Library & Tools

This issue brief, developed by the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center, describes: the misconceptions about employment and loss of disability benefits; how earned income from employment affects SSI/SSDI benefits and Medicare/Medicaid coverage; the employment resources and work incentives offered by SSA to current SSI/SSDI beneficiaries; and the role SOAR programs can play in connecting individuals to employment resources.

Here are examples of completed SSA and SOAR Forms using information from a fictitious SSI child applicant.

Here are examples of completed SSA and SOAR Forms using information from a fictitious SSI/SSDI applicant.

When you are preparing to appeal a denial of disability benefits, the first thing you should do is request the case file so that you can review key components of the file and decision!

It is important to find out whether someone has a pending initial claim or is waiting for a reconsideration or an appeals hearing before starting a new application.

When employers recognize the value of SOAR case workers and coordinators by offering them equitable salaries, the benefits go beyond the individual case worker.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps all new disability files in electronic format. Applicants and authorized representatives have the right to obtain relevant application information on a CD-ROM. When you are preparing to appeal a denial of disability benefits, you should request the case file so that you can review key components of the file and decision.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an occasion to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and elevate awareness of the issues they face and the resources that can help. In recognition of the occasion, we’re sharing a SOAR success story sent in by Lauren Rodriguez from the SAFE Alliance in Austin, Texas.

Released by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in July 2018, and updated in 2023, this tool helps demonstrate how income from employment and/or VA disability benefits will affect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

SOAR extends beyond accessing SSI/SSDI and also encourages employment as a means to increase individual income and further promote recovery. This issue brief explores Individual Placement and Support (IPS), a model of supported employment that has been developed over the past 25 years specifically for people who have behavioral health needs.