Students with chronic illnesses are on your campus - how are you managing their needs?

Madison, Wis.—February 12, 2009 — What do you do when a student who looks healthy asks for more time to complete an assignment because they say they’re sick with a chronic illness?

If it hasn’t happened already, it’s likely to happen to you soon. With a worldwide increase in chronic disease, many more students are coming to campus with diabetes, asthma, allergies, fatigue, autoimmune diseases, arthritis and more. Many of these chronic illnesses are invisible, intermittent and unpredictable.

Unfortunately, there are very few models of how to deal with students who are chronically ill. Patricia Fennell has developed The Fennell Four Phase Treatment (FFPT™) Approach for students with chronic illness. The phases are:
• Crisis
• Stabilization
• Resolution
• Integration

Title III of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require reasonable modifications. However, the burden of proof lies with the student to initiate the request for accommodation and to substantiate the illness.

In an ideal scenario, the institution establishes clear campus policies on privacy, support, modifications and accommodations. Administrators train faculty and staff on chronic illness and campus policies. And they help students understand their diagnosis, disclosure and support responsibilities.

If you missed the seminar and would like to purchase it for your institution, you can order the program in CD or print transcript format, both of which include the presenter's handouts.

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