The course schedule is one of the most import documents in this program.  It enables you to navigate our extensive training materials.  Despite the challenges ahead, with patience, fortitude, the right tools and a little luck, you’ll enjoy incredible success as a disability advocate regardless of your location or level of competition.

We have developed a more efficient training approach for 2012 that incorporates our new Olivia 2.0 software.  This new Olivia software will greatly improve your chances of success in this field.  Olivia will also enable you to serve your clients better by providing built-in client communication capabilities that where not previously possible. 

Our training schedule is now divided into seven major phases.  Each phase contains business milestones that should be achieved before moving forward in the course.  This approach enables you to quantify your progress.  Please print this document and mark off each step as you progress through the course.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at stussa@daincpm.net.  We're here to serve you!

Working Effectively with Your Mentor

Starting a business is no joke!  This is especially true in hard economic times.  You've trusted your hard-earned dollars to our training program and it’s our duty to provide you with the best information and training available.  However, you and I both know that it takes more than just a course to succeed.  No single training course in the world can provide you with the settle unspoken often overlooked bits of knowledge that can make or break your business.  That's what a mentor is for!  To be there for you when you need him/her most.  If you're really serious about success as a disability advocate, get a mentor for the first year of your business.  The support is well worth the money and you'll be glad you did! 

Over the years we have inevitably encountered personalities that clash.  This can be avoided by clearly defining our respective positions.  It's our job as your mentor to do everything we can to share useful knowledge that will help you to succeed as a disability advocate.  We cannot make you into a stronger, better or wiser business person.  That's up to you.  We must be able to speak frankly to our students.  If you’re easily offended, buck-up.   Everyone who enters this field is confused beyond belief at first.  That's why a frank, open and honest mentor relationship is so important to your success. 

With a mentor, you have someone dedicated to your success.  It's in both you and the mentor’s best interest that you work together and succeed.  Use your mentor as a window of understanding that can help you to absorb this complex subject.  Don't be shy about contacting your mentor for help.  You must seek assistance when you need it - otherwise we have no way of knowing you need help!   Be prepared to take notes during a mentor session.  Also make a note of where you and the mentor left off in your last conversation.  This will enable you to remind the mentor of where you are so he can get back on the same page faster.  A mentor may be supporting up to thirty other individuals, so help your mentor to remember you and your issues.

At certain periods during your training, your Mentor will be prepared to walk you through a series of training exercises.  The first encounter with your Mentor will usually occur at the beginning of your training.  However, the course is presented in such a way that you can always navigate back to the training home page.  If you're having any problems getting oriented to the course, mentor or not, contact us for help. 


Case Debriefing

The first case debriefing will occur after you have completed both the Study and Business Guides within your course.  These two textbooks contain the main sixteen lessons of the course and represent the basic portion of your training.  After completing these lessons, you’ll receive your personalized Certificate of Completion and instructions to schedule your first case debriefing.  The first three debriefings are available to all students mentor or not.  Subsequent debriefings will be reserved for those with mentor support.

During this first debriefing, your mentor will walk you through a typical disability case.  This debriefing will afford you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like.  This meeting is almost effortless on your part and a great way to starting getting a feel for your service.   

In subsequent meetings with your mentor, he'll direct your progress while you set the pace.  He'll guide you in common areas like materials, equipment and marketing.  Depending on your course level, you'll experience up to seven formal debriefings in all.  These debriefings will cover case processing, documentation, marketing and more.  Here is a link to the debrieifing schedule.  Course Schedule located below.  Print both schedules for your records.

Advocate Training Phase One

Study Guide

1.   Begin your training by reading the Study Guide (SG) lesson one.  Whatever you do, don't try to memorize this stuff!  You'll learn that viewing this process with a wider lens makes handling later details much easier. 

Begin your course by reading all paperwork provided in your training package delivered by e-mail.  Make sure that you keep a safe copy of your membership letter, software license codes and invoice sheet for your records.  If you're using Olivia, these records are kept for you inside of your account.  If there's a change or update in the course, it will be reflected in this online schedule or in the “What's New” segment of our home website.  Use this schedule as your primary guide to navigating the course.

2.   After completing lesson one, take the Study Guide (SG) lesson one quiz.  If you pass the quiz, click the completed button and proceed to the next Study Guide lesson.    

3.   Repeat the above actions in the Study Guide (SG) until you have completed all eight lessons.  As you proceed through the Study Guide lessens, you'll also be requested to read chapters within the Social Security Disability Guide. 

4.   Download a copy of the Social Security Guide located on the course homepage.  Read the SSDG Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2. 

5.   Read lesson two in the SG.  In the first two lessons of the SG you were introduced to the case assessment process.  Within the Olivia software we have created an automated case assessment tool.  This tool can be used in a number of ways.  However, it's primarily used to assess a first contact client's chances of winning disability benefits.  This tool is designed to reduce the number of weak cases accepted by new students.  It significantly reduces the amount of unpaid work performed by an advocate.   

6.   If you plan to accept child cases, read Chapter 3 in the Social Security Guide.

7.   Read lessons 3 and 4 in the Study Guide.   

8.   Access your Systems Explorer at the top of this page.  Along with the short system explorer chapters, read the expanded medical information provided in the Social Security Guide beginning with Chapter 16 Musculoskeletal disorders.  The Systems Explorer and the SSDG are used together to reference various diseases that are regularly represented by disability advocates. 

The DRG is also helpful in evaluating physical limitations caused by various impairments. 

