1. SOARing to Recovery: Increasing Access to Income, Housing, Treatment and Employment Opportunities through SSI/SSDI Benefits
Sponsored By: Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services

2. Overview Overview of SOAR SOAR opportunities within AI/AN communities
AI/AN eligibility for SSI/SSDI benefits
Overview of the SOAR Online Course

3. SOAR Focuses on people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness
SOAR – SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access & Recovery
Focuses on people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness
A model for assisting individuals to apply for Social Security disability benefits

4. SOAR Sponsored by SAMHSA; currently active in all 50 states
SOAR TA Center assists communities through technical assistance and training
17 State PATH contacts also serve as SOAR State Team Lead
PATH & CABHI funds have been used to fund dedicated SOAR specialists

5. Importance of SSI/SSDI for AI/AN Communities
SSI & SSDI can be a crucial source of income for American Indian and Alaska Natives whether residing on or off a reservation
SSA disability benefits can provide access to:
Increased Income
Health insurance (Medicaid/Medicare)
Treatment options for services not covered by Indian Health Services
Other supportive services
For people with disabilities, SSI/SSDI can be a critical step towards ending homelessness and promoting recovery

6. SOAR Partners SSA DDS Medical You Administers SSI/SSDI
Social Security Administration
Administers SSI/SSDI
Makes the non-medical decision
Tribal liaisons
SSA
Disability Determination Services
State agency under contract to SSA
Makes the medical/ disability determination
DDS
Medical/ Treatment providers
Assessments/evaluations
Medical records
Medical
Active SOAR trained case managers
Community partners
Family

7. SSI & SSDI: The Basics
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Needs based; federal benefit rate is $737 per month (2017); provides Medicaid in most states
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Amount depends on earnings put into SSA system; Medicare generally provided after 2 years of eligibility

8. Definition of Disability
1. Medically Determinable Physical or Mental impairment
Illness must either meet or be equivalent to the “listing” criteria used by DDS. Supporting information must be documented in medical records
2. Duration
The impairment tied to the illness(es) must have lasted OR be expected to last 12 months or more OR be expected to result in death
3. Functional Information
Applicants must demonstrate that significant functional impairment related to the illness(es) exists that impede their ability to work
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) = $1,170/month
When describing “ability to work,” explain how SSA looks at SGA.

9. SSA Considers Co-Occurring Disorders
If substance use is deemed "material" to a person's disability, benefits will be denied
Substance use is "material" when:
If a person were clean and sober, the functional impairment would not exist and the person would not be disabled
The determination does NOT require sobriety
Use past periods of sobriety (hospital, jail, treatment) to document symptoms that persisted

10. Exclusions for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Certain payments made to members of AIAN tribes/groups are not counted as income for SSI eligibility purposes.
SSA will not count income received from the Cobell Court Case as a resource for one year after the payment is received.
Individual Indian Monies (IIM) paid on Indian lands are not counted unless the beneficiary receives more than $2,000 per year.
Other types of payments may be counted. It is important to contact SSA to find out if and how the particular allotment will be counted.
Exclusions:
Indian judgment funds held in trust or distributed per capita under an approved plan are excluded from income & resources (SI Jan,1983)
Distributions to members of an Indian tribe of all funds held in trust by the Secretary of the Interior are excluded from income & resources (SI Aug. 1983)
 Under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, cash, stock or land received from a native corporation are excluded from income & resources (SI Feb 1988)
Up to $2,000 per year in payments from individual interests in Indian trust lands is excluded from income and the land itself is excluded from resources (SI )
Per capita payments received by members of the tribes covered by the Tribal Trust Accounting and Management settlement of April 2012 are excluded from income (SI )
Per capita payments received by members of the tribes covered by the Tribal Trust Accounting and Management settlement of April 2012 are excluded from resources. The resource exclusion also applies to initial purchases made with funds received from these settlements. The resource exclusion does not apply to proceeds from the sale or conversions of initial purchases or subsequent purchases. (SI )
For purposes of determining eligibility for SSI, funds received under the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Cobell v. Salazar) by individual tribe members are excluded from income and resources for 1 year from date of receipt. (SI )

11. SSI Exclusions for American Indians & Alaska Natives
For purposes of determining eligibility for SSI, funds received under the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Cobell v. Salazar) by individual tribe members are excluded from income and resources for 1 year from date of receipt.

12. SSA Collaborations with Tribal Governments
SSA established a formal consultation process with tribal governments in 2001.
The Deputy Commissioner of Operations serves as the Indian Tribal Consultation Official and liaison with tribal governments.
SSA annually reviews its regulatory agenda and legislative submissions to determine if any proposals have tribal implications.
The 2016 Tribal Consultation Progress Report which describes all of SSA’s ongoing communication, education and outreach activities can be found on their website.

13. The SOAR Way Engage with the applicant and tell their story
Case managers actively assist applicants and develop evidence
Engage with the applicant and tell their story
Focuses on the initial application – “Get it right the first time!”
Avoids appeals whenever possible
Focuses on documenting the disability

14. Changing Lives Since 2005
31,365 persons experiencing or at risk for homelessness have been approved on initial application
67% approval rate overall, in an average of 101 days in 2016
Compares to percent for unassisted applications from people who are homeless and 28 percent for all applicants
Appeals can take a year or more; many people give up and do not appeal
Estimate that in 2016 alone, SSI/SSDI for the individuals served by SOAR brought nearly $317 million into the economies of participating states and localities.

15. SOAR Online Course http://soarworks.prainc.com ABOUT THE COURSE
Course Layout

16. SOAR Online Course Reach

17. The SOAR Online Course Standardized Training
20 hours, may enroll and complete at your own pace
Free of charge
Expands SOAR to new audiences and geographic areas
Communities should identify individuals to become trained
Cohort participants register and complete the online course within specified timeframe
SOAR local lead conducts in-person SOAR Fundamentals refresher training for those who have completed the SOAR training (in-person or online)

18. About the Course Articles & Content Practice Case Demonstration
Articles v Practice Case files

19. Practice Case Page Elements
WORKING WITH FORMS
How do I Download files to my computer?

20. SOARWorks Library, full of great resources!
Key Point
Client video
Upload SSA forms
Tasks for this Class

21. Get Involved with SOAR https://soarworks.prainc.com/content/contact-us
Find your SOAR TA Center Liaison
Find your SOAR State Team Lead
Connect with SOAR in your community
Problems? Let us know!

22. Resources https://soarworks.prainc.com/article/ssi-ssdi-aian
Video Service Delivery locations
2016 Tribal Consultation Progress Report onandCoordinationPlan2016.pdf
Ticket to Work & Tribal Employment Networks

23. Connect with Us Visit our website: http://soarworks.prainc.com
SAMHSA SOAR TA Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc Delaware Avenue Delmar, New York (518) 439 – 7415
@SOARWorks