Accommodating Faculty Mental Health Conditions under the ADA

MENTAL ILLNESS AFFECTS ONE IN FIVE ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES. IT IS ESTIMATED THE RATE IS EVEN HIGHER WITHIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Colleges and universities have more than an ethical responsibility to support colleagues facing mental health issues. Through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they also have a legal obligation to ensure an equitable workplace for their colleagues.

The ADA’s provisions for mental illness present a unique challenge for institutions. Higher education administrators may be required to manage decreased productivity, requests for extensive time off, issues involving alcoholism and addiction, and concerns about whether employees pose a threat to their own or others’ safety.

How can you navigate these delicate situations while adhering to the ADA?

The seminar, Accommodating Faculty Mental Health Conditions under the ADA, equips you with the tools to handle these complex and often sensitive matters in a thoughtful and compassionate way while also keeping you in compliance with the ADA.

BENEFITS

The ADA requires that institutions provide reasonable accommodations for staff with known mental health disabilities. However, developing a sensitive and ADA-compliant approach to mental illnesses among faculty is no easy feat.

This seminar provides an overview of how the ADA factors into practical employment challenges as well as tips on how to work through them. You will receive much-needed guidance on the following:

• How to manage ADA mental health compliance among faculty and staff
• How and when to discuss mental health accommodations with employees
• How to avoid some of the most common pitfalls administrators face when trying to adhere to the ADA
• How to create proactive policies that can be consulted when confronted with accommodation issues

Here is an opportunity to boost your confidence in dealing with these difficult and even painful situations while also remaining in compliance with the ADA.

LEARNING GOALS

The difficulty in identifying mental health impairments, combined with the stigmas attached to disclosing or discussing psychiatric conditions, makes managing such issues with employees especially complex.

After an overview of the legal basics of the ADA, this seminar will provide you with the tools and confidence to apply these provisions to real-life situations you may face at your institution.

You will be able to accomplish the following:

• Explain how the ADA applies to an employee who has a mental health disability
• Describe the typical accommodations afforded to faculty members who are dealing with mental health disabilities
• Navigate complicated employment scenarios involving a faculty member’s mental illness while staying in ADA compliance

TOPICS COVERED

• Legal essentials of the ADA for higher education administrators
• Common, recurring pitfalls faced when managing mental health disabilities in higher education
• What triggers a duty to discuss accommodations with a faculty member
• What accommodating a faculty member’s mental illness may (or may not) entail
• Crafting detailed policies and job descriptions outlining expectations and responsibilities that can be referenced during accommodation conversations
• Campus resources that can provide guidance and support when tasked with these situations

AUDIENCE

This seminar is intended for those who are aware of the demands of the ADA’s mental health provisions and would like guidance on topics including these:

• Deans who may be more familiar with ADA compliance and mental health issues among students
• Department heads and chairs looking for practical advice on complying with the ADA
• Provosts who are working with faculty and administrators to understand the limits and requirements of the ADA
• Human resources managers in charge of preparing personnel for navigating the legal and emotional intricacies of the ADA’s mental health provisions
• Disability services management seeking a more comprehensive library of resources for administrators and faculty

PURCHASE

This seminar is an opportunity for administrators to receive practical advice on the ADA from an attorney with vast experience in higher education compliance.

Order today for a clear and engaging overview of how to compassionately manage mental health issues without running afoul of the ADA.