Students who are seeking support services or accommodations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on the basis of a diagnosed psychiatric disability are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
The following guidelines are provided in the interest of ensuring that evaluation reports are appropriate and sufficient to document disability. The Student Accessibility Services Director is available to consult with clinicians concerning any of these guidelines.
The evaluation must be provided by a qualified professional.
Professionals conducting evaluations and providing a diagnosis of a psychiatric disability must have training and competency in assessing the full range of psychiatric disorders. The name, title, professional credentials as well as licensing and certification information should be clearly stated in the evaluation. The following professionals are generally considered to be qualified to evaluate and diagnose psychiatric disorders: clinical psychologists (PsyD), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), psychiatrists (MD) and other relevantly trained clinicians.
Documentation should be current.
Documentation must be current, reflecting evaluation completed within the past year.
Documentation should be comprehensive.
The evaluation should be based on a comprehensive clinical interview and psychological testing where clinically indicated. The evaluation should include a developmental, social and family history; a relevant medical history; and a complete mental status examination. Current prescription medications should be noted, and a description of any side effects that would compromise academic functioning should be included.
Documentation must include a specific diagnosis.
The evaluation report must include a specific diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder based on the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria with an accompanying description of the specific symptoms that the individual presents.
Documentation should reflect the impact on academic functioning.
An interpretive summary based on the comprehensive evaluative process is a necessary component of the documentation. This summary should include indication and discussion of the substantial limitation to learning presented by the psychiatric disorder and the degree to which this affects the individual in a learning environment.
Specific recommendations for academic accommodations should be included.
The diagnostic report should include specific recommendations for accommodations that are realistic and that the university can reasonably provide. A detailed explanation should be provided as to why each accommodation is recommended and should be correlated with specific functional limitations and the specific diagnosis indicated.
A prior history of psychiatric disorder without clear demonstration of current need does not warrant eligibility for ADA services or accommodations. The determination of reasonable accommodations for a student with a disability at Embry-Riddle rests with the Student Accessibility Services Director working in collaboration with the student.
All disability documentation will remain confidential.
Documentation should be sent to:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Student Accessibility Services - Prescott Campus
Email: prsas@erau.edu
Fax: 928-777-6803
These guidelines have been developed with the assistance of the Disabled Student Services in Higher Education listserv, 1999.
Cr. 9/9/2020/jle Rev. 6/30/2021/bas
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