Psychiatric Service Dog Letter 

In order to qualify for a psychiatric service dog (PSD), you must meet the criteria for having a mental or emotional health disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). A licensed healthcare professional can help determine whether you are eligible and provide a signed PSD letter if you qualify. Conditions that may qualify for a PSD letter include:

• Chronic Depression
• Severe Anxiety
• Phobias 
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Learning Disorders (Including ADHD)
• Autism
• Bi-Polar Disorder
• Mood Disorders 

A PSD letter provides peace of mind and backup documentation for your condition. PSD owners must be able to represent that they have a trained psychiatric service dog for their disability. For air travel, PSD owners are required to make self-certifications on a federal form regarding their qualification for a psychiatric service dog. 

If you qualify, you will be issued a signed letter stating the licensed professional’s opinion on whether you have an eligible disability. The letter is signed by the provider and contains their license and contact information. 

Note that a dog is not fully qualified to be a PSD until it is fully trained to perform a task relating to the handler’s disability. The specialized training is the responsibility of the handler (or a professional trainer the handler has assigned that responsibility to). A fully trained psychiatric service dog has the following rights:

• Accommodation without charge or deposits in no-pets buildings.
• The ability to board the cabin of planes without fees. 
• Public access rights to places like stores, restaurants, and public venues.