Academic Reasonable Accommodations for Post-9/11 Veterans With Psychiatric Diagnoses, Part 1
Federal law states that reasonable accommodations must be implemented by all schools that accept federal monies—including GI bill payments.39 Although schools are not required to implement all preferred accommodations requested by veterans, academic institutions are required to implement reasonable, effective strategies for the individual student veteran with a psychological diagnosis that causes learning impairment. However, these institutions are not required to proactively determine who might qualify for such accommodations. A school will not initiate formal academic accommodations unless a veteran makes a specific request and provides qualifying documentation.
Many veterans qualify for reasonable accommodations in the academic setting to compensate for the negative impact that mental health issues can have on academic performance. Specifically, student veterans with psychiatric diagnoses are classified as having a learning disability and are eligible to receive academic accommodations if the psychiatric condition substantially limits, or is expected to limit, learning for more than 6 months.39 Individuals with psychiatric conditions in remission are still classified as having a disability if the disorder would impede learning when symptomatic. A veteran does not need to establish verification of a psychiatric diagnosis connected to military service in order to receive formal academic accommodations. Student veterans who qualify for formal academic accommodations can be fully functional in all other areas of their lives. Examples of qualifying psychiatric diagnoses include PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Although accommodations are individually tailored, there are frequently used accommodations for student veterans with psychiatric diagnoses that have been extremely helpful for those who qualify. Additional time for testing helps the student veteran compensate for the difficulty with abstract thinking, concentration, attention, and recall. Low stimulus testing environments, such as a quiet room, enable a veteran to more easily concentrate. Additional time for completion of assignments without academic penalties is beneficial for a veteran experiencing difficulty with attention, focus, concentration, and organization. Assistance with note-taking or advanced access to lecture notes helps the veteran compensate for decreased focus, attention, and short-term memory impairment. Permitting short breaks without repercussions during a lecture allows the veteran to regain focus and composure if he or she is having difficulties with concentration, attention, restlessness, anxiety, body pain, or emotional flares. Tutoring can help the veteran overcome slowed executive functioning. Faculty-approved notes on an index card may help the veteran compensate for extreme difficulty with memory recall. To prevent visual distraction while reading, use of a blank note card or blank sheet of paper during testing may make it easier for the veteran to focus on each sentence or test question.
On a case-by-case basis, other creative strategies may be used to enable the student veteran to participate more fully in the academic setting. Preferential class scheduling can be arranged to compensate for severely altered sleep patterns. Such changes to the schedule mean a veteran would not have to attend classes during a time frame when his or her body is accustomed to sleeping. Flexibility with class attendance decreases external stressors for the veteran who is having intermittent difficulty with severe sleep disturbances or anxiety in group settings. “Unstacking” midterms or finals allows the student veteran to avoid back-to-back exams and enables him or her to study more effectively for each exam. Virtual classes with self-pacing options may provide more flexibility to complete course requirements while the veteran is dealing with fluctuating emotional symptoms.
Legal Process
Barring undue hardship to provide accommodations, the ADA of 1990 as amended in 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 enable equal rights and access to benefits and services for all individuals with disabilities to the same degree as persons without such disabilities in multiple environments including the academic setting. Although the U.S. military system narrowly interprets the term disability, individuals classified as having disabilities under these federal laws fall under a much broader definition. Specifically, any person with “a physical or mental impairment that constitutes or results in substantial impediment” of one of life’s major activities is considered to have a disability.39 As per the ADA of 1990, learning is defined as one of the major life activities.39 This law recognizes that the individual with a learning disability may be fully functional in all other areas of his or her life.
Related: Using Life Stories to Connect Veterans and Providers
Because students must officially request and receive approval for these accommodations within the academic institution, the veteran should speak with the school’s disability resource center counselor regarding the process. If the school does not have a disability resource center, then the student veteran should speak to an admissions counselor at the academic facility. The discussion with the facility’s counselor should include which types of accommodations may be possible to compensate for the veteran’s learning impediments. The counselor will inform the veteran of the required medical documentation that enables the school to grant the needed academic accommodations. In general, veterans can qualify for academic accommodations by receiving a letter with medical documentation of the psychiatric disorder, its anticipated effect on learning, and if known, the suggested reasonable accommodations to compensate for the learning deficit. The veteran can receive a qualifying letter from a psychologist, psychiatrist, PCP, social worker, or licensed counselor with the expertise to diagnose and document the disorder. Student veterans can take this letter to the school’s disability resource center to enable the institution to approve and adopt the accommodations for the student veteran. To ensure compliance with privacy regulations and any facility privacy policies, most providers require a signed release of information form before providing the medical documentation letter.
