LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 108.02 Service Animals in the Workplace
 
Policy Category:  Administrative
Distribution Level:  Directly Operated
Responsible Party:  Human Resources
 
Approved by Marvin J. Southard, DSW, Director, on October 25, 2011
 
I.  PURPOSE
 
The purpose of this policy is to establish Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH/Department) guidelines under which service animals are permitted in the workplace.

To provide guidelines which prohibit all non-service animals from being in DMH workplaces.

To establish behavioral standards for service animals and responsibilities for the owners/handlers regarding their service animals.

To set behavioral standards for employees and others who may have contact with service animals.

To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, that a person with disabilities may be accompanied by their service animal in DMH workplaces.
 
II.  DEFINITIONS
 
Services Animal: Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. Service animals are working animals not pets.

Workplace: Any building, site, or vehicle owned, leased, or operated DMH, or any site where staff are meeting or providing services to individuals.

Pet: A domestic animal kept for pleasure or companionship. Pets are not permitted in the workplace.

Employees: Individuals including, but not limited to; paid staff, volunteers, student interns, and contract employees.

Clients: Individuals who are receiving services either from DMH or from contract agencies.
 
III.  POLICY
 
Employees, clients, and/or family members may bring service animals into the workplace when necessary.

In order to ensure the safety of all employees, clients, and/or visitors, only service animals are permitted in the workplace. Safety, security and orderliness require that all other animals be prohibited from DMH workplaces.

The service animal owner/handler is responsible for control and care of the service animal, including all needs of the animal.
 
IV.  PROCEDURES
 
V.  AUTHORITY