There is a growing awareness of mental health issues and there is no question that if someone suffers a trauma or develops a disorder, it can become difficult if not impossible to support themselves.

Getting the financial compensation and support you need can be a complex and challenging task, which is why a social security disability attorney like Marasco & Nesselbush LLP, can often be called into action.

Getting approved for Social Security Disability

Getting approval for disability is not always that straightforward and there are no specific mental health symptoms that necessarily guarantee you an approval simply based upon a certain mental impairment.

One of the most important factors to be aware of, is that the focus of your Social Security assessment is primarily based on your functional capacity to be able to work, rather than your specific symptoms, although these are also relevant of course.

Social Security rules dictate that they view a mental impairment in just the same way as they would view a physical impairment. This is why they focus their enquiries on your individual functional capacity and readiness for work, despite your limitations, rather than simply making a decision based on your specific impairment or diagnosis.

Evaluating functional capacity

You will find that Social Security utilize a number of alternate information sources when trying to evaluate the extent of your mental impairment.

This will include looking at your medical records and any evidence that has already been gathered about your current level of functional capacity. The sort of things they will look at include daily tasks such as shopping, paying bills, cooking, household chores and your ability to maintain a level of personal hygiene, amongst a list of what can be referred to as social functioning ability.

If they consider that you have difficulties maintaining an acceptable level of independence and social functionality, the inference would be that you may well also find it difficult to sustain gainful employment too.

The Blue Book

Social Security has published a guide which was once referred to as the Disability Evaluation Under Social Security Handbook, but is now simply referred to as the Blue Book.

This book sets out a list of recognized mental impairments and the criteria for these various different mental disorders, such as what constitutes autism, bipolar disorder and mental retardation, to name a few specific disorders which are covered in detail within the handbook.

Successfully filing a claim

There is a basic path to follow if you want to successfully file a mental illness disability claims.

Some of the main components that need to come together in order to provide all of the information needed, include a mental assessment form that is filled out by your doctor and being subjected to a mental consultative examination, which is referred to as the Social Security Disability Mental Exam.

All of these tasks can be daunting and disconcerting for all of those closely involved, which is why it can often make sense to consider hiring a disability lawyer, if you find that you are being denied what you feel you are entitled to.

Spencer Parsons is a disability support worker. Often effected by the things he sees and hears as part of his job, he writes to raise awareness and help others facing financial problems with disability benefits and more.

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