Increase SSI/SSDI Approval Rates
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| COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR SOAR PROVIDERS |
SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is a national program designed to increase access to the disability income benefit programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for eligible adults and children who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder.
Watch the video below and then read more about SOAR!
Recent Questions About SOAR
Q: What form do we need signed from the applicant to be able to speak to a friend or relative for additional functioning information?
A.
A general privacy release can be used to communicate about the applicant to friends/relatives/other service providers, etc. This can be the SOAR sample (even if it is not for medical records) or a more generic one. Here is another example from CSH. Most agencies have a privacy release that they use...
Q: How is it that work credits expire? And how long does it take before they do start to expire?
A.
The SSA program which concerns “work credits” is Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB or Title II). To be eligible, an applicant (who is the wage earner) needs “insured” status which depends on the quarters of coverage that have been acquired as a result of gainful, “covered“ employment . A “quarter...
Q: My client's SOAR case has been denied and I would like to ask for another representative to review the case. How do I ask for reconsideration and which forms do I use to request this?
A.
The first level of appeal is the reconsideration. It is an opportunity to have the application reviewed by different staff at DDS and to add new or additional information. The appeal must be filed within 60 days of receipt of the initial denial notice. The applicant must submit the following forms...
Q: Why would someone have their SSI benefits check reduced by one-third?
A.
It sounds like they may be living in a situation that SSA calls Living Arrangement B, which is when someone is living with a family member or friend and is receiving food and shelter at no cost. SSA calls that "in-kind support and maintenance" and generally reduces the individual's...