Library & Tools

On this webinar, held on May 25, 2021, the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center addressed barriers to equity in SOAR implementation and presented strategies to overcome them.

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.

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 following resources have been created and/or revised to provide guidance and action steps that SOAR providers can implement in SOAR service delivery as well as resources that supervisors are encouraged to use to support them.

The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center has worked to address the barriers to equity in SOAR implementation with the development of resources, tools, and training. On this webinar, held on March 24, 2022, SOAR Leaders discussed how these resources have been used in their agencies.

On this webinar, held on May 24, 2022, we discussed implementing a referral process to ensure equitable access to SOAR services.

Charles H. Houston was the lawyer that challenged Congress to amend the exclusion of agricultural and domestic workers from the retirement benefits and unemployment insurance provided by the Social Security Act of 1935.

Learn more about our upcoming SOAR Leadership Academies!

After completing the SOAR Online Course, case workers implementing the SOAR model with SSI/SSDI applications should complete the following steps as part of a standard SOAR workflow. This process is a collaborative effort between the SOAR provider, the Social Security Administration (SSA), and Disability Determination Services (DDS) that enables SOAR case workers to complete the SSI/SSDI application process efficiently and effectively.

Because SOAR is built on collaborations as well as training, the first step in starting a SOAR program is to bring key stakeholders together to agree upon and establish a SOAR Process and create a SOAR action plan. The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center can assist you every step of the way.