Online Continuing Education (CLE)

NOSSCR provides online continuing education courses for members and advocates.

The webinars from our 2021 and 2020 virtual conferences are now available for purchase on demand! Of note, CLE was approved for our conferences and these webinars may be eligible for your state’s self-study CLE.

Members receive a significant discount on all purchases. Furthermore, you save 10% for ordering two webinars at the same time and 20% for three or more.

A Few of the 26 Courses Available from Our 2021 Conference

COVID-19 Long Haulers

Presenters will discuss the current understanding of the medical problems and disabilities caused by Covid-19. The discussion focuses on the common long-term symptoms and serious complications from Covid-19 including our current understanding of the effect of the different organ systems. The emerging picture of chronic Covid-19 symptoms, the “Long Haulers,” are discussed in detail regarding the severe disabling symptoms that can last for several months both after severe initial disease and mild or even unrecognized initial infection. Presents will also discuss what to look for in medical records and how to successfully present a Social Security disability case using the Listing of Impairments, key Social Security Rulings, and physician opinions to win a long-term Covid-19 case.

Recommendation for Challenging Finds in Psychological IMEs

Psychological IMEs often provide limited information and it tends to lean against individuals who seek disability. These limitations include no (or very little) information about how much psychological symptoms impact functioning, details about how the person presents during the evaluation (as opposed to just what they report), and minimal consideration is given to how much the person’s psychological symptoms may impact how well they cooperate during evaluations.
These evaluations, based on reviews of previous records, have limited details including no consideration of how limited therapy progress notes can be, no weight given to how much progress notes have to stress progress if the therapist expects payment, minimal recognition of limitations to psychological testing, and the time limitations often associated with psychiatric visits. These are all issues that this presentation covers along with recommendations for challenging them when fighting for a client who suffers from a psychological disorder. The presenters provide correlation to the Mental Health Listings and offer insight into ways to present claimant testimony to supplement these challenges of the IMEs.

Successfully Addressing the Materiality of Drug Addiction and Alcoholism in Hearings, at the Appeals Council, and in Federal Court

In cases involving drug and alcohol addiction (DAA), ALJs will frequently deny the claim on the basis that that DAA is material to the finding of disability. While some practitioners may be hesitant to take on such cases, the evidentiary bar set by SSR 13-2p is high in that it generally requires affirmative evidence of materiality independent of a claimant’s other impairments. We will review SSR 13-2p and the applicable case law and discuss how to preserve the hearing record for appeal and/or get favorable outcomes at ALJ hearings, as well as various lines of direct examination of the client and cross-examination of the medical expert. Finally, we will review successful arguments to reverse unfavorable ALJ materiality determinations at the AC level and in federal court.

Social Security Disability and Student Loans: How You Can Save Your Clients Thousands of Dollars

When obtaining benefits for our clients, outstanding student loans is a further issue in our minds. We fixate on present medical and vocational issues, not loans incurred 20 or 30 years ago. Yet many of our clients incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. Understanding the interrelationship between approval of disability and student loans can bring a real benefit to our clients and even a possible additional fee for the perceptive attorney.

How to Succeed at the Appeals Council Without Really Trying

The Appeals Council denies or dismisses 87% of cases. Despite these horrible odds, there are ways both at the hearing and after you file your appeal to increase the odds for your client. Our presentation will focus on real-life examples of how to succeed.