Is your disability obvious? Is it also clear why you need the accommodation or modification? For example, let’s say you use a wheelchair. You tell your housing provider that you need to install a ramp. You don’t have to prove to your housing provider that you need the modification.
What if your disability or the reason that you’re requesting a change isn’t obvious? Your housing provider may ask you to have your doctor or another service provider verify that you need the change. Your doctor therapist, social worker or other provider should say that you have certain limitations and that you need a reasonable accommodation or modification because of those limits.
Your therapist or other provider doesn’t need to tell your housing provider your diagnosis, medication information or any other private information unless it is directly related to why you need the change you’ve asked for.
The verification does not have to be from a doctor. It can be from another professional, from someone who knows about you and your disability, or from someone who knows about the change that you need. For example, your need for an assistance animal may be verified by a therapist or counselor instead of a doctor.
Your doctor or other professional can use this form letter (Word file; PDF file). Or they can write their own.
What if you need your cabinets lowered because of your disability? A specialist who knows about adaptive equipment may be a better expert than a doctor.
