Library & Tools

There are two SSA disability programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). People often confuse them. Both programs are federally funded and administered by the Social Security Administration.

The following stories were submitted with permission to the SOAR Technical Assistance Center in response to a call for examples of how Social Security disability benefits have changed the lives of people who were experiencing or at risk for homelessness.

The SOAR TA Center encourages the use of a great service offered by the Social Security Administration, my Social Security

SSA is committed to expediting claims and quickly issuing payments for the most serious conditions and for claimants that are in dire need. When working with an applicant that is experiencing or at risk of homelessness, SOAR providers should be aware of the following SSA initiatives and practices.

An SSA ruling clarifies existing regulations which require that claimants and/or their authorized attorney or non-attorney representatives inform SSA about, or submit all evidence known to them that relates to their disability claim. This article will discuss the purpose of the ruling, outline key requirements, and present a few scenarios which a SOAR practitioner may encounter.

There are multiple levels of quality review at both the SSA and DDS. It is important to understand how those quality review procedures have the potential to affect the applicants with whom you are working.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) sends out automatic letters to applicants during the SSI/SSDI application process. To prevent unnecessary distress for applicants, we recommend letting applicants know that they may receive these notices shortly after applying.

Here are the SSA forms, links, and other helpful resources you will need to complete SSI and/or SSDI applications.

An evaluation of the SOAR model concluded that better outcomes were achieved when providers used the SOAR model to complete SSI/SSDI applications.

Tracking SOAR outcomes is a critical way to document successes and to target technical assistance needs. Using the SOAR Online Application Tracking (OAT) program, case workers can easily enter application outcome data and generate reports to use for local sustainability efforts.