The term ‘psychiatric disability’ is used when a mental health issue significantly interferes with the performance of major life activities, such as learning, thinking, communicating, and sleeping, among others. The type, intensity and duration of symptoms vary from person to person.
Although the symptoms of mental illness often can be controlled effectively through medication and/or psychotherapy, or may even go into remission, for some people the illness continues to cause periodic episodes that require treatment. Consequently, some people with mental illness will need no support, others may need only occasional support, and still others may require more substantial, ongoing support to maintain their productivity.
The range of mental health issues is vast and can include: anxiety and panic disorders, depression, schizophrenia, personality disorder, narcolepsy, and other sleep disorders (to name a few).
Documentation of a psychiatric disability must:
- come from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or family doctor who is familiar with your circumstances
- be based on an evaluation conducted within the last 6 months
- include relevant medical history
- provide information about the effects your condition may have on your academic performance
- identify the effects that your medications may have your academic performance
- suggest academic accommodations that are necessary as a direct consequence of the diagnosed condition
Psychiatric disabilities may be documented by appropriate specialists or health care professionals/providers using the SAS Documentation of Mental Health Disability Form, however, students are strongly advised to have any existing documentation reviewed by an Advisor in Student Accessibility Services before proceeding to this step.
Students with a mental health disability are required to submit medical documentation that highlights the functional limitations of the disability, and may choose not to disclose a specific diagnosis during the registration process. It may however, still be necessary to provide a diagnosis in order to be eligible for certain federally and provincially funded bursaries, grants, and financial awards. To ensure that the best, most appropriate accommodation plan can be put in place, students are encouraged to discuss their individual documentation requirements with an Advisor in Student Accessibility Services before seeking documentation from their health care practitioner.
As a means for better understanding the accommodation process, students are encouraged to visit the Canadian Mental Health Association 'Academic Accommodations' website.