Led by Michael Shank and Sarah Paige Fuller, PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) program directors in the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS) are working to improve access to SSA disability benefits for people who are homeless and who have mental illness. Beginning in 2003, they provided statewide training for mental health and homeless service providers. Yvonne Perret, former executive director of the Maryland SSI Outreach Project and developer of SAMHSA’s Stepping Stones to Recovery training curriculum, conducted four regional trainings on the application process and strategies for creating more effective applications.
Following these trainings, DMHMRSAS staff worked with the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services to produce a series of four additional trainings, which brought together experts from the State, including representatives from SSA and DDS. Since the trainings, attendees have reported an increased level of involvement with SSI, more comfort working with clients on applications, and a greater knowledge of the intricacies of the application process.