CHANGING THE DOCUMENTATION PERSPECTIVE ON THE TWO-YEAR CAMPUS 2013 AHEAD Conference Baltimore, Maryland

Overview of Ohio/Regional Landscape Ohio is home to the “regional” college concept OH-AHEAD is our state affiliate group GCCCU is a local consortium of disability services providers in the Greater Cincinnati area

Campus Introductions 3 campus system Public research university Total Student Population: 40K 3 campus system, 1 learning center Public liberal arts university Total Student Population: 25K

Miami University Service Overview  Main and regional campus offices were established in the late 80’s  4 offices provide services to SWDs with high value placed on autonomous practices  Diverse training backgrounds among professional staff with limited administrative support staff  Students frequently have simultaneous registration among campus locations and the regionals serve as a “feeder” for the main campus

University of Cincinnati Service Overview 3 offices provide services to SWDs Diverse training backgrounds among professional staff Students frequently have simultaneous registration among campus locations and the regionals serve as a “feeder” for the main campus Historically, documentation guidelines specific to LD/PD/MD only

The Great Shift In April 2012 AHEAD released new documentation guidance recommending a tiered approach to evaluating information to determine eligibility and accommodations. 1)Primary Source : Student Self-Report 2)Secondary Source: Professional Observations 3)Tertiary Source: Third Party Documentation The shift from a compliance orientation to a service orientation has changed the landscape for service delivery. What the heck do we do now? vs. What a great opportunity!

The Weather in Your World What were the initial reactions to the guidance on your campus? What efforts has your institution made in moving towards the new documentation guidelines? What have been your biggest barriers to implementation? Have you approached your K-12 partners about these guidelines? Have you encountered any resistance from administrators or faculty? If you have implemented, have you noticed a change in your ability to service students?

Sunny with a Chance of Rain Initial response to the guidance resulted in adoption of new intake procedures for both University of Cincinnati and Miami University Challenges have been encountered along the way  Uneven adoption of new guidance within region  Adaptability of senior staff and/or administrators to new paradigm  Diversity of staff experience/training

Miami University Implementation  A workgroup was formed by the senior unit director to provide feedback and content suggestions on a structured intake interview form that mirrored the tiered model.  Office coordinators adopted the form and adapted the content and implementation steps to meet the unique characteristics of their campus and procedures.  Offices with many barriers to implementation were given autonomy to further investigate their barriers and brainstorm future solution strategies.

Miami University Implementation Sample Intake Procedure Outline 1)Student schedules intake session 2)Student attends intake session where structured interview is completed and accommodations are determined ***In cases of invisible disability, provisional accommodation is extended to students with limited self-report and absent yet necessary documentation 3)Student is provided with a welcome packet that includes copy of LOA, student handbook and invitation to upcoming office events

University of Cincinnati Implementation Discussion began among the Disability Services Offices during the academic year Drafts of possible forms were created and shared with internal and external constituents Partnership with Miami University began when the senior unit director approached us for assistance in reviewing their document DSO staff met during the first part of the academic year to finalize a document which was implemented in the 2013 Spring Semester

University of Cincinnati Implementation Each campus uses the identical form but has the autonomy to make adjustments when appropriate and necessary for the particular campus 2013 Summer Semester is our testing period to refine and make changes to the form (work in progress)

University of Cincinnati Implementation UC Clermont Introductory Appointment Outline 1) Student schedules appointment via phone or 2) Walk-in appointments are accommodated whenever possible 3) Student completes paperwork, interview is conducted, and accommodations are determined 4) Student receives information regarding “Meet-n-Greet event where services are discussed in greater detail

Lessons Learned 1. Parental disclosure is often a useful supplement for student self- report. 2. Although the guidance recommends a tiered approach, a weighted approach may be useful at times. 3. Students may not be able to complete the form while they are meeting with you (too overwhelming). Refer them to your website so they can complete the form in a comfortable environment and bring to their appointment. Both campuses created an electronic version that students can complete online. 4. You may find that as you adopt new procedures, you need to go back and make revisions to the process. It’s a work in progress!

Service Provider Experience How did adoption of the new intake process affect your work and what barriers where encountered during the implementation phase? How has balancing autonomy and consistency with the new procedures been managed on your campus? Have para-professional or administrative staff been incorporated in the process? How would you describe your interview style?

Benefits to Students Student narrative allows for them to articulate disability and accommodations needed Student can complete information in advance and seek assistance in completing the form Student can complete a paper version or submit information via an electronic form

The Art of the Structured Interview As the service provider develops skill using the form, flexibility in interview flow will develop. Students may have some difficulty reporting strengths and assisting them with identifying strengths is often an opportunity to establish rapport.

Impact of New Approach Adopting new intake procedures created OPPORTUNITY  Decreases likelihood of slipping into “medical model mode”  Align with institutional social justice efforts  Bridge the gap between post-sec and K-12 practices  Support institutional focus on retention & student development  Improved intake efficiency  Focus shifts from gatekeeper to student success needs  Assessment questions can be embedded into the interview for research endeavors

Next Steps Recommendations to get started on your campus Fit process to your needs Remain flexible

Sharing the Message Contact your local K-12 partners/agencies Transition events provide an excellent opportunity to start the dialogue with potential students Update DS marketing materials (print/web/social media) to reflect new documentation practices

Sample Documents Included in handouts for conference under session heading #8.9 at: Feel free to use them to start your own campus discussion Link to AHEAD Guidance on Documentation Practices:

Q&A/Feedback Opportunity Q&A Share your experiences and ideas

Contact Information Jennifer Radt UC Clermont (513) Stephanie Dawson Miami University – Hamilton (513)