Mental Health Status - Policy and Procedure

Laws of the state of Tennessee govern Fisk University’s response to the mental health status of students or members of the University community. The University must follow two portions of statute, one governing children, and one governing adults. Specifically, the University observes the definition of mental illness as “a psychiatric disorder, alcohol dependence, or drug dependence, but does not include mental retardation or other developmental disabilities” pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated 33-1- 101. In accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated 33-1-101 (22) “Serious emotional disturbance” means a condition in a child who currently or at any time during the past year has had a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to meet psychiatric diagnostic criteria that results in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits the child's role or functioning in family, school, or community activities and includes any mental disorder, regardless of whether it is of biological etiology; In accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated 73-6-102 (2) “Adult” means a person eighteen (18) years of age or older who because of mental or physical dysfunction or advanced age is unable to manage such person's own resources, carry out the activities of daily living, or protect such person from neglect, hazardous or abusive situations without assistance from others and who has no available, willing, and responsibly able person for assistance and who may be in need of protective services; provided, however, that a person eighteen (18) years of age or older who is mentally impaired but still competent shall be deemed to be a person with mental dysfunction for the purposes of this chapter.

University Policy and Procedure

If a student is incapacitated, or declared to be a risk of danger to himself/herself or to the campus community, the Provost, the Dean of Student Engagement or the Director of Counseling Services submits written notice to the Office of the Registrar that the student is to be administratively withdrawn based on communication received from the student’s parent(s) or family, or based on communication from a physician, mental health practitioner, etc. This notice will state the reason for withdrawal, the effective withdrawal date, and provide supporting documentation.