Are you looking for ways to increase housing placement and stability for individuals with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness in your community? Are you struggling with the complex Social Security disability application process and waiting for a long time for a decision? If so, this technical assistance and training opportunity is for you!
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Technical Assistance Center is accepting applications from Continuums of Care (CoCs) that have not yet participated in the federally sponsored SOAR Technical Assistance Program.
SAMHSA's SOAR program assists states and localities to expedite access to the Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability programs – Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) – for persons who are experiencing or at risk for homelessness and who have a serious mental illness, a co-occurring substance use disorder or other serious medical condition.
CoCs are invited to submit a brief, 3-5 page application in response to the Request for Applications (RFA) to participate in the SOAR TA Project by November 17, 2017. A message of interest and intent to file an application is requested, but not required, by October 24, 2017. The RFA and the documents referred to in the RFA can be accessed on the SOAR Technical Assistance site.
A kick-off call to answer questions about the application will be held on October 24 at 3:00 p.m. ET:
Participation in SOAR requires local commitment and collaboration while working closely with the SOAR State Team Lead to ensure that the effort is consistent with that of other communities in the state. In many states, the local and/or balance of state CoCs are actively involved in SOAR implementation at both the state and local levels.
For more information or if you have questions about the RFA, please contact Kristin Lupfer, Project Director, SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center via e-mail at klupfer@prainc.com or by phone at 518-439-7415, ext. 5262. | 
