Library & Tools

Find the answers to your most commonly asked questions about OAT!

State and Local Leads spearhead and coordinate the implementation of SOAR initiatives. These leaders identify and engage stakeholders to participate in steering committees whose goal is to create and implement a SOAR action plan and process for adult SSI/SSDI and/or child SSI application submission. These committees meet regularly to collaborate, report on progress, and troubleshoot challenges.

The SOAR Online Course provides a unique alternative to in-person trainings. There is no cost for this program.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

The SOAR TA Center has released the outcomes of SSI/SSDI applications submitted using the SOAR process from 2006 through June 30, 2023.

The SOAR TA Center has released the outcomes of SSI/SSDI applications submitted using the SOAR process from 2006 through June 30, 2022.