Laws, Ethics and Criteria for ESAs and Service Animals
Enroll in the Online Self-Study and complete the training on your own schedule.
1.5 Ethics CE Credits available for behavioral health clinicians completing the Online Self-Study.
This course will teach you the definitions and differences between Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals. We will discuss recommendations for training and selection of each type of animal. New Department of Transportation requirements will be presented. An overview of considerations for Mental Health Professionals before writing an ESA letter will be presented. Ethics and advocacy of ESA and Service animals will be included.
Learning Objectives:
- List the only two types of animals that can be a service animal.
- Explain the current Department of Transportation travel requirements for Service and Emotional Support Animals.
- Explain how to ethically write an ESA letter for mental health clients, when appropriate.
- Laws, Ethics and Criteria for ESAs and Service Animals
- Description
- Learning Objectives
- Instructors
- CE Hours
- How to Complete the Course and Earn CEs
- Course Policies
- Who Should Attend
- Teaching Methods
- Course Availability
Select each tab above to view specific details about this course
This course will teach you the definitions and differences between Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals. We will discuss recommendations for training and selection of each type of animal. New Department of Transportation requirements will be presented. An overview of considerations for Mental Health Professionals before writing an ESA letter will be presented. Ethics and advocacy of ESA and Service animals will be included.
This course was recorded on May 6, 2022
Upon completion of this training, professionals will be able to do the following:
- List the only two types of animals that can be a service animal.
- Explain the current Department of Transportation travel requirements for Service and Emotional Support Animals.
- Explain how to ethically write an ESA letter for mental health clients, when appropriate.
Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D, LCMHCS, LCAS-A, THTC, AAT-I, CYT-200
Dr. Christina works with a variety of animals in her private practice with clients. She teaches an accredited AAT certification course and conducts AAT workshops for professionals annually. She is a Pet Partners Evaluator. She is an advocate for rescue animals and lives with her rescue family in NC.
You can find Dr. Strayer here and here.
Mike Buonasorte
Mike has years of experience, helping hundreds of dog owners reach their goals and live happier lives with their dogs. Graduating at the top of his class from the prestigious Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers, he studied under some of the best trainers in the industry, and learned through real-world experience, helping clients with a range of needs.
He continues to test and prove his skills by competing with his personal dogs in various dog sports, and continues to educate himself on the most up-to-date and effective methods, theories, and problem-solving techniques.
You can find Mike by clicking here.
Credit Hours:
This course provides 1.5 ethics credit hours
Counselors: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0048. Approval renewal date: 1/31/2026
Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if this course would be accepted by your licensing board.
Social Workers: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2021 – 05/02/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 ethics continuing education credits.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0435. Approval renewal date: 2/28/2026
Psychologists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0128. Effective 8/31/2021 – 8/31/2024
Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists #CAT-0093. 7/21/2021 – 7/31/2024
Other Professionals: This course qualifies for 90 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
To receive your certificate of completion you must complete the course in its entirety.
Online courses are completed by registering, logging in, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), completing all of the modules, completing and passing the post-test, and completing the course evaluation. Participants have 6 months from registration to access and complete online self-study courses.
Live Webinar courses are completed by registering, logging in to this website, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), attending the full course via webinar, submitting your attendance, and completing the post-test and course evaluation online.
Psychologists and other professionals seeking CE credit through our approval with the American Psychological Association are asked, but not required, to complete the course evaluation before obtaining their certificate of completion, however passing a post-test for online self-study courses and live webinars, and submitting one's attendance for live on-site and live webinars is required.
You can receive your certificate of completion by logging onto this website, navigating to the course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), scroll to the bottom of your course, and click on your certificate to either download it or print it.
Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.
Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
Click here to view our Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
Cancellation Policy
Refunds are offered within the first 30 days for courses which have not been completed. There is a $25 service fee for refunds.
Grievance Policy
This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.
Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
This program was recorded May 6, 2022
You have six months to access online courses from the time of purchase.
Dr. Christina Strayer
Ed.D, LCMHCS, LCAS-A,
THTC, AAT-I, CYT-200
Dr. Christina works with a variety of animals in her private practice with clients. She teaches an accredited AAT certification course and conducts AAT workshops for professionals annually. She is a Pet Partners Evaluator. She is an advocate for rescue animals and lives with her rescue family in NC.
You can find more about Dr. Strayer by clicking here.
Michael Buonasorte
Mike has years of experience, helping hundreds of dog owners reach their goals and live happier lives with their dogs. Graduating at the top of his class from the prestigious Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers, he studied under some of the best trainers in the industry, and learned through real-world experience, helping clients with a range of needs.
He continues to test and prove his skills by competing with his personal dogs in various dog sports, and continues to educate himself on the most up-to-date and effective methods, theories, and problem-solving techniques.
You can read more about Mike by clicking here.
The course was so informative and I was glued to my screen for the entire duration. I received so much knowledge concerning ethics in telehealth and I am greatly encouraged to read about all the standards and policies that pertain to my practice. Thank you!.