SOAR Ohio: Accessing Life-Saving Disability Benefits

Why This Program Matters

Applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a complex and often discouraging process, especially for people experiencing homelessness with serious behavioral health conditions. COHHIO’s SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program helps eligible individuals overcome bureaucratic barriers to secure the income they need to live stable, secure lives.

Boosts approval rates and reduces SSI/SSDI application processing time

Creates access to treatment and recovery for Ohioans with disabilities

Helps Ohioans move from long-term homelessness into permanent housing

Overview

What Is SOAR?

The SOAR model was developed to help individuals who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, co-occurring substance use disorder, and/or physical disability apply for SSI/SSDI benefits. As the SOAR state lead, COHHIO trains homeless services providers to submit complete, accurate SSI/SSDI applications to help their clients access housing and treatment.

Our Mission and Goals

The SOAR program exists to make sure that people can access the disability benefits they need to survive, heal, and rebuild. SOAR Ohio brings this mission to life by helping service providers navigate the system and submit strong, complete SSI/SSDI applications on behalf of their clients. SOAR Ohio supports agencies that serve people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, and those who are exiting jail, prison, hospitals, state and non-state institutions. SOAR also supports providers that focus on Ohioans with significant mental health challenges, substance use disorders, or co-occurring conditions that impact daily functioning.

Increasing access to SSI/SSDI benefits for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

Reducing delays, denials, and unnecessary appeals by improving application quality

Providing training and tools to frontline workers so they can better support vulnerable individuals

Strengthening partnerships between service providers, Social Security Administration (SSA), and Department of Developmental Services (DDS)

Promoting long-term stability through income, healthcare access, and housing support

Certification

SOAR Ohio Certification

Who Can Be SOAR-Certified?

Anyone who is interested! There are many different types of agencies in SOAR Ohio’s tracking system, including behavioral healthcare providers, hospitals, LGBTQIA+ organizations, faith-based charities, developmental disabilities boards, job & family services, shelter and outreach staff, and more.

For individual support and assistance with completing the E-Learning course contact SOAR Ohio.

Contact SOAR Ohio SOAR Training Site

Provider staff and community members can obtain free certification to complete SOAR Ohio-assisted SSI/SSDI applications with the following steps:

Successfully complete the free SOAR eLearning Course (launching January 2026) for adult applicants. The course takes between 15-20 hours to complete, and participants can work at their own pace. The course consists of 7 classes including articles, videos, and short quizzes, and allows participants to submit an SSI/SSDI application using SOAR methodology for a fictional applicant while receiving personalized feedback from the SOAR Ohio Team.

Attend a SOAR Ohio Certification training session. Upon course completion, participants will receive an invitation for the next SOAR Ohio Certification training via email. These 2-3 hour virtual sessions are offered quarterly via Zoom. Participants will learn how to apply national SOAR methodology to working with Ohio’s local SSA Field Offices and Disability Determination Services and will be added to the statewide list of approved, certified SOAR Ohio specialists distributed quarterly to SSA and DDS.

Requirements for Maintaining SOAR Ohio Certification

SOAR Ohio Certification Requirements are enforced in order to create and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between SOAR Ohio and local Social Security Administration Field Offices, allowing for a highly efficient system of SSI/SSDI application processing.

SOAR Ohio Certified Providers are required* to:

Attend at least 1 SOAR state or national training/webinar each quarter

Log at least 1 SSI/SSDI application per quarter (or reach out to SOAR State Lead Team at COHHIO quarterly to inform us you will not be submitting any applications that quarter)

*We understand these requirements may not be possible for all participants, as SOAR Ohio-certified specialists work in diverse fields and positions. If the requirements cannot be met, please reach out to soarohio@cohhio.org and accommodations will be made on an individual case-by-case basis.

Participants will be removed from the statewide list of approved SOAR Ohio specialists and lose direct access to the expedited Homeless Unit at Disability Determination Services/DDS, if a communication is not made about inability to meet SOAR Ohio requirements after certification.

For Directors and Supervisors

How can SOAR benefit my agency?

Staff will learn skills to complete quality SSI/SSDI applications that are approved upon initial submission, within an average of 90 days.

Direct, personal connection with local SSA Field Office liaisons and the specialized adjudicating unit at DDS/Disability Determination Services: No waiting hours on the phone or at offices.

Training, technical assistance, and consistent support provided by COHHIO and the SOAR Ohio team.

Receive the most up-to-date information on changes in SSA procedures and best-practices, before the general public.

For Soar Specialists

Resources for SOAR Specialists

Update

National SOAR TA Center News

The Trump Administration shut down the national SOAR Technical Assistance Center on Aug. 18. With rates of homelessness among individuals with disabilities increasing in recent years, we believe the decision to defund the SOAR Technical Assistance Center is extremely shortsighted. As Ohio’s SOAR state lead, COHHIO remains committed to ensuring that homeless services providers continue to have access to SOAR training and technical assistance in the absence of federal support.

We ask for your patience as we work with our stakeholders to reconfigure the SOAR Ohio program to the realities of this new environment. COHHIO will ensure providers continue to have access to SOAR training and TA by:

Working with public and private partners to fund the SOAR Ohio program.

Hiring a SOAR Coordinator to implement the program

Collaborating with SSA on a SOAR Ohio process for applications

Building up a strong network of SOAR specialists to apply the model

Please check back to the SOAR Ohio website for updates as they occur, and feel free to email COHHIO staff with any questions.

Self-Help Tools

Applying for SSI/SSDI Benefits?

Find out about SSI/SSDI eligibility and applications. See the resources below for more information.

APPLICANT SELF-HELP GUIDE

COHHIO created a detailed guide to help applicants prepare and submit their own high-quality SSI/SSDI applications when a SOAR provider is not available for assistance.

SOAR Ohio Self Help Guide

How to Contact SSA

If you're ready to apply or need help with an existing claim, the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers several ways to get in touch: online, by phone, or through your local office.

Phone: 800-772-1213

Website: ssa.gov