Policy, Program, and Other Supports

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides therapeutic benefit (e.g., emotional support, comfort, companionship) to a person with a mental health or psychiatric disability (such as a serious mental health condition). An ESA is not considered a Service Animal, but under U.S. law, an emotional support animal is also not considered a pet and is generally not restricted by the type of animal^{.1, 2} Any domesticated animal may be considered as an ESA (e.g., cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, birds, hedgehogs, rats, minipigs, ferrets, etc.) and they can be any age. However, an ESA must be able to be manageable in public and does not create a nuisance. In this tip sheet we describe what an Emotional Support Animal is an is not as well as how someone can look into getting one.

Do you know that you can take your Emotional Support Animal (ESA) with you to college? Find out more about bringing your ESA to college with you in this tip sheet.

A Family Safety Plan is a tool created collaboratively with your loved one with lived experience of mental health condition(s), family members, medical staff and friends. It’s your “playbook” of the best ways to minimize or divert a mental health crisis. 

Transitions ACR researchers Tracy Neville, Emily Sudbrock, and Dee Logan presented at the 2023 KTDRR Conference on Nov. 6-9, 2023.