2019 Annual Meeting

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Floor Plan Buzz

Assistance and Support Animals on Campus: Understanding the Differences and Opportunities While Navigating the Challenges (Room Governor's Square 17)

01 Jun 19
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Tracks: Credit-AAFP-P, Credit-CHES, Credit-CME, Credit-CNE, Credit-CPEU, Credit-NASW, Credit-NBCC, Credit-PsyCE, Session Badge - Campus Collaboration, Session Badge - Social Justice

CME:1.5  AAFP-P:1.5  CNE:1.5  CHES:1.5  PsyCE:1.5  NBCC:1.5  NASW:1.5  CPEU:1.5  

Campus Collaboration, Social Justice

After this session, attendees should be able to:

  1. Discuss the similarities and differences among assistance animals, service animals, and emotional support animals.
  2. Discuss how the Americans withDisabilities Act and Fair HousingAct apply to service and assistance animals.
  3. Discuss best practices to ensureand promote access by service,assistance, and emotional supportanimals on college campuses.
  4. Identify opportunities through which trained support animals, such as therapy dogs, can support our mental health promotion work.

Program Abstract:
With the increasing numbers of service, assistance, and emotional support animals on college campuses in recent years, mental health professionals are being faced with more complex and evolving professional and ethical challenges. This presentation will discuss the differences among service, assistance, and support animals, outline the laws that govern their access on college campuses, and highlight best practices for evaluating requests for access. Potential opportunities for the integration of trained animals, such as therapy dogs, within our mental health treatment and promotion efforts will also be explored.