Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letter Template
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Looking for an emotional support animal letter template? Therapists and mental health clinicians can download this ESA letter template to recommend an emotional support animal for a client.
As a therapist, you may be asked to provide an emotional support animal (ESA) letter for clients.
Emotional support animals can enhance a client’s quality of life and improve mental health symptoms.
This article provides an overview of ESAs, what to include in an ESA letter template, legislation supporting accommodations for an ESA, and a free emotional support animal letter template to download and save to your electronic health record (EHR).
What is an emotional support animal?
An emotional support animal (ESA) provides a therapeutic benefit to individuals with a mental health condition that may be classified as a disability.
An ESA provides emotional support to alleviate one or more symptoms of stress, anxiety, and other symptoms of a mental health condition/disability. ESAs are different from service animals—who are trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities.
An emotional support animal is defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as “an animal of any species, which does not qualify as a service animal under the ADA, that a medical provider has certified can mitigate a person’s psychiatric disability through companionship rather than by any specifically trained task.”
An ESA may be a cat, dog, or other animal. However, under U.S. law, an ESA is not considered a pet.
Protections for emotional support animals
Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, ESAs are covered under local, state, and federal laws, including the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).
There are a few differences between emotional support animals and service animals. If a dog is required to perform a specific task necessary for a person with a disability, for example, it would be classified as a service animal.
Another difference is which specific public and private spaces the animals are permitted inside. For instance, while service animals are allowed to enter all public areas, ESAs may face some restrictions, such as not being able to enter food establishments such as grocery stores and restaurants. When it comes to a person’s home, however, there are certain legal protections for people with a qualifying mental health condition (subject to certain criteria).
According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, individuals with a disability may request to keep an assistance animal (which includes service animals and ESAs) as a reasonable accommodation to the housing provider's pet policy.
These accommodations may include:
- A request to live with an ESA at a property with a no pet policy
- A request to waive the pet deposit, fee, or other rule related to an assistance animal
Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers may not refuse such a request and must provide accommodations for people with disabilities to have the equal opportunities to use and enjoy their home.
Under this legislation, requests (written using the ESA letter template, for example) for an ESA must meet certain criteria:
- The request is made to the housing provider by or for the person with a disability
- The request is supported by reliable disability-related information
- The housing provider has not demonstrated that:
- An assistance animal would cause undue financial and administrative hardship
- The request would alter the essential nature of the provider’s operations
- The animal would pose a direct health and safety threat to others despite efforts to mitigate such risk(s)
- The request would cause significant property damage despite efforts to mitigate risk of damage
Local and state laws vary, so it’s best to do your research and familiarize yourself with the laws in your area. If you’re unsure, reach out to an attorney for more information. For instance, in California, the client must have been receiving services from the therapist for at least 30 days before the therapist can submit a letter recommending an ESA.
Note: This article and the ESA letter template is not intended to be legal advice. You should consult an attorney with any questions, as local and state laws vary.
Qualifications for an ESA
To qualify for an ESA, an individual must have a mental health condition or psychiatric disability as indicated by a licensed mental health professional, such as a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
This diagnosis, which must be documented in a prescription or official recommendation letter (by using the emotional support animal letter template, for example), must specify that the individual has a qualifying mental health condition or disability whose symptoms would be alleviated with an emotional support animal and that you, as the therapist, prescribe/recommend an ESA for their therapeutic benefits.
Download the ESA letter template available in this article, which includes sections to edit with specific information relevant to your client.
Qualifying conditions include a diagnosable condition listed in the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) , such as post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, generalized anxiety disorder, or major depressive disorder.
What to include in an emotional support animal letter template
Licensed mental health professionals supporting an assistance animal must include the following in an ESA letter template:
- Client’s name and diagnosis
- Professional assessment that an ESA would alleviate one or more of the client’s symptoms
- Clinical recommendation/prescription of an ESA
- Accommodations requested (if appropriate)
The letter must be on a letterhead with the clinicians contact details and qualifications.
To use the ESA letter template for therapists, you can download the sample ESA letter template for therapists from the link at the top of this article. Save this template to your EHR and tailor it for each ESA letter request that you receive.
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