Top Navigation

UGA Logo TEXT-ONLY VERSION THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER

Eligibility for Students with Psychological Disabilities

  1. Certain criteria must be met in order for a student to receive appropriate accommodations for a psychological disability:
    • Students are expected to self-identify and present appropriate documentation to the Disability Resource Center.
    • Documentation should come from an appropriately qualified professional such as a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, clinical social worker, or other mental health professional on campus or in the community. This professional must not be related to the person being evaluated.
    • The documentation must be provided on professional letterhead, with the dates of assessment, signatures, and license numbers or credentials of the diagnosing professional.
    • The documentation should be current, i.e., within one year of registration with the DRC.
    • A relevant psychological diagnosis should be consistent with the diagnostic criteria found in the American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV TR).
    • The diagnostic report should include:
      1. clinical interview
      2. age at which diagnosed along with relevant historical information
      3. severity and duration of the disability
      4. medications and their effect on academics
      5. tests and instruments used for diagnosis
      6. a diagnostic summary, including:
        1. a clear statement describing the condition with a conclusive DSM-IV diagnosis
        2. the impact of the disability on one or more major life activities, i.e., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing , learning, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, working
        3. summary of present symptoms and prognosis
        4. current level of functional limitations based on disability
        5. if there are substantial limitations to learning, a psychoeducational evaluation must be included to document academic needs
        6. any medications and their effects on academic functioning
        7. recommendations for academic accommodations and rationale
        8. duration for which these accommodations should be provided based on the current assessment
  2. Diagnosed Condition Satisfies Definition of a Disability
  3. Behavior must be consistent with the University of Georgia Conduct Code.