Library & Tools

On November 30 and December 1, 2022, President Joe Biden and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland held the Administration’s second White House Tribal Nations Summit at the Department of the Interior.

This culturally tailored toolkit was developed to guide SOAR providers in establishing, growing, and sustaining their SOAR initiatives with Native communities.

This document provides answers to frequently asked questions about working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, two-spirit, and other diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions (LGBTQ+) applicants during the Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI) application process. Learn more about using respectful language, engaging in productive and meaningful ways, and preparing SSA forms and the SOAR Medical Summary Report (MSR) with special care and attention to details around LGBTQ+ matters.

One of the most important tasks for you to accomplish is to make the link between diagnosis and functional impairment so that DDS can fully understand the applicant’s disability. This article discusses how to ask questions that elicit the information you will use to write your Medical Summary Report (MSR).

For applicants with mental disorders, DDS examiners look at a person’s ability to function in four primary areas. Your responsibility is to describe the functioning of the individual in as much detail as possible and to document how the person’s illness impairs his or her ability to function and maintain employment at a substantial gainful level.

A success story from Michigan was featured in our January 2023 e-Newsletter.

The SOAR model’s culturally-sensitive engagement process and holistic approach to SSI/SSDI application assistance can be a critical support for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) community members whether residing on or off reservations.

This infographic, developed by the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center, provides an overview of how SOAR can make a difference in tribal communities. 

Here are SOAR Tools and Resources to help American Indian and Alaska Native communities establish and grow their SOAR initiatives.

On this webinar, held on April 28, 2022, representatives from both the systems and community level shared best practices for engaging Native individuals to complete SOAR-assisted applications and discussed strategies for gaining buy-in for SOAR from Native Communities in both urban and rural settings.