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Verification
for Psychological/Psychiatric Accommodation
I.
Must Be a Covered Disability
| A. |
To establish that an individual is covered under the ADA, documentation
must indicate that a specific disability exists and that the
identified disability substantially limits one or more
major life activities. A diagnosis of a disorder/condition/syndrome
in and of itself does not automatically qualify an individual
for accommodations under the ADA. The documentation must also
support the request for accommodations, academic adjustments,
and/or auxiliary aids. |
| B. |
“Psychiatric
disabilities" is a generic term used to refer to a variety
of conditions involving psychological, emotional, and behavioral
disorders and syndromes. The two official sources designed to
outline the criteria used in making these diagnoses is the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TR). For
the purpose of determining eligibility for accommodation, the
symptoms must meet the ADA definition of a disability. |
| C. |
Information
and documentation submitted to verify accommodation eligibility
must be comprehensive in order to avoid unnecessary delays in
decision making related to the provision of accommodations. |
II. Documentation Requirements
| A. |
A Qualified Professional Must Conduct the Evaluation |
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| 1. |
Diagnoses
of psychological disabilities documented by family members
will not be accepted due to professional and ethical considerations
even when the family members are otherwise qualified by
virtue of training and licensure/certification. The issue
of dual relationships as defined by various codes of professional
ethics should be considered in determining whether a professional
is in an appropriate position to provide the necessary
documentation. |
| 2. |
Professionals
conducting evaluations and rendering diagnoses or diagnostic
impressions of and making recommendations for accommodations
must be qualified to do so. Generally, psychologists,
psychiatrists, relevantly trained physicians and relevantly
trained licensed professional counselors are considered
qualified. Finally, the name, title, and credentials of
the qualified professional writing the report should be
included. Information about license or certification,
as well as the area of specialization, employment, and
state or province in which the individual practices, should
also be clearly stated in the documentation. All reports
should be in English, typed or printed on professional
letterhead, dated, and signed. |
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| B. |
Documentation
Must Be Current |
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| 1. |
Due
to the changing nature of psychiatric disabilities, it
is essential that a test taker provide recent and appropriate
documentation from a qualified evaluator. Since reasonable
accommodations are based upon the current impact of the
disability, the documentation must address the individual's
current level of functioning and the need for accommodations
(e.g., due to observed changes in performance or medication
changes since previous assessment). |
| 2. |
If
the diagnostic report is more than six months old the
test taker must also submit a letter from a qualified
professional that provides an update of the diagnosis,
a description of the test taker's current level of functioning
during the preceding six months, and a rationale for the
requested testing accommodations. |
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| C. |
Documentation
Necessary to Support the Diagnosis Must Be Comprehensive
In most cases, documentation should be based on a comprehensive
diagnostic/clinical evaluation that adheres to the guidelines
outlined in this document. The diagnostic report should include
the following components: |
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| 1. |
A
specific diagnosis |
| 2. |
History of presenting symptoms |
| 3. |
Duration
and severity of the disorder |
| 4. |
A
specific request for accommodations with accompanying
rationale |
| 5. |
Relevant,
developmental, historical, and familial data |
| 6. |
Relevant
medical and medication history, including the individual's
current medication regimen compliance, side effects (if
relevant), and response to medication |
| 7. |
A
description of current functional limitations in different
settings with the understanding that a psychological disorder
usually presents itself across a variety of settings other
than just the academic domain and that its expression
is often influenced by context-specific variables (e.g.,
school-based performance) |
| 8. |
If
relevant to test taking performance, a description of
the expected progression or stability of the impact of
the condition over time |
| 9. |
If
relevant to test taking performance, information regarding
kind of treatment and duration/consistency of the therapeutic
relationship |
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| D. |
Alternative
Diagnoses or Explanations Should Be Ruled Out-The evaluator
must also investigate and rule out the possibility of other
potential diagnoses involving neurological and/or medical conditions
or substance abuse, as well as educational, linguistic, sensorimotor,
and cross-cultural factors that may result in symptoms mimicking
the purported psychiatric disability. |
| E. |
Rationale
for Requested Accommodations Must Be Provided -The evaluator
must describe the degree of impact of the diagnosed psychiatric
disorder on a specific major life activity, as well as the degree
of impact on the individual. A link must be established between
the requested accommodations and the functional limitations
of the individual that are pertinent to the academic situation.
Accommodations will be provided only when a clear and convincing
rationale is made for the necessity of the accommodation. A
diagnosis in and of itself does not automatically warrant approval
of requested accommodations. Psycho educational, neuropsychological
or behavioral assessments are often necessary to support the
need for testing accommodations based on the potential for psychiatric
disorders to interfere with cognitive performance. |
III.
Terms that may be helpful in understanding verification requirements:
| A. |
Psychiatric disabilities: Comprise a range of conditions characterized
by emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral dysfunction. Diagnoses
are provided in the DSM-IV-TR or the ICD-10.
Note that not all conditions listed in the DSM-IV-TR are
disabilities, or even impairments for purposes of the ADA. Therefore,
a diagnosis of a disability does not, in and of itself, meet
the definition of a disability necessitating reasonable accommodations
under the ADA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. |
| B. |
Major
life activity: Examples of major life activities include walking,
sitting, standing, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning,
working, caring for oneself, and other similar activities. In
particular, individuals with psychiatric disabilities may also
experience thinking disorders/psychotic disorders that may interfere
with the test-taking situation (e.g., reading, writing, calculating). |
| C. |
Functional
limitation: A substantial impairment in the individual’s
ability to function in the condition, manner, or duration of
a required major life activity. |
(Adapted
from Educational Testing Service Disability Guidelines for Documentation,
Princeton, New Jersey, 2001)
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