Psychiatric Disability
Students, faculty and staff with a psychiatric disability who are requesting accommodations or services through the Office of Disability Services are required to provide appropriate documentation of their disability from a licensed professional. These guidelines describe the necessary components for acceptable documentation.
Criteria
Diagnosis
A psychiatric disability should meet the criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis, excluding Adjustment Disorders and Other Conditions that May Be A Focus of Clinical Attention (V Codes). Most typical diagnoses would include:
- Schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders
- Major Affective Disorders: Clinical Depression, Bipolar, or
- Major Affective Disorder
- Chronic Eating Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders: ADD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Dissociative Disorders
- Mental Disorders secondary to a medical condition
- Personality Disorders
- Substance abuse or alcoholism
Severity
Documentation must include information on how the psychiatric disorder and/or related medications and treatments interfere or limit any major life activity including participation in courses, programs, services or activities of the college.
Information to be provided by diagnostician
- A brief description of the condition.
- Assessment of the severity of current symptoms and chronicity of the disability.
- A brief assessment of the history/current status of the disability, including medications and treatments.
- What accommodations have been provided in the past?
- What accommodations are recommended that address specific functional limitations?
- Additional information that may be useful in providing appropriate and effective accommodations at the post-secondary level.
