Returning from MLOA

It takes preparation, organization, and honesty to stay on course once you return to campus. Here are resources, considerations and questions to keep in mind and potentially discuss with care providers, family members, and college advisors as you plan for your return.

What was hard about returning was adapting to being in the WashU environment and finding balance. It was hard to find the right balance of self-care and work. I had to constantly remind myself that if I tried to do everything, I would probably end up crashing. It took a while for me to stop feeling guilty for taking the time I needed for myself to stay healthy both physically and emotionally, especially during my first weeks back at WashU

Initiating your return from MLOA

To initiate your return from MLOA, it is important that you have information about the process of returning from a leave. In order to resume study at Washington University, the student will be asked to demonstrate that the condition that caused them to take a leave has resolved sufficiently to allow resumption of studies.  The duration of the leave should correspond with an appropriate recovery time associated with the issues for which the leave was initiated. The HLOA Committee may request additional information or documentation to establish your fitness to return to your studies at Washington University.

Please note the following:

• Return from MLOA provider documentation forms and personal statements cannot be accepted less than four weeks prior to the application window deadlines.
• Requests to return that are submitted later than the recommended deadlines will be postponed until a later semester
  • Fall semester requests must be submitted between June 1 and July 1
  • Spring semester requests must be submitted between November 1 and December 1
• If using email, be aware that it is not necessarily a confidential method of communication.

Please contact the Leave Case Manager if you have questions about the timeline. 

Steps to return from MLOA

Step 1. Request to return

Please email the Leave Case Manager and/or make an appointment to help you identify logistical steps you may need to take as you explore a return to the university. 

At that meeting you will review reinstatement guidelines, policies, and expectations. Begin exploring a holistic plan for maintaining your health and well-being when you return to Wash U., that will also help you identify supportive resources both on and/or off campus.

Step 2. Documentation of fitness to return

Submit documentation to the Leave Case Manager/MLOA Committee or by fax: 314-970-9093 indicating your fitness to resume your education at Washington University, which should include all the following (see table below for forms and links):

• MLOA Reinstatement Request Form for your respective school of program
• Return from MLOA Personal Statement in pdf format
• Provider Documentation of Fitness to Return in pdf format from each provider that you worked with while on MLOA
  • Provider documentation must be in English and/or on letterhead and translated by a licensed professional translation service
• HIPAA compliant Release of Information (in PDF format) from each provider that you have worked with while on MLOA

Eating disorders

For students returning from MLOA due to an eating disorder, the following additional information is required from the student’s health care provider:

• Complete history of the eating disorder (with explanation of severity of behaviors)
• Report of physical exam completed by a physician within the past month.
• Height and weight parameters and vital signs for the last 3-6 months (depending on duration of leave)
• EKG and labs: CMP, CBC, amylase, urinalysis, magnesium, and phosphorus completed within the past 30 days (preferred) – 60 days (acceptable).

Athletics

Student athletes returning from MLOA may be asked to undergo an evaluation by a team physician and/or an additional healthcare provider designated by the university at the university’s expense.

Step 3. Administrative and academic processes and recommendation

The submitted documentation and the student’s consultation will all be considered to determine readiness for reinstatement, along with any other factors that the appropriate school official, in their discretion, deems relevant under the student’s particular circumstances.

If MLOA reinstatement is recommended, the MLOA Committee will send a letter of recommendation, including recommended effective date, to the student’s school/program who will make the final decision and notify the student.

The Reinstatement Form and the Personal Statement and any other relevant information submitted as part of the reinstatement process may be shared with the designated School official after committee review.

If the student is denied reinstatement, they are encouraged to apply again the following semester. Students may be denied reinstatement if they did not engage in treatment for the challenges that necessitated the leave. 

MLOA reinstatement forms and links

To return from your leave, choose the appropriate forms and links from the list below.

Note: whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, you must use the Reinstatement Checklist and complete the Release of Information form. Then for undergraduates: complete the Request to Return from MLOA. Graduate students should select the correct option for your school. All students: your provider must complete the Reinstatement Health Evaluation form.

Considerations for returning from MLOA

Academics

• What do you consider to be your greatest academic strengths?
• What classes play to your strengths?
• What is a manageable number of credits to take as you readjust to life at Washington University?
• What combination of classes will allow for balance in terms of the skills and amount of time required for each class?
• What questions do you have for your college advising office or faculty advisor? 

Health and well-being

• What will you need to do in order to maintain your health and well-being (e.g., nutrition, exercise, sleep, meditation, socializing, other)?
• How and when will you build in time for activities that support your well-being?
• What are the warning signs of a deterioration in your health and well-being? 

Housing

• What housing situation will be the most beneficial for your first semester after a leave?
  • Consider the following: On- or-off campus; alone or with roommates; distance from campus; access to grocery stores and transportation
• Have you updated your local address and emergency contact information in Webstac?

Resources on or off campus

• What concerns do you have about returning from a health leave? What help do you need to address those concerns?
• What campus resources will you access to support your return and what type of support do you need (e.g., Habif Health and Wellness , Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, Disability Resources, College advising office)?
• What off campus resources are available? How can I gain access?
• What is the most helpful way for college staff to reach out to you if there are concerns about your well-being (e.g., email, phone, text, other)? 

Social connections

• What communities do you want to engage with?
• What interests do you want to pursue when you return to Washington University  (e.g., student organizations, religious groups, resource centers, service or research opportunities)?
• Do you want to reconnect with old friends or create a new network?
• What personal resources can you rely on for support once you return to campus (e.g., family, physician or therapist, friends, other)?

Your first semester back 

Many services are available to support students’ health and well-being while on campus.