Guiding the Conversation When Someone Discloses a Disability
There may be times when a person, feeling comfortable with a particular faculty or staff member or administrator, discloses that they have a disability. A best practice is to let the person lead the conversation — they should not be asked to divulge information that is not shared voluntarily. If the person is requesting a disability-related accommodation or modification not already provided to everyone, refer them (in writing) to the Center for Disability Resources (CDR).
If the information being shared contains too much detail or you feel discomfort, it is appropriate to politely redirect the conversation, for example: "Thank you for sharing this with me. To make the best use of your time, I want to ensure we talk about the Center for Disability Resources. I strongly encourage you to contact them — they are a valuable resource for people with disabilities on campus. I am going to send you their contact information in an email."
Confidentiality
CDR and Delaware State University are extremely sensitive to confidentiality and are guided by the ADA, the ADAAA, HIPAA, and FERPA in protecting privacy rights. All disability files are housed securely in CDR.
While CDR communicates with faculty and administration on an as-needed basis regarding accommodation requests and facilitation, it does not share confidential information without the person's expressed written consent or a verifiable need-to-know. Faculty, staff, and administration should treat any disability information shared with them as confidential and only discuss it with CDR. If a person feels they should share this information with others, they are encouraged to consult CDR first.
It would never be appropriate to ask a person if they have a disability, treat them differently, isolate them from their peers because of their disability, or request more information about their disability.