Disability Services Documentation Statement

Transcription

1 Marymount s collaborates with students who have documented disabilities, to provide reasonable accommodations that are individualized, and based on disability documentation, functional limitations, essential requirements, and a collaborative assessment of needs. Page 1 Disability Services Documentation Statement Eligibility -- To be eligible for services, a student must provide appropriate written documentation from a licensed professional, in the field concerning the specific diagnosis. Documentation must validate the presence of a disability, as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act. The documentation should include an evaluation that clearly states what the impairment is, the current impact of the impairment on the student s ability to participate in the university s educational programs and services, functional limitations and the relationship between the functional limitations and the accommodation(s) requested. Processes -- The submission of appropriate documentation to SAS is just one step in the process of registering for support services with SAS. Once SAS receives the documentation and the required SAS Student Registration and Release forms (available online), the student must contact SAS to schedule an intake meeting, to further discuss eligibility and accommodation needs. During or shortly after the intake, an SAS letter of accommodations will be provided to the student, for the student to provide to each of their instructors. The initial documentation does not need to be resubmitted to SAS, but each semester, students will need to secure a currently-dated letter from SAS and obtain new instructor signatures. Documentation Requirements The general and disability-specific requirements that are attached were developed to assist students in working with the treating/diagnosing professional(s) to provide the appropriate information and documentation to SAS. These documentation criteria are based upon the best practices and guidelines set forth by the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) If, after reading this packet, there are questions, please contact SAS:. Information that is provided by public and private special education programs (ex., IEP, 504 Plan, Social History, Special Education Eligibility) may be helpful, but they do not meet the criteria, in terms of adequacy of documentation. If there are any questions about documentation criteria, after reading through the information in this packet, please consult with the Director of SAS, or Note: The University is not required to provide the exact accommodation or modification requested by the student or their treating/diagnosing professional. Requests for accommodations that would alter essential elements, or exceed existing resources may be deemed unreasonable. If this occurs, there may be more reasonable alternatives that would appropriately and fairly accommodate the student s disability needs.

2 Standard Documentation Requirements Documentation submitted to SAS must meet the criteria stated below, in addition to the disability-specific requirements listed on the pages that follow. Page 2 All requests for housing and dining accommodations (including, support animal exceptions), and curriculum modifications or course substitutions must be accompanied by an additional documentation (download forms from the website). 1. Credentials of the evaluator(s): Documentation must be provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has undergone appropriate and comprehensive training, has relevant experience, and has no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated. The credentials of the diagnostician and the condition being reported should match appropriately (e.g., an orthopedic disability may be documented by a physician, but not a psychologist). 2. A diagnostic statement identifying the disability that describes how the condition was diagnosed, providing information on the functional impact and the typical progression or prognosis of the condition. While diagnostic codes from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM) or the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), Disability and Health of the World Health Organization are helpful, a full clinical description is necessary to convey the needed information. 3. Description of the diagnostic methodology used, including a description of the diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods, procedures, tests, and dates of administration, as well as a clinical narrative, observation, and specific results. Where appropriate to the nature of the disability, having both summary data and specific test scores (with the norming population identified) within the report is recommended. 4. Description of current functional limitations: Meaning, information on how the disabling condition(s) currently impact(s) the individual which could include a combination of the results of formal evaluation procedures and a clinical narrative. Documentation must be thorough enough to demonstrate how one or more major life activities is/are substantially limited. Additionally, there needs to be a clear sense of the severity, pervasiveness, and/or frequency of the condition(s). 5. A description of the expected progression or stability of the disability: Documentation must provide information on expected changes in the functional impact of the disability over time and across contexts. Information on the cyclical or episodic nature of the disability, known or suspected environmental triggers to episodes, and potential opportunities to anticipate and plan for varying functional impacts. Please include information on interventions for exacerbations and recommend a timeline for re-assessment. 6. A description of current and past accommodations, services, and/or medications: Please include comprehensive documentation of both current and past medications, auxiliary aids, assistive devices, support services, and accommodations, including their effectiveness in ameliorating functional impacts of the disability. A discussion of significant side effects from current medications or services that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral or cognitive performance must be included in the report. While accommodations provided elsewhere are

3 Page 3 not binding on the current institution, they may provide insight when making present determinations. 7. Recommendations for accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive services, compensatory strategies, or other support services: Recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the individual will provide extremely valuable information for determining and planning reasonable accommodations. Recommendations should be directly related to functional limitations, with a clear explanation of their connection to the disability. Disability-Specific Requirements Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders Documentation must be in the form of a written report based on a current and comprehensive psych-educational evaluation. The following criteria must be addressed: o Clear statement of the DSM-V diagnosis, including pertinent history of ADD/ADHD symptoms demonstrated during childhood. o o Description of current ADD/ADHD symptoms across multiple settings. Psycho-educational evaluation must include standardized measures of cognitive development, academic achievement, information processing, and adaptive/emotional functioning, in addition to measures of attention (TOVA, IVA, TEA). Actual test scores must be provided. o Exclusion of differential diagnoses (i.e. learning or mental health disabilities). o Treatment information including current medication. o Impact of condition in a college environment. Learning Disabilities Documentation must be in the form of a written report based on a current and comprehensive psycho-educational or neuropsychological evaluation. A specific learning disability must be clearly diagnosed utilizing the DSM-V codes. Psycho-educational evaluation must include standardized measures of cognitive development, academic achievement, information processing, and adaptive/emotional functioning. Actual test scores must be provided. Autism Spectrum Disorders Documentation must be in the form of a current and comprehensive psycho-educational or neuropsychological evaluation.

4 Page 4 Evaluation must include standardized measures of cognitive development, academic achievement, information processing, and adaptive/emotional functioning. Actual test scores must be provided. Behavioral, social, and communication issues must be addressed. Traumatic Brain Injuries Documentation must be in the form of a current and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Diagnosis must be made by a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist. Psychological Diagnoses Documentation must be in the form of a current and comprehensive psychological, psychiatric, neuropsychological report, and/or using the Psychological Disability Verification Form (download from the SAS pages of the Marymount website). There must be a specific diagnosis which is consistent with the diagnostic criteria found in the DSM-V. Diagnosis must be made by a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or other practitioner qualified to make this diagnosis. Medical and Physical Impairments Documentation must be in the form of a current and comprehensive medical report, or a detailed practitioner s letter. Doctor s prescription pad notes will not be accepted. Diagnosis must be made by a practitioner qualified to make this diagnosis. Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Documentation must be in the form of either a current and comprehensive medical report An audiological report must be submitted. Diagnosis must be made by an audiologist or other practitioner qualified to make this diagnosis. Visual Impairments/Blindness

5 Page 5 Documentation must be in the form of either a current and comprehensive medical report Diagnosis must be made by an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or other practitioner qualified to make this diagnosis. Speech or other Communication Disabilities Documentation must be in the form of either a current and comprehensive medical report Diagnosis must be made by a speech pathologist or other practitioner qualified to make this diagnosis.