Mental Health-Related Disabilities: Tips for Exchange Programs in Making Accommodations

1. Planning Ahead for Participants with Mental Health-Related Disabilities
2. Supporting Participants with Mental Health-Related Disabilities Prior to and During an International Program
3. Providing Reasonable Accommodations
4. Resources

Mental Health-Related Disability Accommodations

It is important for the individual with a mental health-related disability and international program staff to communicate to find out what types of services the individual has received at home and what the individual might require abroad. Accommodations preferences will vary from person to person, and what works well for one individual may not work well for another. In order to better advise program participants about their options, international program staff are encouraged to research ahead of time the resources available in the host country. The following resources and tips may be helpful, as well as NAFSA's online publication Best Practices in Addressing Mental Health Issues Affecting Education Abroad Participants.

Planning Ahead for Participants with Mental Health-Related Disabilities

• Make it a policy to include an accommodation assessment questionnaire/request form in the acceptance packet sent to each participant. This allows participants the option to disclose disability information and to request the accommodations they may require while abroad. For more information on disability disclosure, see Disability Disclosure and Education Abroad: Understanding the Issues.  Organizations should make it clear that disability information is kept confidential and is requested for the purpose of arranging accommodations or services only. For a list of organizations that have developed such forms for use in international exchange programs, please request our list of resources for accommodation checklists.
• Encourage disability disclosure by including welcoming and inclusive language in public presentations and program materials, such as brochures and handbooks, letting applicants know that reasonable accommodations are provided as needed to people with disabilities.
• Add information on mental health issues to pre-departure orientation materials provided to all participants, including information about how mental health-related disabilities are perceived in the host culture and support services available to all participants.
• Individuals may have concerns about legal issues or cultural attitudes toward people with mental health-related labels. Organizations of and for people with mental health-related disabilities in the host country may be able to provide information on what to expect. Contact the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange to find out about organizations abroad, or contact MindFreedom International, listed below.
• Avoid making assumptions about the ability of people with mental health-related disabilities to participate in international programs or the types of accommodations participants may need.

Additional tips for academic programs:

• Contact the disabled student services office or officer to find out about reasonable accommodations for students with psychiatric disabilities. Other resources include the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD), Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) and the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, all listed below.
• Ask the international students office at the host institution if they have experience accommodating students with mental health-related disabilities. They may have knowledge of resources for students who experience psychological issues while abroad.
• Find out about on-campus counseling or similar services for international students at the host institution. Many campuses have a student health center or other medical services on campus, which can also be useful. It’s a good idea to research these resources as many students, both with and without documented disabilities, have a need for these services while adjusting to living in a new environment abroad. Back to Top
  

Supporting Participants with Mental Health-Related Disabilities Prior to and During an International Program

• Encourage all participants to ask for as many details as possible regarding the host location to increase understanding of how the location may be challenging.
• Invite participants who disclose a mental health-related disability to talk about their disabilities during orientation; for some individuals, self-disclosure to others on a group program can reduce anxiety and creates opportunities for others to better understand their access needs.
• Establish guidelines about who will have access to the participant’s disability-related information.
• Find out about free or low-cost support groups in the host community. For example, organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and other participant-led groups often have international chapters. For additional information on such groups, you may wish to visit the website for the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, listed below.
• Local crisis telephone hotlines may also be a good source of support for some program participants, and may provide information about other community resources.
• If the participant is not fluent in the language of the host country, it is important to find out if mental health services are available in the participant’s native language.
• If the participant anticipates utilizing professional counseling or medical services abroad, they should find out if their insurance will cover such services.
• If the participant uses medications, make sure that s/he brings a supply adequate for the entire stay. For more information, request our Medications: Tips for Traveling Internationally information sheet.
• Encourage participants to plan in advance for contingencies, such as arranging to talk by phone with a familiar therapist in the United States, planning for more privacy or down time, and consulting with other students with similar disabilities who have studied abroad.  Back to Top
  

Providing Reasonable Accommodations

Participants and program staff are encouraged to work together and think creatively to determine what types of reasonable accommodations will best meet each participant’s needs. Some participants with mental health-related disabilities will find that existing options for all participants, such as choosing single occupancy dormitory rooms or taking a reduced course load abroad, may satisfy any disability-related needs. Examples of other types of accommodations include:

• Orienting the participant to the area where they will be living, working, studying or volunteering and discussing any accommodations that may need to be made.
• Providing an accompanier/assistant to the participant. Some individuals may want a trusted and easily available person on the program who can provide assistance as needed. An accompanier/assistant could also be a person who serves as a notetaker, or a separate notetaker may be provided, if needed.
• Allowing breaks when needed to manage stress, anxiety or restlessness (which may be caused by medications or other factors).
• Providing flexibility in completing assignments and negotiating expectations ahead of time.
• For academically oriented programs: providing a quiet area for study and permitting alternative testing arrangements, including extended testing time, individually administered exams or changes to the testing format. Back to Top
  

RESOURCES

Note: NCDE can provide individualized contacts for several countries upon request. The following are general contacts.

Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD)
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125-3393
Tel: (617) 287-3880
Fax: (617) 287-3881
TTY: (617) 287-3882
E-mail: ahead@umb.edu

AHEAD is an organization committed to promoting the participation of people with disabilities in higher education.

Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Boston University
940 Commonwealth Avenue West
Boston, MA 02215 USA
Tel: (617) 353-3549
Fax: (617) 353-7700
TTY: (617) 353-7701
Web: www.bu.edu/cpr/reasaccom/ (reasonable accommodation information)
www.bu.edu/cpr/reasaccom/educa-go-mencon.html (mental health resources)

The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University offers an on-line list of reasonable accommodation options for individuals with mental health-related disabilities in employment and education. This is separated into sections for educators and employers, and for mental health consumers. While the website does not explicitly address study or work abroad issues and has a medical focus, it does contain helpful information.

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
2212 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
ADA Hotline: (800) 466-4232 (voice/TTY)
Tel/TTY: (510) 644-2555
Fax: (510) 841-8645
E-mail: dredf@dredf.org 

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) works to advance the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. They can provide technical assistance and resources regarding accommodation for students with mental health-related disabilities.

European Network of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP)
Peter Lehmann, Coordinator / Desk
Zabel-Krüger-Damm 183
D-13469 Berlin GERMANY
Tel: +49 30 85963706
Fax: +49 30 85963706 

Email: plehmann@t-online.de

ENUSP is a regional organization of people with mental health-related disabilities, with member organizations in many European countries. The website contains links to some of these organizations.

Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI)
1156 15th Street, Suite 1001
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: (202) 296-0800
Fax: (202) 728-3053
E-mail: mdri@mdri.org 

Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI) enforces the rights of people with mental disabilities by working with human rights advocates in the Eastern European, the Middle East and South American regions.

MindFreedom International
PO Box 11284
Eugene, OR 97440-3484
Tel: (877) MADPRIDE (623-7743) or (541) 345-9106
Fax: (541) 345-3737
E-mail: office@MindFreedom.org

MindFreedom International is an international coalition of groups that advocate for human rights in psychiatry, and includes current and former mental health consumers. They can provide information on support and advocacy groups abroad in several countries.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
NAMI Helpline: (800) 950-NAMI (6264)
Tel: (703) 524-7600
Fax: (703) 524-9094
TTY: (703) 516-7227 

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is an organization for people with mental health-related disabilities and their families in the United States. NAMI focuses primarily on medical treatment options for people with mental health-related disabilities, and provides resources related to this, including a number of online tipsheets on mental health-related diagnoses and the use of medications to treat them. NAMI can also refer people to state and local chapters.

The National Empowerment Center
599 Canal Street
Lawrence, MA 01840
Tel: (800) POWER2U (769-3728) or (978) 685-1518
TTY: (800) TTY-POWER (889-7693)
Fax: (978) 681-6426
E-mail: madpride@aol.com

National Empowerment Center is an organization offering information and referral to people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. In addition to providing referral to local resources, they can assist with information on self-help techniques and advocacy information. They are also a resource for information on accommodating people with mental health-related disabilities in international exchange. Their information is available in English and Spanish.

World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Scienses. University of Athens.
Zografou Community Mental Health Center.
42 Davaki-Pindou St.
15773 Athens. Greece.
Tel:  +30 210 7481174 / 7718320
Fax: +30 210 7481174
Email: madianos@nurs.uoa.gr

The exclusive mission of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) is to improve the quality of life of individuals and families throughout the world affected by disabling mental illnesses. Currently WAPR has 86 chapters worldwide who are representatives of consumers, families and voluntary organizations.

World Federation for Mental Health
12940 Harbor Drive, Suite 101
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Tel: (703) 494-6515
Fax: (703) 494-6518
Email: info@wfmh.com 

World Federation for Mental Health, with members and contacts in 112 countries on six continents, has responded to the international mental health crisis through its role as a worldwide grassroots advocacy and public education organization.The Federation's organizational and individual membership includes mental health workers of all disciplines, consumers/users of mental health services, family members and concerned citizens.

World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)
Store Glasvej 49
5000 Odense C
Denmark
Tel: +45 66 19 45 11
E-mail: admin@wnusp.net

WNUSP provides a global forum and voice of users and survivors of psychiatry, to promote their rights and interests. The organization includes people with mental health-related disabilities and professionals interested in furthering human rights in psychiatry. They have a list of related organizations and support groups worldwide.

Back to Top

Although efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, MIUSA/NCDE cannot be held liable for inaccuracy, misinterpretation or complaints arising from these listings. Mention of an organization, company, service or resource should not be construed as an endorsement by MIUSA/NCDE. Please advise NCDE of any inaccuracies you may find.