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  • Co-Occurring Substance Use: Material to Disability?

    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.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Sep, 2012
  • SSA’s “All” Evidence Rule: What does this mean for the SOAR Practitioner?

    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.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Jun, 2015
  • Consultative Exams: A DDS Option to Gather Additional Information

    In the process of collecting medical evidence, the DDS examiner may decide that there is insufficient information to make a determination about disability. In this case, the DDS examiner can request an evaluation from an outside source called a Consultative Exam (CE).

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Feb, 2013
  • Impact of Increased Income on Housing Voucher Programs

    Increasing income through employment and Social Security disability benefits is critical for maintaining housing stability. However, for individuals utilizing housing vouchers, fear of losing their vouchers often prevents them from exploring employment. To encourage work, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has numerous incentives to protect those returning to work from immediate rent increases and voucher loss.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    May, 2016
  • Tracking SOAR Outcomes

    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.

    Type:
    Article
    Date:
    Apr, 2017