Social Security Disability APC Course

The Advanced Paralegal Certification course on Social Security Disability consists of successful completion of 14 modules of text, assessments, and assignments. The modules and their subjects are as follows:

1.	Defining Social Security Benefits Defining social security benefits; identifying the differences between Title II and Title XVI disability claims
2.	Roles and Responsibilities of Representatives Who may serve as a representative; the use of 1696 and the SSA’s definition of competence; roles and responsibilities of the:
	Social Security Administration Claimant Representative	Vocational Expert Medical Expert Administrative Law Judge Appeals Council
3.	Application and Reconsideration Steps within the application and reconsideration process including the Adult Disability and Work History Report; applying for benefits; review and initial determination; managing the initial denial; filing for reconsideration; the Reconsideration Disability Report; and request for hearing
4.	Hearing and Appeal Steps in the hearing process; hearing rules; post hearing outcomes; consultative examinations; appealing denial
5.	Representative Involvement and Payment Claims process; how representatives are paid by the SSA; fee petitions
6.	Claimant Initial Interview Information required to gather and document during the initial interview with a claimant; the five-step sequential evaluation process in sequencing; and gathering information in the initial interview
7.	Step 2 - Impairments, Symptoms and Limitations Difference between impairments, symptoms, and limitations; roles of impairments, symptoms, and limitations in substantiating the claim; matching a claimant’s description to an impairment, symptom, or limitation
8.	Step 3: Using Medical Listings When a claimant’s impairment meets a medical listing; how medical listings are used in determining a claim’s award status; how the use of a medical expert impacts the argument for the claim meeting a medical listing
9.	Step 3 1/2 Deriving Residual Functional Capacity from Limitations Types of testimony and evidence best suited to persuade the administrative law judge that limitations exist; the relationships among limitations, symptoms, and impairments in determining residual functional capacity; documentation best suited to support the finding of impairments; symptoms, medical signs, and laboratory findings; the differences between medical signs and laboratory findings and when they should be used
10.	Step 3 1/2: Determining and Proving Residual Functional Capacity The standard of proof required in social security disability claim cases; requirements and appropriate evidence and sources for the administrative law judge to recognize a limitation; requirements and important details related to recognizing impairments; how pain-related limitations can most effectively be entered in the record for the administrative law judge’s consideration; proper questioning techniques to lend credibility and detail to pain-related testimony; potential pitfalls in using or submitting medical source statements
11.	Step 4 - Past Relevant Work How past work experience is defined and considered at step 4; the role of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT); the vocational factors affecting the administrative law judge’s assessment at step 4 and their importance; the role and process of the Vocational Expert in reviewing the case file and providing testimony at step 4
12.	Step 5 - Other Competitive Work The role and components of the “Grids” in step 5 of disability determination; factors considered in age, education, and skills and their impact on the administrative law judge’s determination; role the administrative law judge plays and the method used in vocational expert inquiry at step 5; how age, education, previous work experience, and transferability of skills are considered in the step 5 vocational expert inquiry; common pitfalls for representatives at step 5 in addressing whether future work can be performed
13.	Administrative Law Judge Examination of Vocational Experts Typical line of questioning techniques used by the administrative law judge when examining the vocational expert at step 4; typical line of questioning techniques used by the administrative law judge when examining the vocational expert at step 5; strategies for cross-examining at step 4 to introduce further evidenced limitations in the administrative law judge’s consideration; the typical sequence of types of questions during examination by the administrative law judge at steps 4 and 5; how non-exertional limitations can be included in consideration through cross-examination of the vocational expert
14	The Modular Disability Folder The 5-parts of the modular disability folder (MDF); typical documents found in each part of the MDF; critical documents within each folder section; documents included in the Disability Application Supplement