SOAR and Veterans
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SOAR and Veterans
Presented by:
SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Under contract to:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Webinar Instructions
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Question instructions
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Muting
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Recording availability
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Downloading documents
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Evaluation
SOAR Training
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2-day Stepping Stones to Recovery
training
www.prainc.com/soar
Find your State
Agenda
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Building Collaborations to Serve Veterans
– Pam Heine, SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
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Veterans Benefits Administration
– Christi Greenwell, Assistant Director, Client Services and Outreach,
Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration
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SOAR and Veterans
– Nancy Campbell, National Director, HUD-VASH Program
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Serving Veterans: Employment and SOAR
– Anthony Foster, Incarcerated Veterans Transitional Program
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Questions and Answers
Building Collaborations to
Serve Veterans
Pam Heine
SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Homelessness Among Veterans

HUD’s 2011 Point-in-Time Estimate of Homelessness
indicates a 12% decrease in the number of homeless
Veterans from 76,329 to 67,495 since 2009

Nearly twice that number are estimated to be homeless
over the course of a year

The majority are in shelters, with many living on the streets

95% of homeless vets have honorable discharges

Like the overall homeless population, almost half of
homeless veterans are in 4 states: CA, FL, TX, NY
Veterans At-Risk for
Homelessness

NAEH estimates that 90,000 to 470,000 veterans
are at risk for homelessness where “at risk” is
defined by NAEH as one or more of the
following:
 Below poverty level income
 Paying more than 50% of income for rent
 Having a disabled member of the household
 Households that are not in the labor force
New VA Office of Inspector
General Report

OEF/OIF veterans experienced higher homeless incidences after
military separation

Veterans who experienced homelessness after military separation
were younger, enlisted with lower pay grades, and were more likely
to be diagnosed with mental disorders and/or traumatic brain injury
(TBI) at time of separation from active duty

Presence of mental disorder (substance-related disorder and/or
mental illness) is the strongest predictor of becoming homeless after
discharge from active duty

Nearly 65% of homeless veterans utilized the VA’s Health Care for
Homeless Veterans(HCHV), Homeless Chronically Mentally Ill
(HCNI) Program and HUD/VASH
Prioritizing Preventing and Ending
Homelessness Among Veterans

2010 – US Interagency Council on
Homelessness Federal Strategic Action Plan
to Prevent and End Homelessness
 Second of 4 goals is to prevent and end
homelessness among veterans in five years

2010 –2015 VA Five-Year Plan to Prevent
and End Homelessness Among Veterans
Why is Access to SSI and SSDI
Important for Veterans?
 Income
 Housing
 Health insurance and treatment
 Employment and supports
Increase in Disability Applications
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45% of the 1.6 million veterans from the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan applying due to
service-related injuries
Double the 21% from the Gulf War (1990’s)
Why the increase?
– Weak economy
– Surviving wounds
– More awareness of TBI, PTSD
Veterans and SSA Benefits
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Veterans who receive partial disability can also receive SSA disability
benefits
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Veterans can access SSA benefits while they are waiting for VA benefits

Health insurance associated with SSA benefits can be important for vets
without VA health care

Younger veterans with limited work history may be eligible for SSDI
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Veterans with “active duty” status and in treatment for a severe impairment,
receiving pay, may still be eligible for SSA benefits

SSA has special provisions for veterans who entered the service as legal
immigrants

SSA has special provisions for expediting disability applications for
Wounded Warriors, which also applies to appeals
SOAR and Veterans: Right Now!
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SOAR providers serve veterans
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Some VA staff have been SOAR trained (GA, KS, NC, NM,
SC, VA, WA)
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SOAR brings hope to veterans by integrating: outreach, access
and recovery (consistent with VA’s 6 key pillars)
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SOAR promotes expediting claims through well established
partnerships:
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–
–
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SSA and DDS
HUD/PATH/Continua of Care
Medical Records Departments
Community Based Service Providers
Issue: Federal Conflict of Interest Rule

POMS DI 31001.015 -- Conflict of Interest in Claimant
Representation rule** restricts federal employees from
representing SSA applicants

VA Case Managers -- Restricted from representing
veteran with SSA using the SSA-1696 Appointment of
Representative form

VA is working with US Interagency Council on
Homelessness (USICH) to see there are any potential
exceptions to reduce this barrier
** http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0431001015
Think Positive!

