Navigating Social Security Disability Programs

A Handbook for Clinicians and Advocates

James Randall Noblitt, Pamela Perskin Noblitt

• Publisher: Praeger
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781440870019
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9798216122012
• Topic: Law
• Subtopic: Labour & Employment Law
• Index: Law

This book responds to a previously unmet need: unlocking the mysteries of Social Security disability programs and providing medical and mental health clinicians, as well as advocates, with the information necessary to act in the best interests of their clients.

This text aims to bring clarity to medical and psychological health care providers so they better understand the importance of their role in disability determinations by familiarizing them with the benefits, limitations, and qualifications for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. Also useful for patient advocates, the authors here provide insights into the workings of Social Security, the language employed, the definitions adhered to, and the reliance on providers to respond to requests from Social Security and their patients to support their claims when warranted. Almost all medical and mental health professionals will need to interact with Social Security at some point, but will not understand the relevance or importance of their response. Much hangs on the clarity of treatment notes and opinions rendered by clinicians. Not only can their failure to respond to requests for Social Security, or to their patients in a disability case, obstruct their patients' access to benefits, it may also put a provider at risk of board censure or civil suit.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: An Overview of Social Security Disability Programs
• Chapter 2: Clinical Assessment of the Ability to Work
• Chapter 3: Disability Determination
• Chapter 4: Complicating Factors in Disability Determination
• Chapter 5: The Role of Clinicians in Disability Determination
• Chapter 6: Psychological Disabilities
• Chapter 7: Application Process for Social Security Disability Programs
• Chapter 8: Claimants and Advocates: Navigating the Disability Determination Process
• Chapter 9: The Past, Present, and Future: Public Policy and Social Security
• Epilogue
• Appendix A: Listing of Impairments (Adult)
• Appendix B: Listing of Impairments (Child)
• Appendix C: Functional Limitations Due to Physical Impairment Questionnaire (Adult)
• Appendix D: Functional Limitations Due to Psychological Impairment Questionnaire (Adult)
• Appendix E: Functional Limitations Due to Physical Impairment Questionnaire (Child)
• Appendix F: Functional Limitations Due to Psychological Impairment Questionnaire (Child)
• Appendix G: Example of Social Security–Compatible Documentation of Psychological Services
• Appendix H: Compassionate Allowance List (as of August 20, 2018)
• References
• Glossary of Terms
• Index