SOAR eNews - August 2014

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August 2014 Recently Published in Psychiatric Services: Best Practices for Increasing Access to SSI and SSDI on Exit From Criminal Justice Settings Transitioning from jail or prison to community living frequently results in homelessness and recidivism. Access to benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid can increase access to housing and treatment and reduce recidivism. The authors, Deb Dennis, former Project Director of the SOAR Technical Assistance Center , Dazara Ware, Senior Project Associate of the SOAR TA Center, and Henry J. Steadman, Ph.D., President of Policy Research Associates, Inc., review best practices for prerelease access to these benefits by using examples from five jails and four state prison systems. In these settings, approval rates for SSI applications averaged 70 percent or higher, with evidence of improved access to housing and reductions in recidivism. Success depends on the commitment of resources and leadership, ongoing communication, and monitoring of results. The article can be found at: http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1885761 In This Issue Reentry and SOAR Success Stories SSA Updates Center Events Quick Links SOAR Website Contact us Trainings SSA Webinars Sharing Our Successes SOARing to National Conferences National Alliance to End Homelessness: SOAR TA Center Director Kristin Lupfer, together with Patrick Thrush of New York and Margaret Flanagan of Maryland, presented Continuum of Care Partnerships to Link People with Public Benefits (SSA) at the 2014 National Conference on Ending Homelessness. They noted that increased access to health insurance through the Affordable Care Act does not ensure access to care. Adequate income and housing are essential elements to complement insurance. Participants learned how SOAR can bring increased funding for care providers through Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement, increased income to housing providers through rental payments, and most importantly, essential income and health insurance to the people we serve. National Association of Social Workers (NASW): SOAR TA Center Senior Project Associate, Pam Heine, together with Emily Kenney of Outreach Community Services of Milwaukee, WI, and Ashley Moore of Bread for the City in Washington, D.C., presented SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access & Recovery (SOAR) Leaders: Bringing Hope to People Experiencing Homelessness at the NASW 2014 National Conference. This year’s theme was Social Work: Courage, Hope and Leadership. Each presenter recognized the power of SOAR, which has brought renewed hope and passion to their careers in social work. SOAR News and Accomplishments Washington, D.C.: The D.C. Council recently included $500,000 in their next budget to strengthen the local SOAR initiative. This funding will be used for dedicated SOAR staff and outreach workers to assist with initial applications and appeals. Numerous local agencies collaborated on the proposal and will form a community network to support SOAR in D.C. What an incredible investment in SOAR by the D.C. Council! Kansas City, MO: Congratulations to Ryan Cohen, the first full-time dedicated SOAR case manager to be hired in the state of Missouri! Ryan will serve as the SOAR Coordinator for Assertive Community Outreach through Truman Medical Center in Kansas City. Ryan states that she never dreamed that her career track would lead her to working with the mentally ill and homeless population, but she has found that this has become a rewarding and fulfilling career option for her. Congratulations Ryan! Brattleboro, VT: Congratulations to Andrea Jaquith of the Brattleboro Area Drop In Center, Inc. on her first approval using SOAR! If you have a SOAR-related success story to share, email pheine@prainc.com. In Our Own Voices Topeka, KS: Walter Rivera, DDS Adjudicator, Kansas DDS, generously shares his thoughts with us about the SOAR process. From my perspective as an adjudicator and DDS liaison for SOAR in Kansas, the success of SOAR in helping to end chronic homelessness is due to the SOAR-trained case managers, social workers, parole officers, outreach workers, and others trained in the SOAR model. These providers have filled a void by providing services lacking for so long for applicants who are homeless. What do they do? They keep the person engaged long enough to obtain a detailed and accurate application, complete required forms, assist in making sure consultative exams are kept, and provide up to date medical documentation from medical/mental health providers. The availability of the SOAR staff to assist in answering follow-up questions and resolving conflicts and inconsistencies makes a huge difference. A well-written and to-the-point SOAR medical summary report consistent with the objective evidence is a valuable addition to the disability determination process. Before SOAR, denial of claims was due to a lack of cooperation and documentation. The person simply got lost from the system. Why? The claimant not able to provide a reliable address or phone number. The SOAR representative with a signed 1696 goes a long way toward keeping the lines of communication open and information flowing. The Kansas DDS office in Topeka serves the entire state. Having contacts and good working relationships with SOAR providers across the state is of tremendous importance, aiding DDS and SSA in making accurate and timely determinations. With the SOAR model, homeless claims are more likely to receive favorable determinations, as SOAR is instrumental in helping DDS obtain necessary documentation to make accurate determinations. This is evident by the high approval rate of SOAR applicants across the state who are now on benefits, housed, and rebuilding their lives. I hope that with the stability these benefits provide, some people will be able to rejoin the workforce. Social Security benefits and all that comes with them will likely decrease the need to access health care systems in the most expensive and inefficient manner and may also help people avoid incarceration. SOAR helps ease the strain of limited public resources and indirect costs to all. Stay tuned for an upcoming publication from the SOAR TA Center highlighting SOAR success stories! Social Security Updates Social Security's National Disability Coalition We are excited to inform you that the Social Security Administration has established a National Disability Coalition. The National Disability Coalition provides an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to share their unique insights on topics of particular interest to Social Security early in the process and directly with policymakers. Further, it provides an opportunity for stakeholders to hear from one another. Engaging interested parties through the National Disability Coalition can help the Social Security Administration capture innovative ideas, ensuring that our vision for the disability program continues to keep pace with advances in medicine, technology, health care delivery, and the modern workplace. To learn more about the Disability Coalition, visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ndc/index.htm Social Security Extends Access to Benefit Verification: Multiple Options Available The Social Security Administration announced that local Social Security offices would continue to provide benefit verification letters until further notice. Providing services when and where the public needs them remains central to Social Security’s efforts, while continuing to encourage federal, state, and local agencies to take advantage of Social Security’s data exchange programs that can serve customers more efficiently and effectively. Over the last few years, Social Security has invested in technology that allows most government agencies and many other organizations to verify their clients’ Social Security benefits electronically without requiring them to visit a local Social Security office. Members of the public with Internet access can obtain benefit verification information by creating a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount For more information, please visit: http://www.ssa.gov/news/#!/post/7-2014-1 The SOAR TA Center is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Disclaimer: The SOAR Technical Assistance Center develops and distributes E-News with support from SAMHSA, HHS. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of HHS or SAMHSA.