Allowed activities will be covered by
Nancy Campbell, National Director of
the HUD-VASH program
Existing SOAR/VA Collaborations:
Washington
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Washington State Department of Veterans’ Affairs
SOAR Project in Retsil, Washington

Building 9 for Veterans – 60-bed transitional
housing provides safe, stable housing for male and
female veterans who are homeless and committed
to employment or living independently
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Funding: VA Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program
provides benefits screening and assistance from
SOAR trained staff
Existing SOAR/VA Collaborations:
Georgia
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Atlanta VA Medical Center
– OEF/OIF Transition Patient Advocate,
Ron Hackney
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Refers many veterans to
community-based SOAR providers
SOAR in VA Action Plans
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Community Homelessness Assessment,
Local Education and Networking Groups
(CHALENG) for Veterans [FY2010 action
plan, needs survey results; SSI/SSDI ]
– Albuquerque, NM
– Charleston, SC
– Topeka, KS
– Little Rock, AR
– http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/chaleng.asp
Other Collaborations You
Should Know About
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SSA Wounded Warriors program – since 2009
– http://www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors/
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Medical Records (2012)- VA released new
procedures for expediting the handling of military
record requests associated with homeless Veterans
claims processing
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Outreach: SSA and VA staff both perform outreach to
VA Medical Centers, DOD, shelters, streets,
community events such as, Stand Downs, Service
Organizations
Veterans Benefits
Administration
Christi Greenwell
Assistant Director, Client Services and
Outreach, Benefits Assistance Service,
Veterans Benefits Administration
VBA Offices
Manchester
Seattle
Ft. Harrison
Fargo
Portland
St.
Paul
Boise
Sioux Falls
Cheyenne
Boston
Milwaukee
Lincoln
Cleveland
Chicago
Indianapolis
Denver
Huntington
St. Louis
Los Angeles
Winston Salem
Nashville
San Diego
Little
Columbia
Rock
Phoenix
Waco
Newark
Philadelphia
Wilmington
DC
Roanoke
Louisville
Muskogee
New York
Baltimore
Wichita
Albuquerque
Providence
Hartford
Pittsburgh
Salt Lake
City
Buffalo
Detroit
Des Moines
Reno
Oakland
Togus
White River Jct.
Atlanta
Montgomery
Jackson
New Orleans
Honolulu
Houston
St. Petersburg
San Juan
Regional Office (RO)
RO & Education Regional Processing Center (RPO)
RO & Regional Loan Center (RLC)
Anchorage
RO, RPO & RLC
RO & Insurance Center
Compensation & Pension
Benefits
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Disability Compensation
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Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
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Disability Pension (Death Pension)
Disability Compensation
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Disability resulting from injury or disease
incurred in or aggravated by active service.
Disability may be rated from 0% to 100%,
Payments made for 10% to 100%.
Special Monthly Compensation (such as aid &
attendance, loss of limb, eyesight).
Payments are tax free.
Disability Pension

