Psychological

Psychiatric / Psychological Disorders

• Definition
• Eligibility Verification
• Psychiatric /Psychological Disorders Documentation
• Print and Download the PDF of this information

Definition

Includes, but is not limited to depressive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, bipolar disorders and dissociative disorders. A diagnosis by a licensed mental health professional including licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist and neurologists is required and must include the license number. The diagnostician must be an impartial individual who is not a family member of the student.

Accommodations may include:

• Test accommodations; extended time, separate location, access to word processor
• Using a liaison with faculty regarding absences
• Taking make-up exams in the Academic Skills Center
• Determining if the student qualifies for a grade of incomplete and collaboration with the instructor
• Reduced course load
• Extended time for in-class assignments

Students with psychiatric/psychological disorders may demonstrate difficulties with one or more of the following:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Frequent mood changes
• Class attendance
• Concentrating
• Producing work at a consistently normal level
• Making transitions
• Interacting with others

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Eligibility Verification

Eligibility for Disability Services at the College of Saint Elizabeth is dependent upon the nature of the disability and its impact on learning.

A person might meet eligibility requirements of vocational rehabilitation, disabled veterans or any other rehabilitation agency; however, she/he may not meet eligibility at the College of Saint Elizabeth.

One of the reasons that the College has developed these guidelines is to ensure consistency throughout the institution.

These guidelines are fairly consistent with those used by agencies administering standardized assessments. The ultimate decision for eligibility on campus is a judgment that must be made by the Coordinator of Disability Services based upon the guidelines developed for each type of disability.

Once a student has been verified as disabled by the College of Saint Elizabeth Office of Disability Services, a disability eligibility form should be completed and placed in a confidential file with the determining documentation.

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Psychiatric /Psychological Disorders Documentation

The following guidelines are provided to assist the service provider in collaborating with each student to determine appropriate accommodations. Documentation serves as a foundation that legitimizes a student's request for appropriate accommodations. Required documentation includes:

1. A clear statement of the disability, including the DSM-IV diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms.
2. Documentation for eligibility must reflect the current impact the psychiatric/psychological disability has on the 
   student's functioning (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the condition, the current status of the student, and the student's request for accommodations).
3. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis and a narrative summary of evaluation results, if appropriate.
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact on the demands of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
5. A statement of the functional impacts or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activity and the 
   degree to which it impacts the individual in the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. The student and the disability specialist at the institution collaboratively determine appropriate accommodations.

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Print and Download the PDF of this information

Psychiatric /Psychological Disorders

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