Library & Tools

November is National Veteran and Military Families Month, and we are celebrating with the SOAR success stories of Veterans submitted by SOAR practitioners from across the country!

The Department of Veterans Affairs encourages Veteran Health Administration (VHA) employees to utilize the SOAR model when assisting Veterans to apply for SSI/SSDI.

This toolkit, updated and re-released in August 2019, contains extensive resources on how to integrate the SOAR model into community planning efforts, for serving both Veterans and non-Veterans.

Connecting Veterans with Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits is a critical step to increasing income stability for Veterans and their families, as well as providing health insurance for those who may not qualify for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care.

SSA is committed to expediting claims and quickly issuing payments for the most serious conditions and for claimants that are in dire need. When working with an applicant that is experiencing or at risk of homelessness, SOAR providers should be aware of the following SSA initiatives and practices.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Homeless Programs Office, in partnership with the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center, recently released guidance for all federal VA staff on using SOAR in their work to end Veteran homelessness.

This webinar, held on November 12, 2015 educated SOAR practitioners about the presence of TBI among returning service members, as well as individuals who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

On this webinar, held on October 12, 2016, the SOAR TA Center and SOAR leaders discussed the challenges and successes implementing and sustaining SOAR in their rural areas.

SSI/SSDI benefits are important resources for Veterans, as they can receive these benefits in conjunction with, or an an alternative to, VA disability benefits and employment. This is where SOAR can help.

While individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness are more visible in urban settings, homelessness is also prevalent in rural areas. The barriers to access Social Security disability benefits can be numerous, but SOAR can assist.