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.

Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits programs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), provide essential income and health insurance that can facilitate access to housing and treatment for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. SSA is committed to expediting claims and quickly issuing payments for the most serious conditions and applicants in dire need. SOAR providers are trained to develop complete and comprehensive claims that help to naturally expedite SSA disability applications. When working with an applicant who 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.

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.

Connecting Veterans with Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits is a critical step to increasing income stability for Veterans and their families, particularly for those Veterans whose work activity is limited by disabling conditions. The SOAR model helps individuals obtain SSA disability benefits while they are pursuing their vocational and housing goals through the GPD Program. 

Accessing Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits is a critical step toward income stability for Veterans whose work activity is limited by disabling conditions or who have children with disabilities. SOAR directly contributes to SSVF’s goal of promoting housing stability among very low-income Veteran families by increasing access to critical income supports.