Disability Documentation Guidelines

Disability Defined

Disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities which include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.

Documentation Guidelines

By itself, a medical diagnosis does not establish a need or an entitlement to accommodations under Section 504 or ADA.  Therefore, the documentation required extends beyond the medical diagnosis and encompasses the key elements of a person's disability.

The following guidelines are offered to assist eligible students in providing documentation to establish their eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Ideally, documentation:

• on letterhead and issued by a medical or other qualified/credentialed professional whose credentials match the disability being evaluated; comprehensive training with regard to the specific disability being addressed; prescription pad notes are not acceptable
• contains a specific diagnostic statement and corresponding diagnostic code (either DSM-5 or ICD-10)
• is comprehensive to establish clear evidence of a substantial impact on one or more major life activities; the degree to which (severity) the impairment limits each major life activity and the expected duration should be addressed
• offers a description of prior accommodations, mitigating measures, therapeutic interventions and compliance
• recommends a complete description of the desired accommodation and discussion of why it is necessary, including why the student’s needs cannot be met without the accommodation and the consequences of not receiving it
• is recent enough to assess the current impact and functional limitations posed in a college setting

Types of Documentation

OAR will review and consider all types of documentation submitted. Types of documentation that may be helpful include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Educational, psychological evaluations (e.g., psycho-educational or neuropsychological evaluation)
• Letters created by healthcare providers on professional letterhead.
  
  Please note: while Stonehill's Counseling Services assists students with referrals to providers for matters impacting behavioral and emotional health, it does not provide documentation to support requests for accommodations. Counseling Services General Information
• Documents that reflect accommodation history, such as an Individual Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan