SSDI/SSI Outreach, Access, & Recovery

Wyoming in Top 10 Approval States

The national SOAR “Top Ten” criteria require that states have at least 200 cumulative decisions and approval rates at or above the national average in 2017. The average approval rate for these rock star states is 84 percent! In order of highest average cumulative approval rate, the Top Ten states are: Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Maryland, Arkansas, North Carolina, Rhode Island,
Washington, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.

In 2017, 88% of Wyoming’s 41 SOAR applications were approved in an average of 82 days.
To date, 177 of 244 SSI/SSDI applications have been approved in Wyoming using the SOAR process.

By comparison, 35% of 2016 adult SSI applications were approved nationwide (with and without SOAR)
(Nationally, 65% of 2017 SOAR applications were approved in an average of 96 days.)

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Information about SOAR

The SSI/SSDI application process is complicated and difficult to navigate, especially for people who are homeless or who are returning to the community from institutions (jails, prisons, or hospitals). For those who have a mental illness, substance use issues, or co-occurring disorders that impair cognition, the application process creates an even greater challenge.

Using the SOAR process, the approval rate has increased approvals to 60-95% and reduced days to approval. This training is designed for discharge planners, social workers, case managers, and client advocates who work directly with clients.

SOAR Provider Fact Sheet

Case managers can expect to commit approximately 15-20 hours to complete a SOAR SSI/SSDI application and submit all necessary documentation.
Using the SOAR process will result in expedited (quicker) decisions and approvals the first time around.
By having a SOAR trained person on staff, certain grant applications may be strengthened.
Medical providers and hospitals can also receive Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement, often retroactively, for medication and direct service costs that would otherwise remain uncompensated. ER and inpatient units, the most expensive medical settings, are those most commonly used by those who are homeless and have no insurance.
Nationally only about 34% of individuals are approved on the initial SSI/SSDI application without SOAR.
Using the SOAR process increases this percentage to an average of 66%.
SSI/SSDI appeals can take up to an average of 1 year; SOAR helps you get it right the first time.
Critical in the first step to recovery, with income support and Medicaid/Medicare health insurance, recipients are able to access housing and physical/behavioral health care services, allowing them to pursue other life goals, including employment.
In 2017, SSI/SSDI brought at least $356 million into reporting state and local economies.
At agencies with SOAR-trained staff, case managers are relieved of the time and effort needed for the appeals process. Instead, they use the SOAR approach to obtain approval on initial application, allowing them to focus on helping individuals with their recovery and life goals.