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Documentation
of a Psychiatric/Psychological Disability
Students
who are seeking support services from Saint Martins University on the
basis of a psychological/psychiatric disability are required to submit
documentation to verify eligibility. Documentation
of a psychological/psychiatric disability consists of a written report, which
includes a diagnosis and 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 or
psychologist)
qualified to diagnose a psychiatric or psychological
disorder.
2.
be
comprehensive. The
documentation should include a
diagnosis which is 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) and how the disorder impacts
the
student’s functioning and education.
Further assessment by
an appropriate professional may be required
if co-existing
learning disabilities and other disabling conditions are
indicated.
The
report should be on professional letterhead, signed by the individual making
the diagnosis, and include the following information:
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How
long the diagnostician has treated the student and the date of last
contact;
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Instruments
and/or procedures used to diagnose;
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Current
symptoms, which satisfy the DSM-IV or DSM-IV-TR criteria and the
approximate date of onset;
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DSM-IV
or DSM-IV-TR diagnosis;
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Treatment
being used (e.g. medication, counseling, etc);
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How
this disorder impacts the student in the postsecondary environment; and
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Diagnostician’s
name, title, license number, address, and phone number.
3. be
current. In most
cases, this means within the past year.
Due to the nature of some psychological and psychiatric
disorders,
updated reports may be requested. 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.
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