← Mental Health Testing & Certification
Emotional support animal (ESA) certificate
An assessment of whether an emotional support animal may be clinically appropriate for your mental health. A certificate is issued only when it is.
What’s involved
- Book a time for the initial consultation.
- Fill in the assessment form. It comes by email, and needs to be done before the session.
- The initial consultation, 50 minutes, the same length as a counselling session.
- The certificate, when the assessment supports it.
A certificate or recommendation is issued only when the assessment supports it.
The fee covers the mental health assessment, the consultation and issuing the certificate. If further sessions are clinically recommended or requested after the assessment, they are booked and charged separately at the usual session fee.
A certificate can recommend further sessions and still be issued. Where the assessment supports it, the certificate says what was found at the time and notes the recommendation.
How long it takes
Results are usually available within one to two weeks, depending on the assessment and number of tests involved. Keep this lead time in mind if you need the certificate by a specific date.
What you’ll need
A stable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a quiet, private space. You may also be asked to complete questionnaires or provide background information before or during the assessment.
What an ESA certificate does and does not do here
The Philippines has no law that formally recognises emotional support animals or gives them public access rights. Airlines, landlords and housing providers may accommodate an ESA case by case, but a certificate does not guarantee it. Check your airline’s policy before you travel, and ask individual landlords or establishments about theirs.
How to arrange it
Book the initial consultation online. It’s where it’s decided which assessment applies, and the assessment form is emailed to you beforehand.
Some purposes call for tests that aren’t available through New Ground, or for an assessment done in person. Contact us with what the certificate is for. We will tell you which assessment applies, then arrange the sessions.