SOAR Project

The Colorado SOAR Project is pleased to announce the pilot sites selected through the Colorado SOAR Project Request for Proposals (RFP) issued this fall.  This opportunity has been made available thanks to a grant provided by the Colorado Health Foundation,

The following sites have been selected as SOAR Level 1 and Level 2 recipients:

Level 1:

  • Colorado West Regional Mental Health Center (serving Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mesa, Moffat, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, Summit counties)
  • Jefferson County Human Services (serving Jefferson county)

Level 2:

  • Aurora Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center (serving Denver and Aurora)
  • Bayaud Industries/Disability Center for Independent Living (serving Denver region)
  • Centennial Mental Health Center (serving Cheyenne, Elbert, Lincoln, Logan, Kit Carson, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties)
  • Larimer Center for Mental Health / North Range Behavioral Health (serving Larimer and Weld counties)
  • Mental Health Center of Denver
  • Rocky Mountain Hope Connection (serving El Paso county)
CLICK HERE to see contact information for each pilot site

Congratulations to all of the selected sites and thanks to everyone who submitted!

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SOAR (SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access and Recovery) is a national model to increase successful disability benefits acquisition efforts for homeless and at-risk populations. This opportunity has been made available thanks to a grant provided by the Colorado Health Foundation, 

 
The Colorado Health Foundation works to make Colorado the healthiest state in the nation by investing in grants and initiatives to health-related nonprofits that focus on increasing the number of Coloradans with health insurance, ensuring they have access to quality, coordinated care and encouraging healthy living.  For more information, please visit www.coloradohealth.org

Colorado SOAR Project Overview

Project Description:  The Colorado SOAR Project – a collaboration between the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, the Colorado Health Foundation, the Governor’s Office, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, the National SOAR Training and TA Center and the Social Security Administration – is working with various Colorado partners to build expertise and capacity in the area of Social Security benefit acquisition for individuals with disabilities who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The Colorado SOAR Project received a 2-year grant from the Colorado Health Foundation and is working in partnership with ten partner agencies to reach into 26 counties across the state.

SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) is a best-practice approach that helps states increase access to Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Income (SSI/SSDI) benefits, which can also provide Medicaid health insurance to individuals who are eligible. SOAR enables states to help vulnerable individuals navigate the complicated and detailed application process for SSI/SSDI.

In Colorado, the BART (Benefit Acquisition and Retention Team) program at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless incorporates SOAR practices to expedite SSI/SSDI applications for clients with disabilities.  The BART program was mentioned in a recent U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report as “one of the most successful teams for getting homeless people Aid for Needy and the Disabled, SSI, and SSDI,” and has a 60-75% application approval rating and shortened wait periods.

The Colorado SOAR Project will:

  • Strengthen community partnerships and approach to actively facilitate SSA benefit acquisition for persons with disabilities who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness;
  • Increase community capacity and expertise through training, mentoring and technical assistance by the establishing the Colorado SOAR Center for Excellence;
  • Expand SSA benefit acquisition expertise into additional Colorado communities;
  • Develop community partnerships to sustain benefit acquisition efforts beyond project;
  • Compile project data and develop final report demonstrating project effectiveness in increasing benefits, lowering wait period for applicants, decreasing related community costs from persons without benefits, and increasing community expertise and collaboration to sustain benefit acquisition approach.

Colorado SOAR Project Advisory Workgroup
includes representatives from:

Centura Health Corporation – Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council – Colorado Coalition for the Homeless – Colorado Community Health Network – Colorado Cross Disability Coalition – Colorado Department of Corrections – Disability Determination Services – Colorado Department of Health Care and Policy Financing – Colorado Department of Local Affairs – Colorado Department of Human Services – Family Medical Clinics – Colorado Governor’s Office – Legal Center for Persons with Disabilities – U.S. Social Security Administration – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

To learn more about the Colorado SOAR Project contact:  gary.sanford@state.co.us

Click here to see the Colorado SOAR Workgroup Membership List