Assessing the effect of psychiatric disorders on work function

In summary, an effort to increase the specificity and replicability of assessments of disability has been made by a subcommittee on permanent psychiatric disability, consisting of four forensic psychiatrists, three clinical and forensic psychologists, a medical sociologist, a workers' compensation judge and a vocational rehabilitation expert. The subcommittee reviewed legislation, regulations and case law pertaining to workers' compensation, especially that related to compensation for work-related psychiatric injury in California. The subcommittee also reviewed published and unpublished papers that discuss problems related to the evaluation of claims arising from alleged work-related psychiatric injury in the California Workers' Compensation System. A limited review of existing systems for evaluating psychiatric disorder and psychiatric disability was carried out. A number of consultants, psychiatrists and psychologists reviewed the work independently or attended meetings at which the work was presented. Out of this work, a report was generated that has been described in detail in this chapter. An outline for assembling all of the data necessary for arriving at conclusions about impairment of work functions was generated. Eight work functions were chosen, derived from Social Security disability guidelines but somewhat modified to fit the issue of partial disability. Specific component factors for each of these work functions were identified. It is hoped that this method will provide a more quantitative, replicable and equitable system for assessing permanent psychiatric disability. If these are applied in good conscience by the medical-legal community, data will be generated that will make it possible to further modify specifications of these work functions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)