JSIT24-01: Homeless Outreach Teams’ Usage of SOAR and Connecting Unsheltered to SSI/SSDI

It is estimated that 653,104 people in the U.S. experience homelessness, and 39% are unsheltered (254,711 people), about one-third of whom have a disability. Adopting homeless outreach teams within major cities has been a key component in increasing and engaging unsheltered homeless. In such cases, homeless outreach teams become the primary linkage in connecting unsheltered populations to community services and help in enrollment for entitlement benefits. The Supplemental Security Income/ Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI) Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program increases approval rates for social security income benefits for individuals who experience homelessness and who are affected by severe mental illness, medical impairments, and or co-occurring substance use disorders. Although SOAR has been nationally implemented and aims to facilitate access to SSI/SSDI benefits for the general homeless and vulnerable homeless subgroups (e.g., immigrants, people involved in the legal system, and veterans) when eligible, there has been no examination of how effective it has been for unsheltered populations. Focusing on the barriers homeless outreach teams experience may help SOAR providers achieve better approval application outcomes for homeless people living outside. This study offers insight into the barriers and facilitators homeless outreach teams encounter when assisting unsheltered homeless people in applying for social security benefits. The study will conduct six in-person and semi-structured focus groups with three homeless outreach teams in New York City for about 1.5 hours. The results of this study can better inform SOAR curriculum and training, policy, and direct practice for working with unsheltered homeless people.