Disability Services Psychological Documentation Guidelines
GUIDELINES AND PRACTICES FOR THE DOCUMENTATION AND ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION OF STUDENTS WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISABILITIES
You will need to provide documentation to ODS. Professionals qualified to provide the documentation include, but are not limited to licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists, or other professionals with training and expertise in the diagnosis of mental disorders. The documentation from your treating practitioner must be no more than 6 months old, meaning you must have been seen by him/her in the last 6 months. You may be asked to provide additional documentation.
Please ask your psychiatrist or practitioner to provide comprehensive information. The more information provided, the better we can determine appropriate accommodations and assistance.
There are several options for providing appropriate documentation:
Option A:
Submit follow up questions via our ODS form to your psychiatrist, psychologist or physician. Once completed, the form should be submitted to ODS.
Option B:
Submit a complete evaluation from a psychiatrist, psychologist, or physician.
The evaluation should include a complete description of the following:
• Does the student have a diagnosable mental disorder? If so, what is the specific (DSM-5) diagnosis? Provide all pertinent ICD-10-CM diagnoses. Please provide all pertinent diagnostic information including subtypes and/or specifiers for diagnostic domains & subgroups as well as psychosocial stressors and environmental stressors.
• What were the assessment or evaluation procedures used to make the diagnosis?
• Is there historical data that is pertinent to the disability?
• What are the major symptoms of the disorder currently manifested by the student, including level of severity?
• If medications are currently prescribed, are there any substantial side effects for this individual?
• What are the current functional limitations imposed by this disorder? What major life activities are impacted by this disorder? Are these expected to fluctuate?
• What is the current prognosis?
• How many times have you met with the patient? How often do you see this patient? When did you last see this individual?
• Any recommendations for possible accommodations (final determination made upon consultation between student and ODS director)?
Who can provide documentation?
Professionals conducting assessments and rendering diagnoses of mental disorders must be qualified to do so. Comprehensive training in the differential diagnosis of mental disorders and direct experience in diagnosis and treatment of adults is necessary. Qualified diagnosing professionals would include, but are not limited to licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists, or other professionals with training and expertise in the diagnosis of mental disorders. Such documentation should be on letterhead and contain the professional’s signature and license number. Documentation must be current and dated within the past 6 months.