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  • National Recovery Month

    National Recovery Month is observed every September to educate the public about mental health and substance use disorders and to celebrate the gains accomplished by individuals in recovery. In celebration, the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center extends thanks and appreciation to the 250+ SOAR-trained case workers who identify as “peers.”

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Aug, 2023
  • Encouraging Employment: Self-Employment

    Individuals who receive disability benefits through the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs may combine their benefits with employment income. Self-employment or “gig work” may be an opportunity to maximize income for individuals who prefer a less formal, more flexible, and individualized employment option.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Jul, 2023
  • Income Support Plans

    An income support plan documents an individual’s income needs and goals and sets action steps for pursuing a variety of income sources

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Apr, 2023
  • Recognizing National Social Security Month

    April is National Social Security Month! In 2021, we honored Mike Nolan, one of the SOAR initiative’s longest-standing supporters at the Social Security Administration (SSA).

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Jan, 2023
  • Celebrating Black History Month

    February is Black History Month, a time for us to honor Black Americans’ achievements in the face of systemic oppression throughout our Nation’s history. In 2021, we celebrated the Former Acting Commissioner of Social Security (ACOSS), Carolyn W. Colvin, M.B.A., her achievements while in office, and her support of the SAMHSA SOAR model.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Jan, 2023
  • Best Practices for Collaborating with SSA and DDS

    SOAR seeks to increase access to Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. To achieve this goal, collaborations with SSA and the Disability Determination Services (DDS) are absolutely essential. SOAR can provide invaluable assistance to both SSA and DDS and, similarly, SSA and DDS can help to streamline the process for SOAR providers and for the applicants they both serve.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Jun, 2022
  • SSA Annual Updates

    Find up-to-date information on the rates that SSA sets annually.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Mar, 2022
  • Spotlight on Peer Support Workers

    Highlighted below are some of the ways peers from around the country have incorporated their lived expertise into their SOAR work.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Aug, 2021
  • Identifying Possible Special Medical Vocational Profiles

    In an effort to better identify appropriate SOAR claimants, identifying claims which are more likely to have a favorable outcome is paramount. Social Security has developed Special Medical Vocational Profiles, which are rare combinations of adversities that combine, along with impairments, to result in a finding of disabled. 

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Jun, 2021