What is an Emotional Support Animal?

An emotional support animal is a type of assistance animal that helps mitigate the symptoms of mental or emotional disabilities such as depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress. Such assistance animals are typically prescribed by a licensed mental health professional as part of an individual’s treatment plan. The prescription takes the form of an official document called an emotional support animal letter, also known as an ESA Letter. This document confirms that an individual has a legitimate need for the support that their companion animal provides and entitles them to certain rights under federal law.

What is an ESA Letter For?

An ESA letter is an official document signed by a licensed mental health professional. An ESA letter can also be prescribed by other health professionals who have familiarity with an individual’s medical condition or a person’s disability, such as a general practitioner or a psychiatrist. 

Essentially, an ESA letter takes the form of a prescription. It recommends the use of an emotional support animal as part of a person’s treatment plan when it comes to managing their mental health. This means that the mental health professional believes their client can benefit from the therapeutic relationship and emotional comfort that emotional support animals provide. 

ESAs are commonly prescribed to those living with mental disabilities or emotional conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), and other types of mental disorders which can be found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, a handbook published by the American Psychiatric Association and used by mental health professionals all over the world to establish reliable diagnoses.

When a mental health professional has determined that a person can benefit from the companionship of a support animal, they will issue that individual an ESA letter. A legitimate ESA letter will be printed on the licensed professional’s letterhead and include their licensing information in addition to being signed and dated by the prescribing professional. The ESA letter will clearly establish that the patient in question has a confirmed disability and that an emotional support animal provides them with needed support.

These days, the internet is rife with scams when it comes to fraudulent ESA websites and fake ESA letters. As a result, it’s absolutely essential for those in genuine need of an emotional support animal to understand what a legitimate ESA letter contains as to avoid getting scammed by services that don’t comply with federal and state regulations. Only a legitimate ESA letter is recognized under federal law, and only a legitimate ESA letter entitles an individual to certain rights when it comes to reasonable accommodation from housing providers while also permitting an individual to travel with their animal on ESA-friendly airlines.

It’s important to note that an ESA letter does not designate a companion animal as a service animal. Emotional support animals and service animals both provide assistance to their handlers, but they hold different designations under federal regulations and are entitled to different kinds of rights.

Find a provider www.healingtouchcc.net