SSI Provides Healthcare and Housing

Steven was a Centerstone client for roughly 4 months before the SOAR program was up and running in late February of 2024. He had been injured on the job and fired as a result. Due to losing his income, as well as worsening mental and physical health conditions, he lost his home. He had been experiencing homelessness for about 10 months when we started working together in March of 2024.

Throughout the determination process, his health progressively declined with an umbilical hernia causing him intense pain. Despite many emergency room visits for the pain, no one would operate on him due to his lack of insurance. Given his worsening conditions, DDS was able to make a decision without waiting for him to complete a mental status exam. 

He was finally approved for SSI in February of 2025. He was awarded $6,318.70 in back pay with a monthly payment of $644.67 ((adjusted to reflect in-kind support for housing) following the completion of his back payments. Since his approval, he has been able to secure insurance and finally have surgery to remove his hernia which has majorly decreased his pain and improved his moods. He has also started receiving pain management for his chronic back pain and is applying for low-income housing. All of this was made possible through his SSI income.