Services for Students with Disabilities

Psychological Disabilities

Guidelines for Documentation of a Psychological Disability

 

Students with a psychological disability are provided accommodations and coordinated support services through the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. Support services and accommodations are determined by the individual diagnostic information submitted by the student. Students requesting services are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Because psychological disabilities can change over time, current diagnosis is critical for providing appropriate accommodations. Therefore, documentation may be required on a yearly basis. Please provide a written report that includes the following information.

I. Qualifications of the Evaluator

The documentation must include the following information and be typed on letterhead, dated, and signed:

  • Names, titles, address and phone numbers of evaluator(s)
  • License/certification, area of specialization, place of employment of evaluator(s)
  • Documentation for psychological disabilities should come from primary health care professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychological nurses, and other appropriate licensed mental health professionals. The Director or the Coordinator for Services for Students with Disabilities is available to consult with diagnosticians regarding any of these guidelines.
  • The diagnosing professional may not be a relative.

 

II. Diagnosis

The documentation must include a clear statement of the individual's psychological condition (DSM IV diagnosis with Axes I, II, and V), with a description of diagnostic tests, methods, and/or criteria used.

 

III. Evaluation and Treatment

The documentation must give dates of evaluation or treatment (from _____ to_____ ) in order to establish the history of the condition and recency of the evaluation (must be within the last year). This should include specific results and the examiner's narrative interpretation. The evaluation should include treatments, medications, or assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use. In addition, please provide a description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the disability over time, particularly the next five years.

If this person has been referred for a complete battery of testing for learning disabilities or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder to rule out any co-morbidity, please provide a copy of the documentation and date completed.

 

IV. Accommodations

The documentation should indicate how the individual's condition might affect him/her in the academic/college setting. The evaluation should list functional limitations experienced by the student. This is very helpful in choosing appropriate accommodations. The attached list can be used as a checksheet by the evaluator(s).

 

NOTE: Beyond the four (4) elements needed for documentation, recommendations for accommodations, adaptive device, assistive services, compensatory strategies, and/or collateral support services (i.e. counseling, etc.) will be considered within the context of the student's program.

NOTE TO STUDENTS: Due to the nature of Psychological Disabilities, recency of documentation is critical for providing appropriate accommodations and support services. Depending on the disability, evaluations may need to be updated as often as every six (6) months.

 

You may download these Guidelines along with the required documentation form for Psychological Disabilities as a (Word 97-03 Doc) or (Adobe PDF).

 

Last updated: Thursday, 23-Jul-2009 11:07:24 EDT