What can a Social Worker do to help with Social Security Disability?
A social worker, or a case worker, is someone that helps disadvantaged people with their problems and help them connect to services in their community to help improve their life. Social workers can also provide counseling to individuals, couples, and families. For example, they can help homeless people connect with housing, or help people apply for food stamps.
A social worker can help with your disability application, depending on your relationship with them. They can help you fill out the paperwork, help you gather your medical records, and may provide you with a ride to the Social Security office or to your doctor appointments.
If you are seeing a social worker for counseling, they can provide their counseling notes as part of your medical records. When you are filing for disability for mental health conditions, it is important to provide as much information about your treatment as possible. This includes treating notes from your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your medications, counseling notes, and any evaluations or statements about your conditions and symptoms. Counseling notes from a social worker can provide a picture of how your symptoms affect you, what daily activities you are capable of, and your reaction to certain medications.
A social worker can also be a useful resource during the application process and up through the hearing process if necessary. They can help you understand the paperwork required and help you fill out the required forms. They can help you identify and list where you have sought medical treatment, as having a complete medical record is very important to getting your claim approved. They can provide a statement describing how your conditions affect your daily functioning, which in addition to medical records, can help Social Security find your disabled. At the hearing level, they can provide emotional support. If they provide records or statements, they usually will not be permitted to testify on your behalf.
If you feel that a social worker can help you out, contact your mental health providers for recommendations and assistance. If they cannot set you up with someone, you may be able to contact your local social services agencies for assistance as well. If you have questions about how they can support your Social Security Disability claim, contact your disability lawyers at Hoglund & Mrozik, P.L.L.C., and they can help get the necessary information to Social Security.
