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Indiana

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Please select your state to view information and contacts for SOAR in your state. While there is SOAR activity in every state, there are not SOAR services available in every community.

State Information

Indiana SOAR State Team

State Team Lead(s):

  • Alivia Perteet
    Email: alivia.perteet@fssa.IN.gov
    Phone: 317-767-5835

TA Center Liaison:

  • Sametra Polkah-Toe
    Email: spolkahtoe@prainc.com
    Phone: (518) 439-7415 x5107

SOARing in Indiana

SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) is a model designed to increase access to Social Security disability benefits (SSI/SSDI) for eligible individuals who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a severe mental health or physical health impairment. SOAR services in Indiana are coordinated through the joint work of employees within the state’s PATH programs as well as other community-based agencies.   

If you would like more information about SOAR, are interested in getting involved with SOAR in Indiana, or if your agency or community is currently using the SOAR model to assist with SSI and/or SSDI applications and need additional technical assistance, please contact the SOAR Local Lead for your community (listed to the right of this page) or the Indiana SOAR State Team Lead, Alivia Perteet, at alivia.perteet@fssa.IN.gov

Expectations of Participation in SOAR

When completing SOAR cases, caseworkers are expected to:

  • Serve as the Appointed Representative throughout the application process.
  • Collect all medical records for treatment received in previous years.
  • Waive any fees associated with serving as Appointed Representative or for assistance with the application process or collection of medical records.
  • Write a comprehensive Medical Summary Report that highlights the applicant’s functional impairment through the document of his or her personal, medical, and work history.
  • Track applications and outcomes including approval/denials and time to decision from application submission to receipt of SSA’s decision.

Outcomes Tracking

Caseworkers are expected to register in Online Application Tracking (OAT), and upon receipt of a final decision all cases are to be recorded in the OAT system. Only data regarding cases where SOAR critical components were used are to be recorded.
 
 

Local Leads:

  • Tyson Jones
    New Albany, IN
    Email: tjones@soinhomeless.org
    Phone: 270-570-0706

  • Etha Lasenby
    Gary, IN
    Email: elasenby@marramhealth.org
    Phone: 219-806-3016

  • John Pinter
    South Bend, IN
    Email: jpinter@urcsjc.org
    Phone: 574-282-2397 xx3

  • Linda Robinson
    Indianapolis, IN
    Email: robinsonlinda492@gmail.com
    Phone: 317-478-3875

  • Melissa Ryan
    Jeffersonville, IN
    Email: melissa.ryan@lifespringhealthsystems.org
    Phone: 812-206-1478

  • Jess Soucy
    Evansville, IN
    Email: jessica@houseofbreadandpeace.org
    Phone: 812-425-6754

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