Granted to those with wartime service
– Age 65 or older, OR
– Totally and permanently disabled, OR
– Patients in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, OR
– Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance
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Needs-based
Special Monthly Pension (such as aid & attendance,
loss of limb, eyesight)
Payments are tax free
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Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC)
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A monthly benefit paid to eligible military service
survivors of a member who died while on active duty,
active duty for training, inactive duty training, or
Veteran whose death resulted from a service-related
injury or disease.
Payments may also be awarded for non servicerelated injury or disease resulting in death under
certain circumstances
Payments are tax free.
SSA and Department of
Veterans Affairs
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Verifying SSA benefits through Federal On-Line
Query (FOLQ)
Completing VA Form 21-4180, Request for
Certification by Social Security Administration
Establishing Relationship and Dependency for
REPS Benefits
Using Administration Determinations made by SSA
Processing of SSA Form-24
Matching Programs
Veterans and SOAR
Nancy Campbell, MSW, LISW
National Director, HUD-VASH Program
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Health Care for Homeless Veterans
(HCHV)
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The central goal of HCHV
programs are to reduce
homelessness among
Veterans by conducting
outreach to those who are the
most vulnerable and are not
currently receiving services
and engaging them in
treatment and rehabilitative
programs.
The Contract Residential
Treatment Program ensures
that Veterans with serious
mental health diagnoses can
be placed in community-based
programs which provide quality
housing and services.
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42,275 intake assessments with
88,244 Veterans treated by HCHV
staff (12% increase from FY 09)
Introduced the Low Demand/Safe
Haven demonstration model
217 Stand Downs (12.5% from FY
09)
174 community-based programs
– 1,583 operational beds; including
927 residential treatment beds;
636 beds for Emergency Housing,
and 20 beds in the Safe Haven
pilot program.
Health Care for Reentry Veterans
Services and Resources (HCRV)


The HCRV program is
designed to address the
community re-entry needs of
incarcerated Veterans.
The HCRV's goals are to
prevent homelessness, reduce
the impact of medical,
psychiatric, and substance
abuse problems upon
community re-adjustment, and
decrease the likelihood of reincarceration for those leaving
prison.
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

40,000 veterans come out of
prison each year
44 full- time re-entry
specialists seeing Veterans
in 1066 state and Federal
prisons across the country
From Aug. 2007-Oct. 2010
approximately 24,925 ReEntry Veterans have been
seen, with 9,326 seen in
FY10 alone
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Veterans Justice Outreach

The purpose of the Veteran
Justice Outreach Initiative
(VJO) initiative is to avoid the
unnecessary criminalization
of mental illness and
extended incarceration
among Veterans by ensuring
that eligible justice-involved
Veterans have timely access
to VHA mental health and
substance abuse services
when clinically indicated, and
other VA services and
benefits as appropriate.
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Justice Outreach (law
enforcement, jails, courts)
– 6,451 Veterans seen in VJO
FY 10: 46 full-time specialists
funded
FY11: Additional 79 full-time
specialists funded
There are approximately 50
operational Veteran Courts
(more than double the number
for FY 2010) that VA VJO Staff
participate with
Supportive Services Grants for Low
Income Veterans and Families
(SSVF)

This program was authorized by
Public Law 110-387 and will
provide supportive services to
very low-income Veteran
families in or transitioning to
permanent housing. Funds will
be granted to private non-profit
organizations and consumer
cooperatives who will assist
very low-income Veteran
families by providing a range of
supportive services designed to
promote housing stability.
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85 Grants awarded Summer
2011
Announcement of new
awardees expected in July
2012
Domiciliary Care for Homeless
Veterans (DCHV)
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Program that provides time-limited
residential treatment to homeless
Veterans with health care and
social-vocational deficits.
DCHV programs provide homeless
Veterans access to medical,
psychiatric, and substance use
disorder treatment in addition to
social and vocational rehabilitation
programs.
2,400 beds for homeless Veterans
Provided residential rehabilitation
treatment to over 6,000 homeless
Veterans with almost 40 percent of
those returning back to work
In FY 11
 $33M to develop 5 new sites
 5 Sites (Denver, Philadelphia,
Atlanta, San Diego, Miami)
Income and Benefits


Many homeless people are
unable to work due to a disability,
or are unable to quickly earn
enough to afford rent. The sooner
a minimal income is obtained, the
sooner a new home is possible.
This strategy includes a multipronged effort aimed at improving
financial opportunities for
Veterans, including, at minimum,
vocational training and enhanced
access to benefits.


