Library & Tools

This webinar, held on May 13, 2015, provided the background, tips and tools necessary to implement consumer/peer initiatives within SOAR programs to increase service capacity.

The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center has created a toolkit to provide helpful suggestions and key considerations when hiring and supervising SOAR case workers.

As we all do our best to address the barriers associated with racism and inequity, we must accept the discomfort that comes with the effort to learn about ourselves, learn about each other, and grow to create a psychologically safe environment in which staff can work and thrive. Here are some suggestions for improving staff engagement by integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our SOAR work.

You want to be a SOAR provider? That’s great! This infographic shows what to expect.

Documenting substance use for an application is not just about finding out how much the person uses or how often.

How substance use is considered in the disability determination process has changed substantially over the years. This article dispels several widely-held myths about how DDS views substance use (such as you have to be clean and sober to get benefits), and its impact on the application process.

Allison participated in the First Application Cohort facilitated by the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center. This was her first application and approval.

Appointed Representatives assisting with ALJ hearings and Appeals Council level cases can obtain online access to applicants’ electronic folders by enrolling in Appointed Representative Services (ARS). There are also benefits to enrolling in ARS, even if you only assist with initial claims.

Read our Q&A with a SOAR case worker from New York who has an appeals success story!

This issue brief, developed by the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center, explores ways that agencies can involve AmeriCorps members at low or no cost to help implement SOAR.