Students Sue Yale University Alleging Discrimination Against Those With Mental Health Disabilities

Students Sue Yale

Several students at Yale University are suing the school, alleging that it discriminates against people who suffer from mental health issues. The suit claims that Yale is failing to meet its responsibility to be a “receptive and responsive” university to students’ emotional and financial well-being. In particular, the students are seeking to have the school remove exclusionary and coercive withdrawal policies. This lawsuit is also aimed at ensuring that the school’s academic departments and medical services are “informed and responsive” to students’ mental health needs.

Disability

Several students have filed a federal class action lawsuit against Yale University, claiming discrimination against those with mental health disabilities. The lawsuit alleges that Yale violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act.

The lawsuit seeks to amend current policies at Yale University to accommodate students with mental health disabilities. According to the lawsuit, students who withdraw from the university due to mental illness face a host of punitive consequences. The lawsuit also alleges that Yale has violated the Affordable Care Act and the Rehabilitation Act. It asks the court to grant class action status and enjoin Yale from discriminating against students with disabilities.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two students, Alicia Abramson and Hannah Neves. Abramson and Neves both suffered from depression during their time at Yale. Abramson’s depression began in childhood, but it became more severe during her junior year at Yale. Her depression forced her to withdraw from Yale, resulting in a 75 percent loss of tuition.

Involuntary medical leave of absence policies

Several current and former Yale students have filed a lawsuit against the university. The lawsuit seeks to have Yale’s involuntary medical leave of absence policies ruled illegal and to force the school to make necessary changes. The suit names several current students and alumni and alleges that Yale officials pressured them to leave the university due to mental health problems.

The suit alleges that officials visited hospitalized students and pressured them to take voluntary leaves of absence. It also includes accounts from former students and alumni. The suit is seeking class action status in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut.

According to the suit, Yale officials visited a hospital after learning that students were attempting suicide. They encouraged students to take medical withdrawals, and even threatened students with kickouts. This practice is not permitted.

One student feared being stripped of her agency after returning to Yale in the spring. She was hospitalized after her return. She was told she needed to meet with an outside therapist. She wrote an op-ed for the News, before her second medical withdrawal. She pleaded with the hospital to interact with her outside therapist.

In October 2022, Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Yale University, on behalf of Yale Medicine and the Yale Fertility Center, has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government in which it will pay a total of $308,250 to resolve allegations that it violated civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act.

Coercive and exclusionary withdrawal policies

Whether you’re a current or former Yale student, the odds are you’ve heard of or read about the university’s coercive and exclusionary withdrawal policies. The university has claimed that its policies are a response to the needs of students with mental health disabilities, but that claim has been challenged by advocacy group Elis for Rachael and current and former students who say they were pushed out of the door.

Yale’s claims of discrimination have been challenged by The Washington Post, which published an article describing the university’s alleged efforts to deter students with mental health disabilities from attending. The article also cited a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut. Aside from the lawsuit, Yale’s president Peter Salovey insists that his university’s policies are not discriminatory and do not violate state or federal law.

Aside from the lawsuit, the university has not changed its policies since the initial complaint was filed, which makes it even more unlikely that Yale will ever change its ways.

Receptive to students’ emotional and financial well-being

Developing a student’s social-emotional wellness is critical to overall student well-being. Students who have positive self-perception, positive interactions with others, and a sense of belonging will be more likely to excel in their academic studies. The CORE well-being survey is a great way to measure students’ emotional health. The survey takes about 15 minutes to administer and focuses on validated items. These are measures of a student’s sense of belonging, sense of meaningful work, teacher caring, and respect for student cultures. CORE pulse instruments are designed to be easy to administer, and they support monthly re-administration. They are also recommended for schools that are looking for a repeatable learning conditions survey.