Office for Students with Disabilities

Psychiatric/Psychological Disorders Documentation Guidelines

Psychiatric Disabilities comprise a range of conditions characterized by emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral dysfunction. A diagnosis by a licensed mental health professional including psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychiatrists, other relevantly trained medical doctors, clinical social workers, licensed counselors, and psychiatric nurse practitioners is required. The name, title, and credentials of qualified professional writing the report should be included on letterhead.

A psychiatric/psychological diagnosis is and of itself does not automatically warrant approval of requested accommodations. Documentation for eligibility must reflect the current impact the disability has on your academic functioning. The age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, your current status, and your request for accommodations.

Documentation Should Include:

• A clear statement of your disability, including the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms (based on the DSM-TR or ICD-10). A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used for diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores if applicable.
• A description of current functional limitations in the academic environment as well as across other settings. This may include a history of presenting symptoms, duration and severity of the disorder, and relevant historical and family data.
• Medical information relating to your needs, including the impact of medication on your ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment. This may include the current medication regimen, and side effects (if relevant).
• Relevant information regarding current treatment.
• When requesting specific accommodation, a link must be established between the accommodation and your functional limitations in the academic environment.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. The Office for Students with Disabilities will collaboratively determine appropriate accommodations.

Adapted from the guidelines for Documentation of Psychiatric Disabilities, Educational Testing Services, July 2001. For the text of this document, please refer here.

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