Documentation of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

Students who are seeking support services from Saint Martins University on the basis of AD/HD are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility.  Documentation of AD/HD consists of the provision of professional testing and evaluation and a written report, which addresses specific academic needs of the student.  The cost and responsibility for providing this professional evaluation shall be borne by the student.

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that the report is appropriate for documenting eligibility.  Documentation presented to the Office of Disability Support Services will remain in a private confidential file in the Office of Disability Support Services.  The Director of Disability Support Services is available to consult with diagnosticians regarding these guidelines.  The report should:

1.      be prepared by a professional (e.g. licensed psychiatrist,
         psychologist, or physician) qualified to diagnose AD/HD.
         Experience in evaluation of adults with AD/HD is essential.

2.       be comprehensive.  The use of a single test and/or informal
          screening instruments is not acceptable for the purpose of
          diagnosis.  Written reports should be consistent with the
          diagnostic criteria found in the American Psychological
          Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
          Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) or the DSM-IV-TR (Text
          Revision). A battery of psychological tests and behavior rating
          scales, a thorough social and educational history and interviews
          with the student and family are essential.  Current research
          states that paper and pencil tests that are commonly used to
          diagnose learning disabilities are not definitive for diagnosing
          AD/HD, but they do serve to alert the examiner to possible
          concomitant disabilities.

The report should be on professional letterhead, signed by the individual making the diagnosis, and include the following information:

• How long the diagnostician has treated the student and the date of last contact;
•  Instruments and/or procedures used to diagnose;
• Current symptoms, which satisfy the DSM-IV or DSM-IV-TR criteria and the approximate date of onset;
• DSM-IV or DSM-IV-TR diagnosis;
• Treatment being used (e.g. medication, counseling, etc);
• How this disorder impacts the student in the postsecondary environment; and
• Diagnostician’s name, title, license number, address, and phone number.

3.      be current.  In most cases, this means within the past three
         years and/or the assessment was completed when the individual
         was an adult (age 18).  Since assessment constitutes the basis
         for determining reasonable accommodation, it is in a student’s
         best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation to
         serve as the basis for decision-making about the student’s need
         for accommodations in an academically competitive
         environment.

4.       present clear and specific evidence, which identifies the
          individual’s present level of functioning and how the student’s
          education may be impacted.

5.       provide sufficient data to support the particular academic
          adjustment(s) requested.  The documentation should
          demonstrate the individual has a disability in accordance with
          the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the
          Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  Requests, which are not supported
          by documentation, may not be approved without additional
          verification.