SOAR Reaches Record Numbers!
"We are one piece in helping. A starting block."
- Tristan Roberts, SOAR Coordinator
The 2019 National SOAR Outcomes Report is out! And the Maryland SOAR program got lots of well-deserved recognition—making it into multiple SOAR Super Star categories. SOAR programs (of which Health Care for the Homeless is lead in Baltimore City) connect people experiencing homelessness with financial stability by helping them apply for SSI/SSDI benefits.
In 2019, Maryland stood out for...
- Top Approval Rates: Ranked #3 for highest average cumulative approval rate nationwide
- Consistency and Impact: Produced 1,316 decisions with an 86% approval rate
- Most Improved Capacity: Collectively, Arkansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Maryland and Louisiana went from 290 decisions in a year to 446 decisions in the following year (54% increase)
- Bonus: Processed initial claims three weeks faster (86 days vs. 108 days nationally)
Check out the full report here.
Congratulations to the whole team!
- Tristan Roberts, SOAR Coordinator
- Marc Bowman, Disability Assistance Outreach Specialist
- Shantelle Jackson, Disability Assistance Outreach Specialist
- Rachel Masciarelli, Disability Assistance Outreach Specialist
To refer clients to the program or find out more, read this one-pager explaining our SOAR process at Health Care for the Homeless!
More Recent News
We're excited to welcome Kisun Peters as Health Care for the Homeless' new Director of Finance. Kisun brings more than four years of finance leadership experience to this role, along with a commitment to expanding access to health care. Most recently, he served as Director of Finance & Business Development at Tuerk House, a behavioral health nonprofit in Baltimore. A strong believer in using data to make smart decisions, Kisun is passionate about building financial systems that support staff and advance an organization’s mission. He holds a master's degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Pittsburgh. Read on to get to know Kisun better (and how he spent his summer)!
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