USAHS fully supports and ensures compliance with the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAAA) which provides "reasonable accommodations" for qualified individuals and requires that these persons cannot be excluded from, denied access to, or subjected to discrimination under any program. Disability is defined as a mental or physical condition that results in significant impairment in one or more major life functions. Student Welfare and Accessibility engages in an interactive process with each student and reviews requests for accommodations on a case-by-case basis. After thorough review, depending on the nature and functional limitations of a student’s documented disability, the student may be eligible to receive academic and/or clinical accommodations.  

Documentation Standards:

Documentation must state your diagnosis and course of treatment, the nature and severity of your functional limitations, and the duration for which they are expected to continue. Documentation of a disability must substantiate the need for specific accommodations requested. Current documentation is required for services; how current will depend upon the nature and stability of the diagnosed condition. You will meet with a Student Accessibility and Welfare staff member, review the documentation and, if necessary, work together to find resources that may provide more current documentation. The institution has the discretion to require additional documentation in accordance with our stated guidelines. Pending the receipt of appropriate documentation, the institution reserves the right to deny accommodations. For more specific information about how to document specific types of disabilities, see the Disability Documentation Standards below.

Please note: IEPs, ARDs, 504 Plans from previous institutions or teacher assessments may not suffice to substantiate current disability accommodation requests. Student Accessibility and Welfare will review any documentation received and provide specific feedback if it is deemed insufficient.

Accommodations are intended to reduce or eliminate barriers to equal access, they are not intended to waive academic requirements considered essential to a particular course or program. 

Accommodation Process:

STEP 1. Please fill out the Disability Accommodation Request E- form below. You will be asked to upload your documentation to the form. A student must provide documentation of a disability to be eligible for services, please review the documentation standards outlined above. Once the form is completed, Student Accessibility and Welfare will be notified. You will also receive an email confirmation of submission. 

STEP 2. Student Accessibility and Welfare will provide notification of the outcome of the review to the student within two weeks of the date of submission. If the documentation is sufficient, the student will be asked to set up an intake appointment.  If declined or if more documentation is needed, the student will be notified and provided an opportunity to resubmit documentation if appropriate.

STEP 3. If approved for accommodations, Student Accessibility and Welfare will provide a formal notice of approval to the student. It is the student's responsibility to send the notice to their faculty for accommodation implementation for any term they wish to use their accommodations. If the student is not approved for accommodation, notice will be provided.

Appeal Process: If a student wishes to appeal a decision, either determination of disability or a specific accommodation, a written appeal should be emailed to the Director of Student Welfare at cvasquez@usa.edu as promptly as possible.  All available information including any additional information submitted by the student during appeal will be considered. The Director of Student Welfare will provide a written response within 5 business days of receipt of the appeal.