Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) is a national program designed to increase the disability income benefit programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for eligible adults and children who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder.
SOAR works in several ways:
- Provides training for case managers on how to complete and submit a complete and high-quality SSI/SSDI application
- Helps communities establish a process for submitting and processing SSI/SSDI applications
- Supports State and Local SOAR Leads who support SOAR-trained specialists and engage stakeholders
- Provides technical assistance to keep local SOAR efforts moving forward
The goal of the SOAR program is to end homelessness through increased access to SSI/SSDI income supports. For many persons in recovery, accessing benefits is a first step, but SOAR also extends beyond and encourages employment as a means to increase individual income and promote recovery.
The microsite describing the SOAR program provides an outline of the following:
- SOAR Outcomes
- History of SOAR
- SOAR Through the Years
- SOAR Resources
This webpage was first launched in 2025.
Citation
Policy Research Associates. (2025). SOAR: SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR). https://www.prainc.com/soar-ssi-ssdi-outreach-access-recovery/