Will Social Security send you to a psychologist?



Will Social Security send you to a psychologist?



 
Social Security has to make medical determinations and certain evidence is required by law to make those determinations. If you have alleged a mental condition with no treatment or you have treatment in the past but nothing current, you may be sent to a psychologist for a mental status examination to determine what is going on with your mental condition.

Additionally, if you allege you have a learning disorder or your mental capacity has changed due to the effects of a stroke, you may be sent for intelligence quotient, or IQ testing for your disability claim.

However, Social Security will not send you to a psychologist or psychiatrist for actual treatment, as they are only interested in determining how limiting your mental condition may be. Social Security disability is about functionality rather than specific mental or physical conditions. If your mental condition causes significant limitations, you may be awarded disability.



If you are sent to a consultative examination with a mental health professional (psychologist, counselor, or psychiatrist), Social Security will pay for your evaluation. If you are requested to attend an exam, you must attend the examination or your claim will be denied for failure to attend a consultative examination or failure to cooperate. They would not pay for something that was not integral to your disability determination.


About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here.







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