribe.