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SAMHSA SOAR TA Center's FY 2015 Accomplishments
As the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center closes its 2015 fiscal year and marks 6 years of service, we wanted to highlight some of our major accomplishments this past year and thank you, our SOAR supporters, for helping us achieve these milestones.
Thank you for your time, effort, and energy in bringing this initiative to all 50 states and the District of Columbia. We have been able to accomplish measurable, impactful change in the lives of individuals experiencing or at-risk of homelessness because of your hard work and commitment to the SOAR model. Thank you!
Sharing Our Successes
SOAR TA Center to Present at APHA Conference
Senior Project Associate Jen Elder will present at the American Public Health Association's (APHA's) Annual Meeting this November. Jen will speak on the Health Policy and the Impact of Homelessness and Housing panel, to be held Tuesday, November 3 at 8:30 a.m. EST. Jen will speak about lessons learned using SOAR in the HUD- Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), Homeless Veterans Patient Aligned Care Team (H-PACT), and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs. Learn more about the APHA Annual Meeting and Jen's presentation here.
Leadership Academy Recap
On September 1-3, 2015, the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center hosted its fourth and final Leadership Academy for FY 2015. The SOAR TA Center hosted Leadership Academies in Dallas, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Chicago, Illinois; and Denver, Colorado this year, training a total of 100 new individuals! During the Leadership Academies, these 100 individuals received the tools and training necessary to becoming local leads within their communities! Congratulations to all of our FY 2015 graduates -- we're excited to see you SOAR! Dates and information about the FY 2016 Leadership Academies will be sent to State and Local Leads shortly!
Connecticut
On September 11, 2015, SOAR TA Center liaisons Abigail Lemon and Matt Canuteson facilitated a SOAR forum in Hartford, Connecticut. Approximately 35 representatives from state and local agencies convened to learn about SOAR and action plan around how to make SOAR successful in Hartford. Congratulations, Hartford! We are excited to see you SOAR! If you have a SOAR-related success story to share, e-mail soar@prainc.com.
Federal Updates
Strategies You Can Use to Connect People Experiencing Homelessness to SSI/SSDI Benefits
The SOAR TA Center has been mentioned in a new United States Interagency Council on Homelessness blog about the interagency publication, Key Strategies for Connecting People Experiencing Homelessness to SSI and SSDI Benefits. From the blog: "The Key Strategies are informed by many of the best practices developed and proven to be effective by SAMHSA's SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program. SOAR is designed to increase access to the disability income benefit programs administered by SSA for eligible adults who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and have a mental illness, medical impairment, and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder. To get trained in the SOAR model, check out their website." Read the full blog post here.
Department of Veterans Affairs Announces Funding Awards
On September 14, 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the renewal of approximately $300 million in grants under the SSVF program. This program provides critical outreach, supportive services, and rapid re-housing for Veterans and their families who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. The SOAR TA Center works closely with SSVF grantees nationwide to help Veterans with disabling conditions access SSI/SSDI. A list of grantees is located at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp. If you'd like more information about how to integrate SOAR into your local SSVF program, contact us at soar@prainc.com. The VA also announced the award of $4 million in renewal funding to Grant and Per Diem (GPD) providers, who help Veterans achieve housing and income stability. The SOAR TA Center recently presented on a SOAR overview webinar for GPD providers nationwide, and will continue to assist them in utilizing SOAR to help end Veteran homelessness.
Job Postings
Orange Blossom Family Health is hiring a full-time SOAR Benefit Specialist based in Orlando, Florida. Visit http://soarworks.prainc.com/content/soar-job-postings for more information on this job posting. Do you have a job posting you would like to share with the SOAR community? E-mail it to soar@prainc.com!
Funding Corner
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2016 Culture of Health Prize -- Call for Applications
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize recognizes communities that have placed a priority on health, and are creating powerful partnerships and deep commitments to make change. Each of the 10 winning communities that will be honored in 2016 will receive a $25,000 cash prize and the opportunity to share their accomplishments across the nation to spark local change. The Call for Applications for the 2016 Culture of Health Prize is open until November 12, 2015.
Recent Stories from the SOAR Voices Blog
Learning to "SOAR" in San Francisco
Swords to Plowshares is a San Francisco-based non-profit Veterans advocacy agency that provides a wide array of core services to former military men and women. Read the full blog.
SOAR Spotlight: Suzy Sodergren
Get to know SOAR Project Assistant Suzy Sodergren in a new SOAR Spotlight blog. Find out what her job entails, her favorite travel story, and her favorite SOAR success story! Read the full blog.
Working with Applicants
In most of my writing, I mention that I am a person in recovery because I want the reader to understand that it is one of the perspectives I bring to my work at Policy Research Associates. Read the full blog.
Upcoming Events
November Webinar -- Save the Date!
Save the date -- our next webinar on Traumatic Brain Injury will be held November 12 at 3:00 p.m. EST! More information, including presenters and registration details, will be distributed shortly!
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