Documentation Guidelines

First and foremost, you do not need to provide documentation to connect with our team. In most cases, there are many ways we can support a student, even when documentation is not available. It is important to acknowledge, however, that certain accommodations and services may require supporting documentation. If you are not sure whether your request is right for our office or if you have what we are looking for to consider a particular accommodation, don’t hesitate to reach out! We are always happy to hear from students and families, and find ways to either support them directly or connect them with other campus resources. 

If you do wish to provide documentation in support of your request or if you are asked to do so given the nature of your request, here is some information that may serve as a guide intended to help with the process. SAEO recognizes that every person has their own unique path regardless of their disability status or particular diagnosis. This may involve working with various medical, mental health, and educational professionals. We accept documentation from a wide range of professionals and in many different forms. Below are some some basic criteria that documentation should meet. 

Clinical Documentation

Ideally, documentation from a clinician or licensed treatment provider will:

• Be provided on professional letterhead, signed, and include the name, title, and professional credentials of your provider.
• Describe a disability, medical/chronic health condition, and/or mental health concern.
• Describe the current nature of the impairment and potential impact on the student’s ability to participate in the university’s educational programs and services.

Should a provider prefer completing a verification form rather than using SAEO's documentation guidelines to generate a letter or provide a copy of an evaluation/assessment, they may complete one of the following: 

• Psychological/Psychiatric Disability Verification Form[PDF] 
• Physical/Medical/Sensory Disability Verification Form [PDF]. 

Other Forms of Documentation

SAEO will also accept any other forms of documentation you wish to provide. Particularly in the case of educational records, these should be relatively current and reflect a recently implemented plan including but not limited to:

• High School Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Learning Plan
• 504 Eligibility Determination (504 Plan)
• Educational Record

If you have access to documentation that does not match the categories described above, reach out to your case manager or to saeo@vcu.edu to see if it would be helpful as a part of the review of your request.