NCJ Number
230750
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2010 Pages: 82-85
Date Published
April 2010
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the success of the Social Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) initiative in assisting mentally ill inmates/offenders access essential SSI/SSDI benefits for a successful reentry.
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports that 16 percent of people in jail have a mental illness with a similar proportion estimated in prisons. Transition or reentry services for people with mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders released from a correctional facility can be complex due to many factors. However, key to a successful transition is obtaining access to Medicaid and Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Income (SSI)/Social Disability Insurance (SSDI) Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) initiative evolved to address the difficulties associated with applying for SSI for people who are homeless. SOAR is currently implemented in 34 States with programmatic evidence that the approach is transferable to correctional settings. The SOAR Technical Assistance Center assists States in the implementation of the SOAR approach. Acquiring Social Security and Medicaid benefits provides the foundation for the reentry plans to succeed. 23 notes