Library & Tools

This article provides example descriptions for the areas of mental functioning. The “effective” functional descriptions clearly link the symptoms of the applicant’s illness with their limitations.

Understanding SSA's disability criteria helps the SOAR case manager assess the documentation necessary to support the claim of disability.

The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is an exciting funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for communities to design and implement a plan to prevent and end youth homelessness.

SOAR programs across the nation are looking for attention-getting ways to communicate with government officials, community providers, potential volunteers, and funders about the work SOAR is doing to help people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness access Social Security benefits. Most of these stakeholders will look online to find information about your program.

SOAR programs can be funded through a variety of sources, including foundations, private donors, and businesses operating in your communities. 

The Medical Summary Report (MSR) is SOAR’s signature tool and key to a successful application. It provides a succinct, comprehensive summary of the applicant’s personal and treatment history and its impact on his or her life. It also clearly describes the factors affecting functioning and ability to work.

This article explains how you can promote SOAR with your Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) office to help ease their backlog and workload issues, while at the same time, improving access to expedited decisions for SOAR applicants.

The CARES Act included additional Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funding for communities. There is an opportunity for ESG recipients and Continuums of Care (CoCs) to use some of this funding to support dedicated SOAR case workers.

The Social Security Administration now offers a video option for Administrative Law Judge appeal hearings.

SSA is now evaluating the long-term effects of COVID-19 when determining disability. On April 16, 2021, SSA issued an Emergency Message (EM) with guidance to its employees for evaluating adult disability cases that include an allegation or diagnosis of COVID-19. Here are the key points of the EM as well as tips for SOAR practitioners to effectively represent SSI/SSDI applicants whose functioning is impacted by COVID-19.