Documentation helps SAO understand how a disability impacts access across campus settings. Generally, documentation should describe:  

• The functional impact of the disability 
• How the disability creates barriers in the learning, clinical, or living environment  
• The rationale for the requested accommodations 

   

SAO reviews documentation with you during the intake meeting and identifies any additional information needed to process your request. 

SAO reviews documentation to determine whether it meets the criteria for reasonable accommodations.

To establish coverage under the Americans with Disabilities Act, documentation must show that the disability substantially limits one or more major life activities.

When a student requests academic or classroom-based adjustments and accommodations, learning must be one of the major life activities affected.  

To qualify for accessibility services at Meharry Medical College (MMC), students must provide diagnostic documentation from a licensed clinical professional familiar with the history and functional implications of the disability.

IMPORTANT: Documentation must adequately verify the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards and techniques. It must also clearly substantiate the need for each of the specific accommodation requests. Providers must submit all documentation on official letterhead. The documentation should be dated, signed, and include the name, title, and professional credentials, including their license or certification numbers. Documentation and evaluations must adhere to the following guidelines: 

• For accommodation requests related to non-physical disabilities, students should provide documentation that is not more than three (3) years old.   
• For accommodation requests related to permanent physical disabilities, SAO will consider documentation of any age. 
• For temporary disabilities, students should provide the most recent clinical documentation. 

   

Students who received accommodations at another institution may submit that information as part of their MMC request; however, SAO determines accommodations through an individualized review process. 

SAO evaluates documentation through an individualized review process consistent with institutional policy and applicable disability law. Documentation may not meet guidelines for services for one or more of the reasons below. This list is not exhaustive.  

• Outdated documentation   
• Insufficient information   
• Documentation completed by a relative   
• Evaluation by a professional lacking the credentials to assess the reported disability 
• Lack of a formal diagnosis   
• Test scores are within the average range with no evidence of a significant limitation   
• Unsigned report   
• Report not written on evaluator’s letterhead   
• Lack of functional limitations (for instance, how the disability affects the individual, related to the accommodation request)   
• Diagnosis based upon a single subtest score without additional support   
• For head injuries or traumatic brain injuries, the evaluator did not conduct an assessment after the injury or during the recovery period.

   

Students with a temporary disability may be eligible for accommodations. The accommodation remains in effect only when the student has a documented temporary disability.

Once the documentation supporting the temporary disability expires, SAO will no longer provide the accommodation. The student must submit additional documentation to demonstrate a continued need for the accommodation. SAO may require updated documentation if the accommodation goes beyond the duration outlined by the provider.