Documentation of Psychological Disabilities
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and The Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Purdue University provides academic adjustments and services for qualified students with documented disabilities, if such adjustments and services are necessary to allow equitable access to the University's programs.
Federal law defines a disability as a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities." Major life activities are those basic activities, including major bodily functions, which most people in the general population are able to perform with little or no difficulty. Such activities include, but are not limited to, breathing, walking, speaking, seeing, hearing, thinking, learning, concentrating, working, and caring for oneself.
The mission of the Disability Resource Center is to provide services that enable and encourage eligible students with disabilities to seek success in their intellectual and personal development at Purdue and elsewhere. The staff of the Disability Resource Center, in collaboration with the wider University community, ensures these students access to academic and extracurricular activities.
The following documentation guidelines and the attached Psychological Conditions Verification Form were developed to assist the Disability Resource Center staff in determining the functional limitations and implications of a diagnosed psychological condition. It is important to note that a diagnosis of a psychological condition does not necessarily constitute a disability; the degree of impairment must be significant enough to "substantially limit" one or more major life activities.
Documentation Must:
-
Be completed by a certified or licensed professional
-
Be comprehensive and current (within 3-5 years, or developmentally appropriate)
-
Include all psychological conditions diagnosed
-
Specify clinical measures utilized to arrive at the diagnosis
-
Indicate level of therapeutic intervention
-
Establish the functional limitations of the psychological condition(s)
-
Address how the condition(s) may impact the individual's educational performance
-
Provide recommendations for academic adjustments and services
The Disability Resource Center staff determines on a case-by-case basis whether a diagnosed psychological condition rises to the level of a disability. Further, they determine which academic adjustments are necessary to provide access. If the quality of the documentation or Verification Form is inadequate, the options for the Disability Resource Center staff are to request supplementary evaluative information, to decline a requested adjustment, or to deny eligibility.
Information provided to the Disability Resource Center is considered confidential. Documentation and evaluation information will not be released outside of the academic community without the consent of the student or under compulsion of legal process. Generally, documentation and evaluation information is not shared within the academic community without the consent of the student.
Questions / Documentation Submission:
If you have questions regarding the nature of the information needed for students with psychological conditions, please call the Disability Resource Center at (765) 494-1247, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please submit documentation to:
Disability Resource Center
Ernest C. Young Hall
155 S Grant Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2114
Fax: (765) 496-3759