Interviews and survey-other

ATTACHMENT K
EXAMPLES OF VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF RESULTANT DATA

Figure 1. Stakeholder Communication before SOAR
State leader

DDS

Figure 2. Stakeholder Communication after SOAR
State leader

K-1

DDS

TABLE 1. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOAR TRAINING PARTICIPANTS
In-Person Training
Participants
(%)
Agency Type
Mental health
Homeless service
SSA/DDS
Other
Job Title
Outreach workers
Case manager
Shelter worker
Benefits specialist
Program coordinator/supervisor
Other
Position is PATH funded
Experience with clients who are homeless
Experience with client who have mental health
problems
Number of adults assisted with SSI/SSDI in past year
None
Less than 1 per month
About 1 per month
About 2 to 3 per month
More than 3 per month
Proportion of SSI/SSDI applications initially approved
None
1-25 percent
26-50 percent
51-75 percent
76-100 percent
Length of time between application and initial decision
3 months or less
4-6 months
7-12 months
More than 12 months
Total Participants

K-2

Web-Based Training
Participants
(%)

TABLE 2. GAINS IN KNOWLEDGE AMONG SOAR TRAINING PARTICIPANTS
Number of
Participants

Average Score
Before Training

Average Score
After Training

Difference in
Average Score

In-Person Training
Web-Based Training
Difference between inperson and web-based
trainings

TABLE 3. SOAR TRAINING PARTICIPANTS’ RATINGS OF TRAINING CONTENT
Average Rating for
In-Person Training

Average Rating for
Web-Based Training

I have a better understanding of the differences between SS1 and
SSDI including the health insurance offered and eligibility
requirements.
I am better able to identify the non-medical criteria for SSI/SSDI
eligibility.
I have a better understanding of the disability determination
process and how to develop medical information to support a
disability claim.
I have a clearer understanding of the role of functional
information in the determination of disability.
I feel more equipped to thoroughly interview a client and assess
his/her functioning.
I will be able to write a comprehensive medical summary to be
submitted for disability determination.
Overall, I am satisfied with the information provided during the
training program.
Total Summary Score

Note:

Responses rated on a 4-point Likert-scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.”

K-3

TABLE 4. SATISFACTION WITH IN-PERSON TRAINER AND ORGANIZATION OF TRAINING
Average
Rating

Standard
Deviation

Range of
Responses

The training was well-organized and flowed easily.
The trainer was interesting and held my attention.
The trainer presented the information clearly.
The trainer provided helpful answers to our questions.
The interactive role play and/or video helped me explore how I
will use the information in my own work.
The written materials supported the presentation.
There was a good variety of learning methods: listening,
reading, video.
The pace of the training program was just right - not too fast and
not too slow.
Total Summary Sore

Note:

Responses rated on a 4-point Likert-scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.”

TABLE 5. SATISFACTION WITH WEB-BASED TRAINING FORMAT
Average
Score
This site was easy to navigate
It was easy to download and access the video
The slides and graphics conveyed the material clearly
Information was well organized and flowed easily
The voiceover kept my attention
There were sufficient opportunities to practice applying the
information
The course provided helpful handouts and links to additional
information
There was a good variety of learning methods: listening,
reading, video, activities
It is likely that I will return to this website for a refresher or
additional information
I think I will need to attend in-person SOAR training to further
develop my skills to submit SSI/SSDI applications
Total Score

K-4

Standard
Deviation

Range of
Responses

Note:

Responses rated on a 4-point Likert-scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.”

K-5

OMB NO. 0930-XXXX
Expiration Date XX/XX/XXXX

ATTACHMENT L
STATE RECRUITMENT LETTER

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The
OMB control number for this project is 0930-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to range from 6 to 90 minutes per respondent (depending on the type of
respondent), including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044,
Rockville, Maryland, 20857.

L-1

Gretchen Stiers
Branch Chief, Homeless Programs

240-276-1844

(DATE)

Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Name:
I am writing to request your cooperation with and participation in a study of the SSI/SSDI
Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) initiative. This study is being conducted by
Mathematica Policy Research (Mathematica) with funding from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Service, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Mathematica will be collecting and analyzing data from a variety of sources to provide a
comprehensive description of how SOAR is implemented in the states and to describe the
initiative’s outcomes.
One source of data for the study will be in-person site visits to the eight states that are
receiving federally-funded SOAR technical assistance beginning in 2010. Gathering information
about implementation of the initiative in each of these states, including the successes the states
have achieved and the challenges the states have faced, will help document the range of states’
experiences with SOAR and provide valuable information about the driving forces behind the
initiative’s outcomes.
I encourage (STATE) to cooperate with this important study for several reasons. First,
SOAR has the potential to improve the lives of homeless individuals by increasing the likelihood
of disability benefit award at initial application and substantially reducing application processing
time. Results from the study will contribute to federal, state, and local stakeholders’
understanding of how SOAR works and areas where SOAR could be modified to better serve
clients. Second, results from the study may inform financial and other types of decision-making
regarding the future of SOAR.

L-2

LETTER TO:
FROM:
DATE:
PAGE:

Name
Gretchen Stiers
Date
3

Participation in the study will require minimal effort on the part of state and local
administrators and staff. In the (SEASON) of (YEAR), two members from the Mathematica
study team will conduct a two-day site visit to one of the SOAR pilot sites in the state. During
the visit, the study team will conduct a variety of individual or small group discussions with state
and/or local team leaders, SOAR trainers, and administrators and staff from the local Social
Security Administration field offices, the Disability Determination Service, and other key state
and local agencies involved in the effort such as hospitals, state and community mental health
agencies, correctional facilities, housing and other public assistance agencies, and homeless
services providers. Each discussion will last no more than one hour. In addition, the MPR team
will conduct one 90-minute focus group with case managers and other front-line workers who
have received SOAR training.
Within the next few weeks, a senior member of the Mathematica study team—either the
Project Director, Jacqueline Kauff, or the Principal Investigator, Jonathan Brown—will contact
you by telephone to further explain the site visit process. Should you have any questions before
then, please feel free to contact me at 240-276-1844 (or Gretchen.Stiers@SAMHSA.hhs.gov) or
Jacqueline Kauff at 202-484-5266 (or jkauff@mathematica-mpr.com). Thank you in advance for
your cooperation and contribution to this important effort!

Sincerely,

Gretchen Stiers
Branch Chief, Homeless Programs
cc: Jacqueline Kauff, Mathematica

L-3