Documentation Guidelines
The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) defines disability as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. A student who has a documented disability can apply to Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS) for reasonable accommodations. The impact of a disability may change in different settings and over time, therefore ADS requests current documentation that is relevant to the requested accommodations.
Documentation should be completed by a professional qualified to make the diagnosis, such as a psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, education professional, psychiatrist/physician or other health care provider. The documentation should identify the disability, describe its current impact and address how the impairment substantially limits a major life activity.
Types of documentation can include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Psychoeducational, psychological and educational evaluations
- Medical reports, letters and assessments from health care providers that are written on office letterhead and signed by the treating professional
Please note, documents such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan indicate a history of receiving accommodations but generally are not sufficient on their own to establish accommodations in higher education.
For Medical and Mental Health Providers
- Mental Health Disability Verification Form Including ADHD (PDF)
- Physical or Medical Disability Verification Form (PDF)
- Request for Emotional Support Animal in University Housing Verification Form (PDF)
- Request for Housing Accommodations Verification Form (PDF)
ADS will evaluate disability documentation and determine eligibility and accommodations based on the appropriateness, recency and completeness of the documentation submitted. If the submitted documentation is incomplete, out of date, or does not support the student’s request for accommodations, the student may be asked to provide additional documentation. In some cases, interim accommodations may be provided on a temporary, provisional basis while the student is in the process of obtaining appropriate documentation. Students are encouraged to contact ADS for further guidance on the documentation needed for their individual situation.
Confidentiality
Disability records are confidential, maintained in the ADS office and are protected as an educational record under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Disability-related information may be disclosed on a limited, need to know basis in order to provide accommodations and services with the permission of the student or as otherwise permitted under the university’s student records policy.