Thank you for your interest in being paired with a CTM assistance dog.
By initiating the application process you agree that you are, to the best of your knowledge, eligible to be paired with a CTM assistance dog in accordance with the highlighted eligibility criteria.
Application Request
Fill out this form to receive application packet!
Completed application packets must be returned to:
Continuing the Mission
4520 Davidson Rd.
Davidson, NC 28036
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT
Interview & Home Visit
Notify your Mental Health Provider that they have your permission to discuss your private health information with a CTM representative. Note: Once an application is received, the review process may take from several weeks to several months. It takes time to arrange interviews, home visits, and for professionals to connect and validate the application.
A personal interview will be conducted by a representative of CTM. Subsequent to the interview, a determination will be made as to whether or not a assistance dog would be a good fit for the Veteran and his/her treatment of PTSD.
A CTM representative will then conduct a home visit at the Veteran’s residence to ensure a stable and safe environment for the assistance dog.
Behavioral Health Consultant
Once the personal interview and home visit are complete and a recommendation has been made that the Veteran should receive an assistance dog, a CTM representative will direct the application and accumulated information to the Behavioral Health Consultant for validation with the Veteran’s health care provider.
After the Veteran has received the Behavioral Health Consultant’s approval, participated in the personal interview, and a home visit has been conducted, a final determination will be made, and an offer will be extended to the Veteran.
Waiting Period
Due to the amount of time required to train an assistance dog (typically 2 years) and the availability of appropriate puppies to train, there could be a waiting period for a dog to be ready. The Veteran will be given an estimated expected waiting period, pending any potential fluctuations if dogs do not pass medical, proofing, or temperament tests.
Pairing
The Veteran will be expected to travel to the Davidson, NC area at their personal expense to work with a trainer and the assistance dog to complete a minimum of 50 hours of live training with the dog and 10 hours of coursework.
This process can take 1-2 weeks. Every attempt will be made to find discounted or no cost lodging for the Veteran during this time. At a minimum, the Veteran/assistance dog team will be required to travel annually to the Davidson, NC area at their expense to re-certify the American Kennel Club – CGC, CGC Advanced and CGC Urban tests and demonstrate the use of the specific tasks the dog performs to help the Veteran in their daily life.
Additional visits may be deemed necessary depending on the situation. Lastly, the Veteran must submit the required documentation annually, to verify that the dog is up to date on all vaccines, is heartworm negative, and is in good health, to include weight. Periodic check-ins may be made throughout the year to provide continued training.