9.   Read Chapters 4, 5 and 6 in the Social Security Guide.

10.  Read lessons 5 and 6 Study Guide.  Take the quizzes.

11.  Load your Office Suite.  The Voc Analyzer is located inside the Office Suite.  To access the Voc Analyzer, open the Active Client's page in the Office Suite.  Enter at least one client name into the system.  Click on a name and perform VA.  Olivia also contains an expanded version of our Office Suites Voc Analyzer.  

12.  Read Chapters 7, 8 and 9 in the Social Security Guide.

13.  Read lessons 7 and 8 in the Study Guide. Perform lesson 7 and 8 quizzes.  Be sure to send the online lesson   completion notices as instructed.

14.  Read Chapters 9, 10 and 11 in the Social Security Guide.

Advocate Training Phase Two

Business Guide Start Here!

1.   Read lessons 1 - 4 in the Business Guide (BG).  Take the lesson quizzes.  If you're satisfied with your score, move on to the next lesson.  Repeat this training pattern with all remaining business guide lessons.

2.  Visit the Olivia website and open your account.  This is an opportunity to get familiar with the program.  In the Olivia system, many of the processes described in the Business Guide are built into the program.  Visit Olivia explorer the program.

 3.  Read lesson 5 of the Business Guide.  Take the lesson 5 quiz.   To prepare for business, you must create the basic documentation used in the day-to-day operation of an advocacy service.  These documents include your contract, business cards, stationary, customer instruction letter, brochures, Information and Guidance Packets.  These materials are discussed within the BG.

 4.   Read Chapters 12, 13 and 15 in the Social Security Guide.

 5.  Read lessons 6 - 8 in the Business Guide.  Finish up the remaining BG lessons 6 - 8 quizzes.  The send the online lesson completion notices to Dr. Scott.  When you send the BG lesson eight completion notice, you'll trigger the request for your Certificate of Completion.  You need do nothing else until you receive your certificate.  Along with your certificate, you'll also receive further training instructions and an opportunity to schedule your first case debrieifing. 

We must have all 16 lesson completion notices before your certificate will be awarded.  As previous mentioned, your final BG lesson completion notice will trigger the request for your certificate.  Allow up to 7 days to receive your custom certificate.  If you do not receive your certificate within seven days, please notify our office.  This is also the point where you should contact your Mentor to schedule your first case debriefing.  Debriefing Schedule.

At this point in your training, it's time to start thinking about marketing.  This is a good time to sit down with both your marketing manual and a basic business Start-up Guide.  These two texts will help you make important decisions about your service.  For additional marketing suport, see mentor debriefing schedule.  Do not hesitate to contact our office for assistance in developing your marketing strategy.

As a new Advocate, the sooner you begin processing cases the more likely you'll succeed in this field.  For this reason, we have created the GRP or Guaranteed Referral Program.  Working with eGGenerationMarketing, we are able to assist you in acquiring that all important first client.  Each purchaser of our Consolidated training program will receive up to five free screened starter leads when you sign up for this program with eGenerationMarketing.  T

If you decide to use the eGenerationMarketing referral service on a longer-term bases, you'll also enjoy a significant Student discount off the regular price of these already low priced leads.  You may even fine that referred leads are more cost effective than regular Internet or media advertising.  To receive your free leads, join eGenerationMarketing by clicking here.  An eGenerationMarketing consultant will contact you after you submitt their form.  Be sure to tell them that you are a student of Disability Associates.

For website development and e-commerce training, visit the e-commerce website.  This training segment will provide you with a business understanding of e-commerce and show you how it’s used in disability advocacy.  The best techniques will come from working with your mentor.  You and your mentor's combined evaluation of your market will help to determine your initial marketing strategy.

Creating Website

A Website is a critical marketing tool for all businesses big and small.  In today's economy, you must have a web component in order to sustain your business over time.  A website enables you to multiply yourself, increasing your ability to communicate with potential customers.  A properly designed website should at the very least act as a conduit of information between you and your customers.  Customers can learn about your service without you providing a personal presentation to each and every one.  It can also be used to collector and transfer data in a variety of formats.  Having a website reduces your marketing workload and significantly improves your ability to succeed as a disability advocate.

Note:  Disability Associates offers a large variety of web related IT services.  We make it easy for you to create a website with the business persona you wish to convey.  We also provide direct assistance in creating any custom capabilities your desire.  This means that you can acquire a website, website content, URLs, hosting accounts, business e-mail accounts, custom logo production, custom header production, website optimization and a host of other services directly from us.  Having a web presence is no longer an option.  All advocates should have a business website even if you're only practicing on a part-time basis. 

The Executive website contains a variety of articles that discuss advanced topics within the field of Social Security disability advocacy.  Review these materials at your leisure.


Sign-up for Olivia 2.0

When you've completed your course, you're ready to begin operations.  To operate, you need the right kind of office with the right kind tools.  Olivia 2.0 is a secure office already furnished and ready for your occupation.  Sign-up for an Olivia account today!  Olivia will quickly become the only office you need with a monthly rental fee starting as low as $79.00. 


Student Support

Although this is a self-paced, you’ll need help on occasion.  We want to make the process of acquiring help as easy as possible.  Disability Associates provides multiple layers of support to all students on all training levels.  If you're a purchaser of our course, you can acquire answers to your questions using the student e-mail support address at stussa@daincpm.net.  If you're an Mentorship level student, you can call us directly to speak to your mentor at 303-766-1111 or use the student support email.  Our offices are open M-F from 9:AM to 5:30 PM Mountain Time.