Opinion ID: 810965
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hill’s Background

Text: Debbra Jo Hill is currently 54 years old. Hill did not graduate from high school, but she earned her GED. She worked as a certified nurse’s assistant (“CNA”) from 2000 until 2004 when she suffered a shoulder injury on the job. She had previously worked at a fast food restaurant, as a housekeeper, and as a telemarketer and bill collector for short periods of time. Hill was intermittently homeless and living out of her car or with friends in 2005 and 2006. At the time of the hearing before the ALJ, Hill lived by herself and worked part-time, approximately 15 to 20 hours a week, as a cashier/stocker at the Dollar Tree store in Great Falls, Montana, earning $7.21 an hour. Hill was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (type II) in 2002. Her diabetes was poorly controlled, in part because Hill could not afford to buy insulin and often relied on samples from clinics. She was also living out of her car for a time, and her doctors worried that she would not be able to properly monitor her blood sugar levels. 1 Hill also argues that the ALJ erred in finding that Hill’s subjective testimony about her limitations was not credible. Because we resolve this case on alternative grounds, we do not address Hill’s argument that the ALJ’s adverse credibility finding was improper. HILL v. ASTRUE 12941 Hill injured her right shoulder and hand in 2004 and underwent two surgeries. She was limited to lifting no more than ten pounds, and has trouble reaching above her head. Hill was referred to physical therapy, but attended only 7 out of 23 scheduled sessions. Later, Hill had “fair compliance” with her attendance and “overall was improving.” Hill was diagnosed with bipolar disorder around 1998. She was last hospitalized for her bi-polar condition in July 2007, under the care of Dr. Mark Mozer, a psychiatrist. She was also diagnosed with borderline intellectual functioning by Dr. Lynn Johnson, a psychologist, after tests revealed that Hill’s full scale IQ was 76, in the 5th percentile. In 2000, Dr. Mary Ann Evans diagnosed Hill with panic disorder with agoraphobia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, polysubstance dependence in resolution, cognitive disorder, chronic pain from her work injury, Hepatitis B and C, and other ailments. In 2001, Dr. Evans witnessed Hill having two limited symptom panic attacks. She was also diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and chronic anxiety and panic syndrome by Dr. Steven Chrzanowski at Benefis Healthcare in 2006. While working at the Dollar Tree, Hill had panic attacks so severe that she had to go to the back room and collapsed. These attacks were witnessed by Hill’s case manager and job coach, Patty Mills. Hill’s most recent panic attack occurred at work on March 7, 2008. Hill’s manager at the Dollar Tree called Hill’s job coach, Patty Mills, to intervene because Hill had been acting strangely. Ms. Mills later submitted a letter that states, in relevant part, As the Employment Specialist at the Center for Mental Health, I would never have placed [Hill] at the Dollar Tree. I have had to intervene with scheduling problems. I have witnessed her in a manic phase in which she was edgy at work, rocking back and forth 12942 HILL v. ASTRUE while trying to stack, and people were staring at her. I was called to come and get her since they thought that she was on drugs. I have [ ] good communica- tion[ ] with the manager so I was able to help them learn about bipolar. I think [Hill] needs assistance. She does not handle stress well. I have had a lot of talks with [Hill] on being positive. She has problems with co-workers. It becomes a “he said, she said” relationship which originally starts out good. She calls in sick [due to] health problems so she is getting fewer hours. After her panic attack, Hill “slept for about five days,” and Ms. Mills advised her that her manager had requested a doctor’s release before Hill could return to work. She obtained a letter from her therapist, Tammi Coffey, which stated that “there are no recognizable clinical reasons why Ms. Hill would not be able to return back to work.” Hill returned to work sometime after March 21, 2008, more than two weeks after the panic attack.