The influence of Social Security legislation changes on the profile of the granting of disability benefits for mental disorders

This article is a preliminary study on possible influences of legal regulation changes (Copes and PP) on the result of initial expertise examination in Juiz de Fora (State of Minas Gerais, Brazil), following a request for social benefits due to a mental disorder. retrospective analysis of data drawn from an official data bank (Dataprev) related to examinations concluded between July/2004 and December/2006. Four periods were considered: (1º) July/2004 to July/ 2005 before the legal regulation Copes took effect; (2º) August/2005 to November/2005, with Copes in effect and examinations by third part experts; (3º) December/2005 to April/2006, without third part experts; (4º) May/2006 to December/2006, with PP in effect. reduction on the frequency of benefit granting from 81.9% to 49.5% from 1º to 4º period. Increase of favorable conclusions on requests for re-evaluations (from 52.0% in 1º period to 75.3% after Copes) and reduction in 4º period (36.5%). Reduction on average number of benefit renewal (from 3.5 to 1.7, respectively in 1º and 4º periods). The mean period of work dismissal was longer in 1º period and shorter in 4º period (respectively 397.4 and 247.6 days). The results highlighted changes on the profile of benefits granted during the period of time in which the new regulations came into force.