Marion…. On Friday,
State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) joined Governor Bruce Rauner in
Marion for the signing of House Bill 2897 into law. The new law, sponsored by
Rep. Severin, amends the Unified Code of Corrections to allow the Helping Paws
Service Dog Program to begin training service dogs for veterans with
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression.
"I am proud to have sponsored HB 2897, a law that will help veterans
suffering from PTSD or depression," Severin said. "I also want to
thank Governor Rauner for signing the bill in Marion, where the Marion VA
Hospital serves thousands of veterans from Southern Illinois and beyond.”
Severin noted that PTSD and depression are serious mental health issues
affecting many veterans, and service dogs have proven to help them cope.
"This new law will help us keep our promise to provide top quality
care for our veterans," Severin said. "The program has had a positive
impact for the Illinoisans it currently serves, so I’m proud that we’ll now be
able to utilize it to benefit veterans suffering from PTSD and depression. I'm
thankful to my colleagues in the House and Senate and the Governor for
recognizing the importance of helping our veterans that are struggling from the
mental scars of war.”
The Helping Paws Service Dog Program is administered by the Illinois
Department of Corrections. HB 2897 received unanimous support in both the House
and the Senate and is the first bill initiated by Representative Severin to be
signed into law.
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