ESA Letter Template
Access a free emotional support animal letter template and Sample to help you create a personalized ESA letter for your patient.
Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.
What is an Emotional Support Animal Letter for Housing?
Emotional support is a critical factor for maintaining mental health and well-being. It can provide individuals with a sense of connectedness, belonging, and self-confidence that fosters emotional resilience. People who receive emotional support during challenging times are more resilient to stress, better able to cope with difficult situations and report feeling more hopeful about life.
An emotional support animal (ESA) can provide comfort and solace in challenging times. An ESA provides companionship, love, and an outlet to express emotions without judgment. They can also be trained to recognize signs of stress and anxiety, providing comfort when needed.
Licensed mental health practitioners (LMHPs) can recommend an ESA as a form of treatment for individuals with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. They can write an for housing to help patients obtain the companionship and support they need. This letter serves as legal documentation that verifies an individual’s need for an ESA.
In general, an ESA letter for housing must include the LMHP’s letterhead, name, contact information, license number, the state where the license was awarded, and its date of issuance. It should also include the patient's name, diagnosis, or condition and a statement confirming the need for an emotional support animal.
Qualifying Emotional Disorders
There are various specific emotional disorders that may qualify the support of ESAs. These disorders include the following:
- Anxiety
- Major depression
- PTSD
- Panic disorder
- Suffering from panic attacks
Emotional Support Animal Requirements
It is important to note that an emotional support animal is not a service animal under the ADA.
Emotional support animals provide comfort for individuals that need it, whereas service animals are trained to perform tasks and work for those with disabilities. Psychiatric service animals are also considered service animals and require extensive training through a professional program.
When it comes to species and breeds, any domestic animal can be an emotional support animal. While service animals are typically dogs, emotional support animals can be any age, breed, weight, or size. This can include dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and fish. Emotional support animals are animals that are kept within households. This does mean that more unique animals, such as monkeys, are not deemed emotional support animals unless there is a very specific case made.
Emotional support animals face more restrictions than service animals in terms of where they are allowed. Emotional support animals may be allowed in the workplace with employer permission, and not every public facility allows access. Restaurants and airlines are not required to allow emotional support animals. in terms of housing, under the Fair Housing Act, individuals will need to consult housing policies and view landlord permits.
Printable ESA Letter Template
Download this ESA letter Template and create personalized and coherent letters for your clients.
How does this ESA Letter for Housing Template work?
This emotional support animal letter template is designed to help you create an effective ESA letter request for your patient's housing provider. Follow the steps below to get started:
Step One: Download the template
Access the free ESA letter template for housing using the link provided on this page. You can also download it from the Carepatron app or the resources library.
Step Two: Fill in the required information
Fill in all fields with your patient's personal and health information. Be sure to include your name, contact information, and license number. You should also include the ESA's type, breed, and name in the letter. Sign the letter to certify that it is valid.
Step Three: Submit the letter
Submit the ESA letter to your patient's housing provider as legal documentation for their request for an emotional support animal. You can provide a printed hard copy or a digital form.
Emotional Support Animal Letter for Housing example (sample)
We have written a sample emotional support animal letter for housing to help you understand how to use the template for patients' ESA requests. This ESA letter sample is written by a fictitious therapist on behalf of a patient with anxiety. You can view the sample here or download the PDF as a reference.
Download the free Emotional Support Animal Letter for Housing example (sample)
When to use an ESA Template Letter for Housing?
An ESA letter template can be helpful when creating an emotional support animal letter for housing. It makes the entire process simpler and more efficient, saving time and effort. You can also use this free template to:
Confirm a patient's eligibility for an ESA
Using this emotional support animal letter template for housing, you can certify a patient's eligibility for an emotional support animal. This letter serves as legal documentation that verifies the need for an ESA and can be shared with the patient's housing provider.
Help a patient obtain an emotional support animal
When a patient has been prescribed an emotional support animal, they can use this ESA letter template to make their request official. This document can help your patients obtain the companionship and support they need and make a lasting impact on their mental health.
Secure the rights of patients with disabilities
This ESA letter template can help you validate the emotional support animal's type, breed, and name. It also helps protect your patient by confirming their need for an ESA and ensuring they are not denied housing due to their condition.
Who can write an ESA Letter?
This free emotional support animal letter for housing template is designed to help mental health professionals create effective ESA letters for their patients. It can be used by licensed mental health providers such as:
- Psychologists
- Therapists
- Psychiatrists
- Counselors
- Clinical social workers
- Psychiatric pharmacists
Why use this Emotional Support Animal Letter app?
Are you a mental health professional looking for an efficient practice management platform? Look no further than Carepatron! Our easy-to-use platform streamlines your workflow, so you can focus on providing your clients with the best care.
With features like appointment scheduling, client notes, billing and invoicing, automated reminders, secure messaging, and document management, Carepatron has everything you need to keep your practice running smoothly. Plus, you can rest easy knowing your data is secure and HIPAA compliant.
Even better, our team is available 24/7 to answer any questions or troubleshoot any issues that may arise—you’ll never have to worry about being without support. We also designed our platform to be easy to use so that even the most tech-challenged professionals can get up and running quickly.
At Carepatron, we believe all mental health professionals deserve the tools to provide quality care to their clients. See how Carepatron can help you streamline your practice. Sign up today!
Commonly asked questions
You can use an ESA letter for housing to prove that a patient has been prescribed an emotional support animal and is eligible for living with one.
ESA stands for Emotional Support Animal. An ESA is an animal that provides therapeutic benefits to its owner through companionship and affection.
An emotional support animal letter is a document that verifies the need for an ESA. It serves as legal documentation that can be presented to your patient's housing provider to help them obtain the companionship and support they need.
