(SAMHSA) NEW Release: SSI for Children Fact Sheet Series

Plus, SOAR success stories from CA and FL!

CONTACT US SSA WEBINARS SOAR IN YOUR STATE Download Today: Supplemental Security Income for Children Fact Sheet Series The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center is pleased to release the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Children fact sheet series to the field! This suite of six fact sheets provides an at-a-glance look at how different entities can apply the SOAR model to assist children (under age 18) who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder to apply for SSI. The six highlighted entities in this fact sheet series are the following: Youth providers Parents and caregivers Health and behavioral health providers Family shelters and homeless service providers Education systems Child welfare Health and Behavioral Health Providers Parents and Caregivers Youth Providers Child Welfare Education Family Shelters and Homeless Service Providers Each fact sheet provides an at-a-glance overview of the following sections: How can SSI can assist eligible children Eligibility requirements Ways in which the entity can contribute and help a child access resources Available resources The SSI for Children fact sheet series is a great tool to share with providers who may be unfamiliar with SSI for children and the SOAR model. Distribute these flyers among your partners and providers to share the power of SOAR for children! Download the Fact Sheet Series Sharing Our Successes California Man and His Family SOAR with the Medical Summary Report Sandi Holland from Lutheran Social Services in Sacramento, California, wrote in to share this wonderful SOAR success: "John's* health issues left his family with a small income that would have led to homelessness. I worked with him on his disability benefit application, and it was simple. As soon as the Medical Summary Report (MSR) was submitted, John's application was approved! Due to John's age at the time of his original diagnosis, he was awarded maximum SSDI and received back pay to the date of his diagnosis. With that monthly income and his eligibility for Medi-Cal, John's wife was able to establish an In-Home Support Services income to help support him and the family." What an incredible story, Sandi! When asked about her words of advice for new SOAR practitioners, Sandi noted that the MSR made the disability benefit process so much quicker. Thanks, Sandi! Learn how to write a quality MSR with this resource on the SOARWorks website! Applicant's Courage and SOAR Provider's Assistance Lead to Success in Florida DeAnna OFlaherty from Flagler Cares in Flagler Beach, Florida, shared this incredible SOAR success story: "Jim* was a small, quiet man who had made his living as a contractor and house painter. He had developed severe anxiety and breathing problems after a life of tragic events that left him with few people in his life with whom to turn. He was living with a friend when I met him on Halloween 2019, but by Christmas day, he was living in a tent behind a big-box store. He was bashful and uncomfortable when describing his history with someone he had just met. We look it slow, and I tried to reassure him at every chance that this uncomfortable process would be one of the few times his painful memories would help him get what he needed. Jim and I had to review dates and timelines multiple times. In my SOAR work, I find it helps to have a conversation with the applicant about their history and to make notes of key dates. I then help the applicant arrange the events in timeline order by asking, 'Did that happen before or after this event?' It all falls into place eventually. I went into the wooded area where Jim lived many times to get forms and questionnaires completed for his application and his two consultative exam appointments. Jim mustered a lot of courage to follow through with those taxi rides to another county to talk to a doctor he had never met before. In addition to his disability benefit application, we worked together on a mainstream housing voucher application, aiming to get him into housing as soon as he was awarded benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic had closed Social Security offices to in-person appointments, but we worked hard to get his appointment moved to a phone call. The Disability Determination Services worker called me on March 6, 2020, and said the file had been transferred back to the Social Security office. I asked if he could tell me the outcome. He sighed and said, 'No, but you can make assumptions.' I smiled so hard and really wanted to cry. As soon as we could, we assisted Jim in opening a bank account at a branch near his camp. He was so proud to be expecting an income and to have his account information ready for the pre-effectuation review conference (PERC) appointment. On March 20, 2020, less than 5 months after we first met, Jim had his PERC appointment and was awarded benefits, including 5 months of back pay. He cried and thanked me. A few hours later, at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday, the Housing Authority called to tell me Jim had been awarded a mainstream housing voucher and would pay just $112 a month for a brand-new 1-bedroom apartment. After his award, Jim stayed a few nights in a hotel and, overwhelmed by his new options, he lost touch for a week. I was a little worried about him, but it was a good reminder that when someone gets benefits, it can be a bit overwhelming to take it all in. Jim has since completed the application for the new housing and is awaiting building completion." Thank you for submitting this fantastic success story, DeAnna!  Submit Your SOAR Success *Sharing Our Successes stories are edited for brevity and clarity. All client names have been changed to protect anonymity. SOAR Jobs Texas Primrose Health Solutions is seeking a full-time SOAR Case Manager based in Desoto, Texas. The successful candidate will assist with SSI/SSDI disability benefit applications for individuals with serious mental illness who are at risk of experiencing homelessness. Learn more about this job posting on the SOARWorks website. Do you have a job posting you would like to share with the SOAR community? Submit it to the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center! Events SOARing Over Lunch Conference Calls August 18, 2020, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET The next SOARing Over Lunch Conference Call will take place on August 18, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. ET! The SAMHSA SOAR TA Center hosts this series of informal monthly calls designed to help support SOAR efforts across the country. Participants can join to ask about any SOAR-related question they may have. Add SOARing Over Lunch to Your Calendar In Case You Missed It: SOAR Webinars on SAMHSA's YouTube Channel Did you know that the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center's webinars are hosted on the SAMHSA YouTube channel? You can watch the webinars at your own pace and at a time that works for you! SAMHSA's YouTube channel has a SOAR Webinars playlist that houses recent webinars such as SOAR and Criminal Justice System Implementation, Using the SOAR Model with Social Security Administration Appeals, and Medical Summary Report Summer Camp. Supplemental links for more information are provided for each webinar recording. View the SOAR Webinar Playlist Get Social with the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center Hear more about what SAMHSA SOAR is up to via @samhsagov on Twitter, @samhsa on Facebook, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on LinkedIn! Federal Update 42 CFR Part 2 Revised Rule Released The 42 CFR Part 2 regulations (Part 2) serve to protect patient records created by federally assisted programs for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Part 2 has been revised to further facilitate better coordination of care in response to the opioid epidemic while maintaining its confidentiality protections against unauthorized disclosure and use. The revised rule modifies several sections of Part 2, including consent requirements. Under the revision, a SUD patient may consent to the disclosure of the patient's Part 2 treatment records to an entity (e.g., the Social Security Administration), without naming a specific person as the recipient for the disclosure.