This page is to allow anyone follow Luna's progress through her training and assessments. What is a Mental Health Assistance Dog (MHAD)? A dog individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual disabled by mental illness. What types of mental health impairments can be assisted by a MHAD? Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Panic
Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Personality Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and others. The common experience of those choosing partnerships with Assistance Dogs is that they increase independence and wellbeing, as well as providing invaluable companionship, and generally improving the quality of life of their impaired partners. What tasks can MHADs be trained to do? Remind handler to take medication at a specified time
Turn on lights and search a room for intruders
Warm handler’s body during a panic attack
Interrupt checking and other repetitive behaviours
Stay with handler during acute emotional stress
Accompany handler outside the home
Alert to mania, panic attacks or dissociative episodes
Interrupt dissociative episodes or flashbacks
Assist handler in discerning ‘reality’ from auditory or visual hallucinations
Mediate hyper-vigilance, assist with threat assessment secondary to PTSD
Provide a constant, safe grounding presence
Be trustworthy companion when handler is negotiating paranoia
Homeostasis stabilization
Where are MHADs allowed to go? Assistance Dogs, also known as Service Dogs are allowed access to spaces open to the public, including but not limited to: restaurants, hospitals, airplanes, doctor’s offices, cabs, zoos, stores, etc. Where may MHADs be lawfully excluded? MHADs may be lawfully excluded from private spaces including but not limited to private homes, private clubs, etc. They may also be excluded from spaces where their presence constitutes a safety risk, (e.g., operating rooms, radioactive laboratories, heavy construction sites) or an imminent threat.
