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(JD) · Nov 05, 2015, 02:24 PM

Here's some suggestions from the ADA site:

Quote:

Examples of reasonable accommodations for people with severe mental illnesses are:

Providing self-paced workloads and flexible hours
Modifying job responsibilities
Allowing leave (paid or unpaid) during periods of hospitalization or incapacity
Assigning a supportive and understanding supervisor
Modifying work hours to allow people to attend appointments with their psychiatrist
Providing easy access to supervision and supports in the workplace
Providing frequent guidance and feedback about job performance

Here is a page from the Accommodation Ideas site of the eeoc:

Quote:

Questions to Consider:

What limitations is the employee with a mental health impairment experiencing?
How do these limitations affect the employee and the employee’s job performance?
What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations?
What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems? Are all possible resources being used to determine possible accommodations?
Has the employee with a mental health impairment been consulted regarding possible accommodations?
Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with the employee with a mental health impairment to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations and to determine whether additional accommodations are needed?
Do supervisory personnel and employees need training regarding mental health impairments?

Accommodation Ideas:

Concentration:

Reduce distractions in the work area:
- Provide space enclosures, sound absorption panels, or a private office
- Allow for use of white noise or environmental sound machines
- Allow the employee to listen to soothing music
- Provide a noise cancelling headset
- Plan for uninterrupted work time
- Purchase organizers to reduce clutter
Increase natural lighting or provide full spectrum lighting
Allow flexible work environment:
Flexible scheduling
Modified break schedule
Work from home/Flexi-place
Divide large assignments into smaller tasks and goals
Use auditory or written cues as appropriate
Restructure job to include only essential functions
Provide memory aids such as schedulers, organizers, and / or apps

Memory:

Provide written as well as verbal instructions
Provide written checklists
Use a wall calendar
Use a daily or weekly task list
Provide verbal prompts and reminders
Use electronic organizers, hand held devices, and /or apps
Allow the employee to record meetings and trainings
Provide printed minutes of meetings and trainings
Allow additional training time for new duties
Provide a mentor for daily guidance
Provide reminders of important deadlines via e-mails, memos, and weekly supervision
Use notebooks, planners, or sticky notes to record information for easy retrieval
Provide cues to assist in location of items by using labels, color coding, or bulletin boards
Post written instructions for use of equipment

Organization:

Use daily, weekly, and monthly task lists
Use calendar with automated reminders to highlight meetings and deadlines
Use electronic organizers, mobile devices, and / or apps
Divide large assignments into smaller tasks and goals
Use a color coding scheme to prioritize tasks
Hire a job coach or a professional organizer
Assign a mentor to assist employee

Time Management / Completing Tasks:

Make daily TO-DO lists and check items off as they are completed
Provide organizational tools such as electronic schedulers, recorders, software organizers, calendars, watches, and apps
Divide large assignments into smaller tasks and steps
Schedule weekly meetings with supervisor, manager, or mentor to determine if goals are being met
Remind employee of important deadlines
Assign a mentor to assist with determining goals, providing daily guidelines, reminding of important deadlines
Consider providing training on time management

Stress / Emotions:

Encourage use of stress management techniques to deal with frustration
Allow the presence of a support animal
Allow telephone calls during work hours to doctors and others for needed support
Use a mentor or supervisor to alert the employee when his/her behavior is becoming unprofessional or inappropriate
Assign a supervisor, manager, or mentor to answer the employee's questions Restructure job to include only essential functions during times of stress
Refer to counseling, employee assistance programs (EAP)
Provide backup coverage for when the employee needs to take breaks
Allow flexible work environment:
Flexible scheduling
- Modified break schedule
- Leave for counseling
- Work from home/Flexi-place

Panic Attacks:

Allow the employee to take a break and go to a place where s/he feels comfortable to use relaxation techniques or contact a support person
Identify and remove environmental triggers such as particular smells or noises
Allow the presence of a support animal

Sleep Disturbances:

Allow for a flexible start time
Combine regularly scheduled short breaks into one longer break
Provide a place for the employee to sleep during break
Allow the employee to work one consistent schedule
Provide a device such as a Doze Alert or other alarms to keep the employee alert
Increase natural lighting or provide full spectrum lighting

Fatigue:

Allow flexible work environment:
- Flexible scheduling
- Modified break schedule
- Work from home/Flexi-place
Provide a goal-oriented workload
Reduce or eliminate physical exertion and workplace stress
Implement ergonomic workstation design

Attendance:

Allow flexible work environment:
- Flexible scheduling
- Modified break schedule
- Leave for counseling
- Work from home/Flexi-place
Provide straight shift or permanent schedule
Allow the employee to make up the time missed
Modify attendance policy
- Example: count one occurrence for all PTSD-related absences

Coworker Interaction:

Encourage the employee to walk away from frustrating situations and confrontations
Allow the employee to work from home part-time
Provide partitions or closed doors to allow for privacy
Provide disability awareness training to coworkers and supervisors

Working Effectively:

Two common issues that JAN receives inquiries on are: (1) what accommodations will work for individuals with mental health impairments when workplaces are implementing substantial changes, and (2) what accommodations will help supervisors work effectively with individuals with mental health impairments. Many accommodation ideas are born from effective management techniques. When organizations are implementing workplace changes, it is important that key personnel recognize that a change in the environment or in supervisors may be difficult. Maintaining open channels of communication to ensure any transitions are smooth, and providing short weekly or monthly meetings with employees to discuss workplace issues can be helpful.
Supervisors can also implement management techniques that support an inclusive workplace culture while simultaneously providing accommodations. Techniques include the following:

Provide positive praise and reinforcement,
Provide day-to-day guidance and feedback,
Provide written job instructions via email,
Develop clear expectations of responsibilities and the consequences of not meeting performance standards,
Schedule consistent meetings with employee to set goals and review progress,
Allow for open communication,
Establish written long term and short term goals,
Develop strategies to deal with conflict,
Develop a procedure to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodation,
Educate all employees on their right to accommodations,
Provide sensitivity training to coworkers and supervisors,
Do not mandate that employees attend work related social functions, and
Encourage all employees to move non-work-related conversations out of work areas.