Veterans Benefits Administration
(VBA) provides services for
homeless Veterans at all 56 regional
offices. The number of homeless
Veterans claims’ received during FY
2009 (6,285) increased by 9.06%
from FY 2008 (5,715). Assistance is
also provided to Veteran
homeowners who may be in
foreclosure.
VA continues to partner with the
Social Security Administration (SSA)
to expedite claims for Social Security
Disability and with state and local
governments for other types of
economic assistance to Veterans
Homeless Providers Grant and Per
Diem Program (GPD)

Allows VA to award grants to
community-based agencies to create
transitional housing programs and
offer per diem payments. The
purpose is to promote the
development and provision of
supportive housing and/or
supportive services with the goal of
helping homeless Veterans achieve
residential stability, increase their
skill levels and/or income, and obtain
greater self-determination. GPDfunded projects offer communities a
way to help homeless Veterans with
housing and services while assisting
VA medical Centers by augmenting
or supplementing care.
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GPD offered both Capital and
“Per Diem Only” grant awards
– $41 million awarded to
community-based agencies
• $26 million in Capital funds
• $15 million in “Per Diem
Only” awards
Approximately 12,000 beds
Operationalized 971 additional
transitional housing beds in FY10
New FY 12 NOFA recently
issued. Focus on “transition in
place”
HUD-VASH Program

A collaborative program between
HUD and VA where eligible
homeless Veterans receive VA
provided case management and
supportive services to support
stability and recovery from
physical and mental health,
substance use, and functional
concerns contributing to or
resulting from of homelessness.
The program goals include
promoting maximal Veteran
recovery and independence to
sustain permanent housing in the
community for the Veteran and the
Veteran’s family.
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Approximately 48,000 Housing
Choice Vouchers currently in use
As of March 28, 2012, 31,197
Veterans have been housed
Over 300 participating PHAs
VA has now funded over 1900
case managers/other staff across
the country
This includes 101 Substance Use
Disorder Specialists to enhance
VA case management and
supportive services
Community Partnerships

There has been a great deal of emphasis placed on building partnerships. This strategy
is a cornerstone of the entire Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans, and
includes substantial new efforts to create partnerships with community and local
governmental agencies to enhance opportunities and services for homeless Veterans.

VA has strengthened their partnerships with community service providers:
– Nationwide, there are now nearly 4,000 interagency collaboration agreements in
place.
– These agreements have aided the VA in extending outreach services to sites such
as shelters, soup kitchens, safe havens, welfare offices or other locations where
homeless persons may be located and have spurred the development of additional
housing resources.
– This has led to improved coordination of services and the development of
innovative strategies to address the needs of homeless Veterans.
– GPD partners with over 500 agencies to provide transitional housing services.
– VA continues to foster interagency collaboration with: United States Interagency
Council on Homelessness (USICH), HUD, SAMSHA, DoL, Education, Health &
Human Services (HHS), Department of Justice (DoJ), and others.
Role of HUD-VASH Case Manager

Once accepted, a Housing Recovery Plan is developed by the case
manager and the Veteran. It is an integrated part of the overall
treatment plan, and reflects the recovery goals of the Veteran which
may include:
o
o
o
o
o
Establishing Housing stability (paying rent, following rules, etc)
Meeting employment and income needs
Resolving legal and financial issues (credit history)
Supporting physical, mental, social health
Fostering community integration and independence

