416.903—Who makes disability and blindness determinations.
(a) State agencies.
State agencies make disability and blindness determinations for the Commissioner for most persons living in the State. State agencies make these disability and blindness determinations under regulations containing performance standards and other administrative requirements relating to the disability and blindness determination function. States have the option of turning the function over to the Federal Government if they no longer want to make disability determinations. Also, the Commissioner may take the function away from any State which has substantially failed to make disability and blindness determinations in accordance with these regulations. Subpart J of this part contains the rules the States must follow in making disability and blindness determinations.
(b) Social Security Administration.
The Social Security Administration will make disability and blindness determinations for—
(1)
Any person living in a State which is not making for the Commissioner any disability and blindness determinations or which is not making those determinations for the class of claimants to which that person belongs; and
(c) What determinations are authorized.
The Commissioner has authorized the State agencies and the Social Security Administration to make determinations about—
(d) Review of State agency determinations.
On review of a State agency determination or redetermination of disability or blindness we may find that—
(2)
Your disability or blindness began earlier or later than the date found by the State agency; and
(e) Initial determinations for mental impairments.
An initial determination by a State agency or the Social Security Administration that you are not disabled (or a Social Security Administration review of a State agency's initial determination), in any case where there is evidence which indicates the existence of a mental impairment, will be made only after every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist has completed the medical portion of the case review and any applicable residual functional capacity assessment. If the services of qualified psychiatrists or psychologists cannot be obtained because of impediments at the State level, the Commissioner may contract directly for the services. In a case where there is evidence of mental and nonmental impairments and a qualified psychologist serves as a psychological consultant, the psychologist will evaluate only the mental impairment, and a physician will evaluate the nonmental impairment.
(f) Determinations for childhood impairments.
In making a determination under title XVI with respect to the disability of a child to whom paragraph (e) of this section does not apply, we will make reasonable efforts to ensure that a qualified pediatrician or other individual who specializes in a field of medicine appropriate to the child's impairment(s) evaluates the case of the child.