HHS, VA and partners showcase service-dog training and mental-health resources at Mental Health Awareness Month event

Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, joined Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal partners at an NIH event marking Mental Health Awareness Month, where six Warrior Canine Connection puppies in training were introduced and program leaders described how trained dogs and volunteer handlers support veterans’ mental health.

Levine said the puppies help center people during stressful times and highlighted interagency work with SAMHSA and the 988 crisis line. "What could be better than puppies?" she said, noting the event’s focus on both community supports and clinical services.

Dr. Elnahal, the VA’s Undersecretary for Health Affairs, described the PAWS program at the Palo Alto VA, where veterans participate in training service dogs. He said veterans in the program reported life-changing benefits and urged sustained funding and research to quantify clinical and emotional effects.

Representatives from Warrior Canine Connection explained the organization’s breeding and early socialization work with Labrador and Golden Retriever litters and outlined the volunteer "puppy parent" model: volunteers keep pups in their homes for weekly training sessions, typically for up to a year and a half, before dogs return for advanced training. Trainers demonstrated marker-word reinforcement and early commands, and noted it takes roughly two years for a dog to complete service-dog training.

A Public Health Service officer introduced Lieutenant Commander Abigail, the Commissioned Corps mascot, and demonstrated trained behaviors used when visiting patients and staff at NIH clinical facilities. A USPHS officer emphasized that service animals are trained to respond to stress cues and that people should always ask the handler before approaching a service dog.

Speakers tied the program to published and ongoing research: trainers and VA staff noted interactions with dogs can prompt oxytocin release and described prior research partnerships, including military medical research at Walter Reed, while also calling for more systematic study to quantify outcomes.

Health staff and clinicians used the gathering to share practical mental-health guidance. Dr. Crystal Lewis, a licensed clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, urged attendees to track mood and behavior, reach out to providers, and use grounding strategies such as a five-senses exercise. Chaplain Michael Zusman led a brief loving-kindness meditation underscoring social connection and compassion.

Sonia Chess, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, highlighted crisis and treatment resources: the 988 line (call, text or chat), findtreatment.gov, and SAMHSA’s disaster helpline. She noted 988 includes text services in Spanish, a video-phone option for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and specialized services for LGBTQI youth; she also described a veterans-specific 988 option for service members in crisis.

Rear Admiral Kiss Robertson Hale, Chief Veterinary Officer for the U.S. Public Health Service, discussed veterinarians’ roles in food safety, zoonotic disease prevention, epidemiology and emergency response, and reminded attendees to respect service-animal boundaries while interacting with dogs at public events.

Organizers framed the event as part demonstration, part outreach: trainers and federal officials advocated expanding veteran engagement in dog-training programs, increasing funding for research on clinical benefit, and promoting available crisis resources. No formal votes or policy actions were taken at the event; speakers encouraged attendees to use the 988 crisis line or find local providers via findtreatment.gov for immediate help.