Process to monitor the progress of the plan is jointly agreed upon

Main Goal: Sustaining Veteran in permanent housing
Prohibitions Re: SOAR
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Federal employees are not allowed to represent veterans in their
claims for Social Security benefits. It’s a criminal conflict on
interest violation (18 U.S.C. 203, 205)
This “representational duty” of being a claims representative is
outside the scope and course of the routine work of VA
employees. Could find themselves outside the umbrella of
coverage of the Federal Tort Claims Act and staff could be
personally held liable
Cannot sign SSA Form 1696 –Appointment of a Representative
Cannot discuss the status of a veteran’s claim with SSA whether
the discussion takes place at a hearing or not; can be construed
as advocacy
Allowable Activities Re: SOAR
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Staff can attend trainings to become familiar with
the process
Can disclose VA records to SSA (Form 827) if
veteran signs the appropriate release
Can complete the Disability Report-Adult (Form
3368) and be listed as a contact who knows the
veteran
Can assist in completing the application forms and
referring the veteran to an appropriate advocate/
representative
Can provide support and encouragement while
Veteran is going through the process
OK to work “behind the scenes”
Other Options/Possibilities
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SSVF grantees
State veteran employees
Veterans Service Organizations
Other state, city or non-profit
employees
Pro bono private sector attorneys
Legal services referral resources
– VA Staff must follow VHA Directive
2011-034 Homeless Veterans Legal
Referral Process
Serving Veterans:
Employment and SOAR
Anthony Foster, Service Coordinator
Incarcerated Veterans Transitional Program (IVTP)
Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest
Spokane, Washington
Incarcerated Veterans Transition
Program (IVTP)


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For veterans who have any discharge
other than dishonorable
Veteran must have been incarcerated
within the past 6 months
Veteran must be homeless, unemployed,
and have a STRONG desire to obtain
employment
IVTP Benefits

Job readiness assistance from employment specialist

Housing assistance from housing specialist (i.e.,
housing plan, landlord referral)

Employment Readiness and Responsible Renter’s
classes
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Participation in weekly job club

Transportation assistance

Clothing assistance
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Referral to VA for other relevant services
Challenges We’ve Faced

Some veterans may not be ready for work

Some are experiencing chronic
homelessness
– May lose contact for months at a time

Veteran may have limited work history
and/or training
More Challenges…

Conviction record may make finding a job
difficult (i.e., type of offense vs job
availability)

If in substance abuse treatment, work
search is postponed until treatment cycle
is completed (intensive outpatient)
SOAR as an Option for Veterans

Schedule meeting with veteran and request all relevant
records (i.e., military, department of corrections, other
medical facilities)

Meet with vet and complete application and disability report

Fax over all records to local Social Security Administration
Office

Follow-up with veteran upon notice of decision
– Help file appeal if necessary
– Refer to community legal resources for assistance once all
appeal process have been exhausted
For More Information
Anthony Foster
Service Coordinator
anthonyf@giin.org
(509) 232-1125
Questions and Answers
Facilitators:
SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Resources for Veterans
Experiencing Homelessness

National Call Center of Homeless Veterans- free, confidential, 24/7
access to trained counselors, for families too 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-4243838)

Dept of Veterans Affairs/ Homeless Programs- This website provides
info on VA’s programs and service for homeless veterans
http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/index.asp

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans- NCHV is recognized as the
nations’ leading authority on homeless veteran's issues. Links to resources
and guides. http://www.nchv.org/index.cfm

Vet Centers- Can assist veterans experiencing homelessness.
http://www.2.va.gov/directory/guide/vetcenter_flsh.asp

National Center for PTSD- info, resources and practical advice for
Veterans dealing with stress and trauma.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp
Resources continued…

VA Medical Centers
– Homeless Veterans Program Coordinators
– http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/Hmls_Vet_Prog_Coord.asp
– Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
– http://www.va.gov/homeless/hchv.asp
“Those who have served this
nation as Veterans should never
find themselves on the street living
without care and without hope.”
VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, testimony
before Senate Committee on Veteran’s
Affairs, 11/09
For More Information on SOAR
Visit the SOAR website at www.prainc.com/soar
Or contact:
SAMHSA SOAR TA Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Delmar, NY
518-439-7415
soar@prainc.com