SERVICE ANIMAL & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL POLICY
The US Department of Transportation Final Rule on Traveling by air with Service Animals became effective January11,2021 (14 CFR Part 382). This Final Rule contains two major implications for the role of Psychologists.
1. Airlines are no longer required to recognize Emotional Support Animals as Service Animals, and therefore do not qualify for special accommodations for passengers with disabilities.
2. Psychiatric service animal users will no longer be required to provide a letter from a licensed mental health professional detailing the passenger's need for the animal.
Instead, The Final Rule now requires passengers to submit to the airlines a standard set of forms to provide documentation supporting qualification for a passenger in need of the assistance of a Service Animal.
In accord and compliance with the new Final Rule effective Jan 11, 2021, our clinicians no longer provide "Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letters", as they are no longer required or relevant. Further information and a link to the Final Rule on Traveling by air with Service Animals is provided for you on our "Links" page.
MEDICATION POLICIES
Please be aware that Florida Licensed Psychologists are not allowed to prescribe medications. Although Dr. Baker has completed a Post-Doctoral Master's Degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology, he will not be able to prescribe medication as part of therapy. If you already have a prescribing clinician, we can certainly work closely with your prescriber in the interest of participating in your comprehensive care plan. If you anticipate that medication will be a necessary component of your care, you will need to seek a referral to a prescribing clinician. Once that component of your care plan is in place and stable, we can consider non-drug services that we can provide at Suncoast Behavioral Medicine.
We are in the process of updating our Web page. Please stay tuned...
