Helping Adults Who Are Homeless Gain Disability Benefits: The SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) Program

Objective: Approval rates for first-time applications for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) among adults who are homeless can be as low as 10%. This study examined approval rates among applicants who were assisted by SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR), a federal initiative to increase access to disability benefits among people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and who have mental illness or other co-occurring disorders. Methods: Data were collected in 37 states that had participated in SOAR for at least one year. Results: Of 8,978 applications assisted by SOAR, 6,558 (73%) were approved. The average number of days between application and decision was 91. SOAR was associated with increased access to housing and cost savings through increased Medicaid reimbursement. Conclusions: SOAR substantially increased access to SSI and SSDI entitlements for people with disabilities who experience or are at risk for homelessness. (Psychiatric Services 62:1373-1376, 2011)