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Confidential Release of Information

The Center for Disability Resources (CDR) and Delaware State University are extremely sensitive to the issue of confidentiality and are guided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in protecting privacy rights. 

It should be noted that FERPA is a federal privacy law that applies to educational agencies and institutions funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Students who are 18 years of age (legal adults) must provide consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) from student education records unless a FERPA exception applies. Disability information is confidential and highly sensitive information. All disability files are housed securely in the CDR and are not stored in shared University academic record files. Thus, while a student might complete a FERPA form authorizing parental access to information and consent to speak with University staff in the Financial Aid or Student Accounts office, that consent is specific to the information those offices maintain and are responsible for and does not extend to disability-related information. 

While CDR does communicate with Faculty and Administration regarding a student’s request for accommodations and accommodation facilitation, it does not share confidential information without the expressed written consent of the student or, in the instance of a verifiable need to know.  Similarly, CDR does not provide registration status, accommodation information, or any other confidential information to a student’s parent, guardian, spouse/partner, or other third party without the express written consent of the student.

A student with a disability may sign a Confidential Release of Information Form to allow the release of medical or psychoeducational documentation or to give permission to CDR to discuss disability-related information with third parties such as parents, spouses/partners, or medical/mental health practitioners. 

Filling out the Confidential Release of Information Form: 

If you are a DSU Student registered with CDR who would like to fill out the Confidential Release of Information Form allowing SAS to release your personal information to individuals of your choosing, please follow these steps:

  1. Download the Confidential Release of Information Form and save it to your computer.
  2. Fill out and sign the form. The student may print the form and fill out by hand or fill out the form on their computer and sign using an approved Adobe electronic signature.
  3. Return the signed form to CDR: Forms can be returned via email to cdr [at] desu.edu.

Removing or Changing Previously Submitted Confidential Release of Information Forms:

If you are a DSU Student registered with CDR who has already filled out the Confidential Release of Information Form and would like to remove the ability for previously designated individuals to have access to your personal information please follow these steps:

  1. Request a copy of your previously submitted form by contacting the Center for Disability Resources, cdr [at] desu.edu . The form will be emailed to your DSU account or can be picked up in the CDR Office.
  2. Initial and Date the bottom section of the form indicating that you are no longer giving permission for your information to be released
  3. Return the signed form to CDR: Forms can be returned via email to cdr [at] desu.edu.