[HumanSer] service Animals & Involuntary Hospitalization

NFB Of TN jboehm at nfbtn.org
Thu Jan 27 01:26:41 UTC 2022 

Interesting conversation.
I think this would be good to get the National Association of Guide Dog Users and their leader ship)s input. 




James Alan Boehm  M.Ed, LPC-MHSP 

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> On Jan 26, 2022, at 7:01 PM, Ginny Duff via HumanSer <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I am a psychiatrist and am often in the position of committing patients involuntarily to hospital.   I would think that it would be best to leave the issue up to the judgement of the psychiatrist and the specifics of the climical situation.    The administrators may not like that suggestion because they would be concerned about liability risk if the dog was in any danger and of course nobody would want a dog to be at risk.
> 
> Reasons for involuntary admission vary and sometimes the involuntary status is in the service of preventing a problem which has not yet developed.  I can think of situations where a patient could be admitted involuntarily but not pose any risk to a dog and preventing them from being with the dog could have a negative impact on their recovery.
> 
> Ginny
> 
> 
> Dr. Virginia Duff
> Clinical Director
> West End Assertive Community Treatment Team
> St. Joseph's Health Centre, Toronto
> Lecturer, University of Toronto
> 
> 
> On Jan 26, 2022, at 16:56, Marion Gwizdala via HumanSer <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Dear J.D.,
> 
>   As always, I appreciate your thoughtful input. I am seeking as much
> information as possible to help craft effective policies that are based on
> reason rather than emotion. You have always provided me with this and you
> are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Peace!
> Marion
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HumanSer <humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of JD Townsend via
> HumanSer
> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2022 4:13 PM
> To: 'Human Services Division Mailing List' <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: 43210 at Bellsouth.net
> Subject: Re: [HumanSer] service Animals & Involuntary Hospitalization
> 
> 
> An excellent question, but one that doesn't have a simple answer.
> 
> I am a clinical social worker and have had dog guides in the past.  At one
> time I was told that I could not enter my local hospital's psychiatric
> inpatient unit with my dog guide to visit with a client who I had done the
> paperwork for her involuntary hospitalization.  After a number of calls a
> representative from the hospital came to a NFB meeting to report that the
> hospital's policies were reviewed and a service animal would be allowed to
> visit in the future.  They apologized, saying that their concern was that
> some hospitalized patients might have a strong reaction to a dog.
> 
> A dog guide is not an emotional support animal, although it may take on this
> role.  It is, legally, a prosthesis, like a plastic replacement for a
> missing leg.  However, it is, also, a living critter and has their own
> needs.  The person who has been judged unable to care for himself is not
> likely able to adequately care for a dog guide.  For this reason I feel that
> placing the dog guide in a safe, caring place until the owner is able to
> care for it would be the wisest choice.
> 
> I was hospitalized for several weeks in Japan many years ago.  My wife took
> care of my service animal.  I missed my dog, but with a broken leg, I
> wouldn't have been able to care for her.  We were both happy to see each
> other and ready to return to our partnership. Once I returned home it was an
> interesting picture of me with crutches and a dog guide walking down the
> street.
> 
> 
> JD
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HumanSer <humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala
> via HumanSer
> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2022 11:55 AM
> To: humanser at nfbnet.org
> Cc: marion.gwizdala at verizon.net
> Subject: [HumanSer] service Animals & Involuntary Hospitalization
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> 
> 
>               Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) has been asked
> to develop model service animal policies concerning involuntary
> hospitalization for law enforcement agencies. I have my opinion; however, my
> opinion is irrelevant since I am not an attorney, a licensed mental health
> professional, a law enforcement officer, nor have ever been involuntarily
> hospitalized. My question concerns how you believe law enforcement officers
> who are detaining a disabled individual who has a service dog for
> involuntary hospitalization should deal with the dog. The policy so far is
> that anyone with a service dog who is taken into custody is given the option
> of either having a responsible person of their choice take possession of the
> dog or, if no such person can be identified, the individual is notified that
> the dog will be housed at the closest animal shelter, veterinarian, or
> animal boarding facility at the detainees cost.
> Service animals are generally allowed in hospital settings; however, the
> extenuating circumstances of the involuntary hospitalization may be outside
> the generally accepted practice the implementing regulations cover.
> 
> 
> 
>               If you respond, I would like to know your credentials, your
> experience with involuntary hospitalization, and your experience with
> service dogs. If you would rather reply to this message off-list, please
> send your message to
> 
> 
> 
> Advocacy411 at gmail.com <mailto:Advocacy411 at gmail.com>
> 
> 
> 
> For more information about Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP),
> please visit our website
> 
> 
> 
> ServiceAnimals.info
> 
> 
> 
> With warm regards,
> 
> Marion Gwizdala
> 
> 
> 
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