Emotional support animals are no longer the unusual anomaly they once were. Even those who are entirely unfamiliar with service dogs and their emotional alternatives are at least tangentially aware of ESAs. For many therapists and LMHPs (licensed mental health professionals), writing up ESA letters is becoming increasingly common.
Unfortunately, it is still something that many professionals may be unaware of or not as well-researched as they may prefer. To help with this, we have decided to provide people with an easy-to-follow outline that adheres to legal guidelines.
In the following sections, we will provide you with an easy-to-follow template and what laws you need to follow and understand. By the end of this article, you will be aware of what an ESA letter can provide a patient, and how to create one simply and easily from scratch.
What Is an ESA?
An emotional support animal is any dog, cat, or critter that can help alleviate symptoms of a mental or emotional ailment. This can be a dog leaning into a person suffering from an anxiety attack, all the way to a lizard providing company to someone struggling with depression. ESAs have shown measurable benefits to people with mental health issues.
The Americans with Disabilities Act defines an emotional support animal as any animal that has been approved by a medical professional to help alleviate a patient’s mental or emotional ailment. This does not mean the animal needs to be trained to provide specific benefits; it simply states that their companionship is enough to label them qualified for emotional support.
While there is some obvious overlap, emotional support animals are not considered service dogs and do not share the same legal benefits. Examples include air travel, which allows service dogs to fly with their owner under the Air Carrier Access Act, while emotional support animals are not deemed essential and will typically be required to be stowed away.
If you are interested in knowing what protections your emotional support animal has, consider researching what your state laws say about ESAs.
The one benefit that is nationally recognized under the Fair Housing Act is the emotional support animal’s ability to live in most legal dwellings without the express approval of the landlord. While many apartments, townhouses, or condos will state that they do not allow pets, emotional support animals are not legally defined as pets within the United States.
Why Do You Need an ESA Letter?
If a person wants to have an emotional support animal to improve their day-to-day lives, they cannot adopt a chinchilla and declare it an emotional support animal. They will need the approval of a licensed mental health professional in their state, who can write up an ESA letter for them to use.
Without an ESA letter, a person will not be entitled to the benefits of owning an emotional support animal. For those who need an emotional support animal in a living space that prohibits pets, it is essential to provide a landlord with an ESA letter; they can reject your request outright.
For those interested in getting an emotional support animal letter, always be wary of scammers or sketchy sites, as fraud is unfortunately fairly common. Utilize businesses that work with licensed mental health professionals, and don’t be afraid to check the credentials of the individuals involved in writing the ESA letter.
What to Include in an ESA Letter
Because of the many forgeries found today, it is not uncommon for people to be skeptical of the authenticity of an ESA letter. To ensure that you are following Housing and Urban Development Guidelines, we recommend not only looking over the legislation itself, but also ensuring you include the following in your ESA letter.
ESA letters do not need to state the client’s disability; they just need to confirm that they have a disability that makes them eligible for an emotional support animal.
Heading
An ESA letter should start with your legal name, ways to contact you, and an address for your office, should you have one.
Client’s Full Name
ESA letters are personal to the client and should not be copied and pasted using a generic template like the one below. Instead, state the client’s full name wherever it is applicable throughout the letter.
The Date the Letter Was Issued
A person with an emotional support animal will need to have their letter updated on a yearly basis. The date that the letter was issued is necessary and should be clearly stated on any ESA letter you draft.
Acknowledgement of Disability and Recommendation for an ESA
While it is not required to state the person’s disability in an ESA letter, it should clearly confirm that they have a disability. Similarly, it should also state that the negative symptoms of the disability can be improved or reduced with the companionship of their emotional support animal.
Laws Covering Emotional Support Animals
The ESA letter should reference the federal laws that protect emotional support animals and their owners.
Name, Signature, License Information, State
The ESA letter will require you to state your license number, license type, the state that you practice in, as well as your name and signature, to comply with legal guidelines. Failure to do so can invalidate the letter.
ESA Letter Template
The following is a basic template for therapists and other mental health experts to utilize for patients who fit the criteria for an emotional support animal. Bear in mind that you will need to personalize these letters to fit any state laws that may differ from national guidelines, should they apply.
The following template serves as an educational example and should not be used as a tool to scam landlords or individuals requiring genuine ESA letters. If you still feel unprepared to handle an ESA letter, consider reaching out to a specialist instead.
(Heading, Contact Details, and Business Address)
(Date The Letter Was Issued)
Dear (Landlord/Housing Provider)
After a thorough evaluation of my patient (Patient/Client’s Name), it is my professional opinion that they meet the requirements for a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act.
My conclusion is that (Client’s First Name) struggles with (Stress Management/Social Skills/Depression/Anxiety, etc.). To enhance their quality of life and improve their ability to live independently in the legal dwelling you own and/or oversee, I am prescribing an emotional support animal to assist (Client’s First Name) with their disability.
In accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, my client is legally permitted to live with an emotional support animal.
The close company of this/these animal(s) is imperative to lessen the symptoms that (Client’s First Name) is struggling with due to their disability. This disability is recognized in the DSM-5 handbook (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and can sincerely limit their quality of life.
I am qualified and licensed to practice (License Type) in the state of (Licensed State) under License number (License Number Here).
Sincerely,
(Legal Name, Date, and Signature)
Things to Remember About the ESA Letter Template
Emotional support animals provide much-needed assistance to those suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, several phobias, and more. For an individual to receive the benefits of an emotional support animal, such as housing accommodations, they will need an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional.
ESA letters need to be renewed annually and require certain professional details from the LMHP, such as their license number, type, the state they practice in, and more. While the template above can serve as a valuable example to work from, experts should familiarize themselves with the laws that oversee emotional support animals.