Mental capacity to work is determined by Social Security through meeting the criteria for a Blue Book listing or submitting to a residual functional capacity (RFC) test. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses RFC tests to measure the effects of all disabilities, physical and mental. The Mental RFC exam, or MRFC, is a special version of the test used for mental disabilities only.
Before you apply for disability and get subjected to an RFC or MRFC, a Social Security lawyer can help you prepare. A Social Security disability attorney from the Disability Advantage Group can help you make your disability claim thorough and compelling. We fight for your benefits and do not get paid unless you receive them. For a free case evaluation, call 865-566-0800 today.
Explaining the RFC Test
There are two ways to get approved for Social Security disability. The first is to meet the criteria of a Blue Book listing. The Blue Book is Social Security’s master list of medical conditions that are eligible for benefits. Under each condition is a long list of criteria your diagnosis has to meet. If you meet them all, you can collect disability without going through the RFC or MRFC process.
That said, no matter the condition, the criteria are tough to satisfy, which is why many candidates do not get approved through a Blue Book listing. Instead, they complete an RFC or MRFC test. The test takes information provided by your doctor and uses it to quantify the extent to which your condition impairs your functional capacity — in other words, your ability to work and carry out daily tasks.
Typically, the disability examiner assigned to your case reviews the information supplied by your doctor and completes the RFC or MRFC on your behalf.
The Mental RFC and How It Works
The MRFC is a specific type of RFC used only for applicants who apply based on mental, not physical disabilities. As a result, they undergo a different RFC test; one that measures not the level of physical exertion they can manage, but their ability to carry out various mental tasks, handle stressful situations, and work in a collaborative environment.
The MRFC measures your ability to do the following and more:
- Understand instructions and carry them out properly
- Concentrate on a specific task for an extended period
- Maintain a daily work routine without constant supervision
- Make good decisions on your own in a work setting
- Interact with co-workers and the public in an appropriate manner
- Accept criticism without becoming overly defensive or dejected
- Get along with co-workers and team members
- Maintain appropriate personal hygiene as well as the cleanliness of your work area
- Respond appropriately to changes in your job duties, work routine, or daily schedule
- Handle stress
- Be counted on to show up to work every day and on time
Using the MRFC framework, the disability examiner will rate you in each category based on information provided by your doctor. This rating helps the disability examiner determine whether your condition qualifies you to receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income.
How Your MRFC Results Affect the Outcome of Your Disability Claim
Social Security uses your MRFC results to decide if it thinks you are capable of working. It does this by comparing your results to the requirements of not just your most recent job but jobs you’ve held in the past, too. So if your MRFC indicates that you have enough functional capacity for a job you did five years ago, and that job still exists, Social Security could deny you based on that.
Social Security also has a database of jobs that match your skills, background, and education. These are jobs you may not have done in the past but that Social Security believes you are qualified to do now. It may compare your MRFC results to the requirements of these jobs, as well.
Call Today for a Free Case Evaluation With a Member of Our Team: 865-566-0800
The attorneys at the Disability Advantage Group, want to help you with your Social Security disability claim. Our team has a strong track record of getting our clients approved for benefits. To see how we can help, call today for a free case evaluation today: 865-566-0800.