Emotional support animal evaluations
This service is open to individuals in Maine or one of the other current PSYPACT states (AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, DC, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV).
PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is defined as an animal companion (typically dogs, but not in all cases) that offer benefits to someone living with a disability, physical illness, or mental health disorder. The presence of the animal in the client's life is intended to alleviate at least one aspect of their distress and provide companionship. ESA’s are not simply pets.
ESA evaluations at PSM are most typically utilized by college students for on-campus housing, but they can also be utilized by any adults to secure emotional support animals in housing that allows such animals. Evaluations cannot be used to justify animals going into public spaces or flights as documented “service animals”, as ESA’s are not the same as service animal evaluations.
ESA EVALUATION PROCESS
To be evaluated for an ESA, you will participate in a clinical interview/diagnostic evaluation where your mental health, psychological, family, and medical history, and overall psychological functioning will be assessed. No evaluations will be completed by a provider you currently, or previously have worked with in a therapeutic capacity. Within 48 hours after the clinical interview is conducted the evaluator will inform you if you meet your college’s standards for having an ESA. Once you have heard definitively from the provider about whether you qualify for an ESA, you may request an ESA prescription letter and make payment in full upon request. If the provider determines that you do not qualify for an ESA then you may opt to decline a letter, however you will be responsible for full payment of the evaluation without the letter.
After the completion of the evaluation, a letter then may be written after the evaluation that will include the following:
1. Your provider’s name, credential, phone number, fax number, email address, and license number
2. A DSM-V-TR diagnosis of a mental health condition. This will include the nature, frequency, and severity of symptoms as well as whether or not there are any medications that are being taken and their side effects if relevant. How this mental health condition or disability can result in impairment in one or more aspect of living on campus or attending a college
3. An assessment on how the impairment/condition/illness functionally limits the individual’s participation in the college experience.
4. A description on how the individual impairment presents a substantial limitation to learning or another major life activity
5. A recommendation (or list of recommendations) for how this ESA will assist the client based on the mental health diagnosis provided
6. A brief description of the Fair Housing Act and how that relates to the purpose of the letter being written
7. Recommended accommodations for college-level participation based on the need for an ESA. Each recommendation will include a rationale that correlates with specific limitations that are supported by the previously completed clinical interview.
INSURANCE AND FEES
Clinical Interview / Evaluation (55 min) $275
ESA Prescription Letter $160
All fees are due on the day of service.
Insurance: We check benefits and bill all in-network insurance policies for Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Maine Health, Martin’s Point, and MCHO insurances.. Note that insurance will not reimburse for the evaluation if you do not meet criteria for a clinical diagnosis. Note that Insurance does not cover the ESA prescription letter fee.
ANIMAL WELFARE CLAUSE
After the completion of the ESA evaluation letter a clause will be included in the form stating that animal welfare may be a determining factor in whether or not you can keep your animal on campus. If a college official determines that your animal is no longer being taken care of or disrupts the quality of life of other students around you, it is up to your school’s relevant official to determine whether or not you can keep the animal. It is PSM’s stance that animal welfare is indicative of whether or not an animal still provides emotional support. If an animal is abused, neglected, or abandoned then that animal is no longer serving as an emotional support to the letter designee in question. PSM will not become involved at any point during a school’s investigation around whether or not the animal should remain on campus and will only provide the letter. This section on animal welfare is non-negotiable and will be included in all ESA evaluations.