Utilizing Social Security disability benefits to end Veteran homelessness: Results from the field

SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR), is a federal program sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to increase access to disability benefits among people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.  Approval rates for initial applications for SSI/SSDI among adults who are homeless can be as low as 10 percent. Since 2006, states report 22,863 approvals on initial SSI/SSDI applications, with an approval rate of 65 percent in an average of 94 days using the SOAR model.

Social Security disability benefits are critical sources of income for Veterans with disabling mental or physical health conditions, and lead to increased housing stability and improved healthcare outcomes. In the fall of 2014, the Veterans Administration (VA) implemented a SOAR pilot in four VA Medical Centers with staff from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program and the VA Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (H-PACT). This presentation will present outcomes from the pilot, as well as lessons learned for expanding SOAR to other HUD-VASH and H-PACT programs.

This presentation will also feature qualitative and quantitative results from SOAR collaborations with Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grantees. Over half of the SSVF provider organizations utilize SOAR as a key component in increasing access to SSI/SSDI and promoting housing stability. Participants will receive materials with guidance on implementing SOAR, a detailed issue brief on SSI/SSDI for Veterans with examples of successful models, and will be linked with their state or local SOAR programs.