Medical Waiver for ADHD

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Oct 17, 2016
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Is it possible to get a medical waiver if ADHD medicine has not been taken since the end of Junior year and the student maintains good grades in 4 AP classes, with no other assistance?
 
Linked is a list of Army Non-Waiverable conditions. https://www.jmu.edu/rotc/prospective-cadets/Non-waiverable medical conditions.pdf The document is dated and it is for Army, but IMHO your chances are slim.

2. The following conditions are non-waiverable:
a. Any behavior health condition that is recurrent, chronic or requiring more than 12 months of treatment/therapy.
...
e. Academic disorder that was eligible for accommodations in the last 12 months.

But, I am no expert, and you will not know until you try.
 
I believe Mabry (poster here) has addressed this issue.

I believe for a waiver it has to be 24 months off the meds. It has nothing to do with the level of curriculum they are taking, but the time off of the meds and maintaining the same gpa.

I would suggest you search the DoDMERB threads for more guidance.

The rule of thumb stands...you have 0% chance if you do not apply. Waivers are case by case. Be prepared for the worst case scenario. My guess is that it will be an automatic DQ and hard to waive since it has been less than 6 mos since they came off the meds., and right now there is no proof that it has no impact due to the fact that the 7th semester (fall sr) grades are not in yet.

Sorry, if that causes angst. Good luck.
 
I think it was a year off meds and without assistance on tests (extended time, etc), but I can't remember if that timeline was from application or start of the school year.

Whatever it is, ADHD is waiverable (I know because I got a waiver from USCGA, USNA and USMMA).
 
I have a question, what if you never had extended time on school tests or any such accommodation, but you did have extended time on the ACT? Does that question ever get asked of the recipient?
 
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I have a question, what if you never had extended time on school tests or any such accommodation, but you did have extended time on the ACT? Does that question ever get asked of the recipient?
Extended time on the ACT still counts as an accommodation. The other applicants didn't get extra time to take the ACT. That extra time is an unfair advantage. The real question is if extra time wasn't required during any other exam, why did you invoke your privilege on the ACT?

Regardless, my advice is to RETAKE the ACT WITHOUT the accommodation. When answering the DODMERB questionnaire, you can truthfully answer you weren't given special accommodations.
 
@MabryPsyD Thank you for your response. I understand it's an unfair advantage, I'm wondering if the question is asked about standardized tests, or does it ask to see his IEP from the school. My main concern is whether he is commissionable, and not necessarily for the scholarship.
 
@MabryPsyD Thank you for your response. I understand it's an unfair advantage, I'm wondering if the question is asked about standardized tests, or does it ask to see his IEP from the school. My main concern is whether he is commissionable, and not necessarily for the scholarship.

This is a two parter:

1. I believe they'll ask about his IEP. Seeing how he doesn't have an IEP, the ACT might be a loophole (a loophole I don't endorse).
2. I'm Army. Army has the MOST relaxed medical standards of all the services. The medical standards for commissioning are the same regardless of scholarship. I bring this up because if your son tried the "IEP loophole", I'd DQ him with AR 40-501; 2-27b and/or p.

" b. Current or history of academic skills or perceptual defects (315) secondary to organic or functional mental disorders, including, but not limited to dyslexia, that interfere with school or employment, do not meet the standard. Applicants demonstrating passing academic and employment performance without utilization or recommendation of academic and/or work accommodations at any time in the previous 12 months may be qualified.

p. Current or history of other mental disorders (all 290–319 not listed above) that in the opinion of the civilian or military provider will interfere with, or prevent satisfactory performance of military duty, do not meet the standard."


Again, I'm Army so I'm quoting Army regulations...and that's just for enlistment. That's just my two cents. I'm not a Debbie Downer, but taking the ACT again without extra time might mean the difference between a free education with a career and [blank].
 
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Extended time on the ACT still counts as an accommodation. The other applicants didn't get extra time to take the ACT. That extra time is an unfair advantage. The real question is if extra time wasn't required during any other exam, why did you invoke your privilege on the ACT?

Regardless, my advice is to RETAKE the ACT WITHOUT the accommodation. When answering the DODMERB questionnaire, you can truthfully answer you weren't given special accommodations.

My apologies for intruding in this thread, but I am concerned that there is an idea that students receiving accommodations have an unfair advantage over students who do not receive accommodations. As an educator with 21 years of experience working with students of varying abilities, I would like to reassure you that students receiving accommodations do so to level the learning field. Accommodations are provided because they are needed to meet the educational needs of an individual so that they have an opportunity to engage in learning at the same level of their peers. This may translate to the need for extended time in testing because the student needs the extra time to process information in order to produce the same level of response as a peer who does not experience processing delays. That does not make the student receiving the accommodation weaker or less able, just different. We love our kids, and respect the hard work that they have put forth in the process of continuing their education.
 
My apologies for intruding in this thread, but I am concerned that there is an idea that students receiving accommodations have an unfair advantage over students who do not receive accommodations. As an educator with 21 years of experience working with students of varying abilities, I would like to reassure you that students receiving accommodations do so to level the learning field. Accommodations are provided because they are needed to meet the educational needs of an individual so that they have an opportunity to engage in learning at the same level of their peers. This may translate to the need for extended time in testing because the student needs the extra time to process information in order to produce the same level of response as a peer who does not experience processing delays. That does not make the student receiving the accommodation weaker or less able, just different. We love our kids, and respect the hard work that they have put forth in the process of continuing their education.

The issue they want to avoid is someone serving who needs accommodations but won't be able to receive them due to the, often, unique nature of the military.
 
My apologies for intruding in this thread, but I am concerned that there is an idea that students receiving accommodations have an unfair advantage over students who do not receive accommodations. As an educator with 21 years of experience working with students of varying abilities, I would like to reassure you that students receiving accommodations do so to level the learning field. Accommodations are provided because they are needed to meet the educational needs of an individual so that they have an opportunity to engage in learning at the same level of their peers. This may translate to the need for extended time in testing because the student needs the extra time to process information in order to produce the same level of response as a peer who does not experience processing delays. That does not make the student receiving the accommodation weaker or less able, just different. We love our kids, and respect the hard work that they have put forth in the process of continuing their education.

Please note that the student didn't receive ANY accommodations in school. This accommodation only applied to the ACT. No IEP was in place.
 
My apologies for intruding in this thread, but I am concerned that there is an idea that students receiving accommodations have an unfair advantage over students who do not receive accommodations. As an educator with 21 years of experience working with students of varying abilities, I would like to reassure you that students receiving accommodations do so to level the learning field. Accommodations are provided because they are needed to meet the educational needs of an individual so that they have an opportunity to engage in learning at the same level of their peers. This may translate to the need for extended time in testing because the student needs the extra time to process information in order to produce the same level of response as a peer who does not experience processing delays. That does not make the student receiving the accommodation weaker or less able, just different. We love our kids, and respect the hard work that they have put forth in the process of continuing their education.

I don't think anyone in the SA community is implying that accommodations are not necessary for students who require them.
This issue is clearly different for individuals who are applying to become commissioned officers in the U.S. Military and as others have stated, expected to lead others in combat without such accommodations.
 
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