Documentation Guidelines for Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities

"Psychiatric disabilities" is a generic term referring to a variety of conditions involving psychological, emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral disorders and symptoms. Professionals conducting assessments, rendering diagnoses of psychiatric disabilities, and making recommendations for accommodations must be qualified to do so. It is essential that professional qualifications include (1) comprehensive training and relevant expertise in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and (2) appropriate licensure/certification. The diagnostician should be an impartial individual who is not a family member or friend and does not have a personal relationship of any kind with the student. Qualified professionals may include the following licensed professionals:

1. Psychologists/neuropsychologists
2. Psychiatrists/neuropsychiatrists
3. Psychiatric nurse practitioners
4. Other relevantly trained medical doctors

Due to the changing nature of psychiatric disabilities, it is essential that the student provide recent and appropriate documentation from a qualified professional that is no more than one year old. 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. The documentation must be a comprehensive diagnostic/clinical evaluation typed on official letterhead and include:

1. The diagnostician’s name, title, license/certification credentials, area of specialization, phone/fax number, address, and signature and the date(s) of treatment
2. A diagnostic interview that includes historical information (medical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial).
3. 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)
4. A clear statement of the individual's diagnosis (DSM-IV Multiaxial classification), with a description of the diagnostic tests, methods, and/or criteria used
5. A description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the condition over time
6. Information regarding the kind of treatment and duration/consistency of therapy
7. Alternative diagnoses or explanations should be ruled out.
8. Recommendations and rationale for reasonable accommodations