SOAR in Georgia County Jails Pilot (SGCJP)
Objective
The purpose of this project is to conduct a feasibility study of the implementation of the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) model in county jails with inmates with serious and persistent mental illness across the state of Georgia. We are conducting the SOAR in Georgia County Jails Pilot (SGCJP) in partnership with the State of Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), Statistical Analysis Center (GASAC), Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), and Applied Research Services (ARS).
The purpose of the SOAR program is to increase access to Social Security disability benefits for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or co-occurring substance use disorder. The SOAR program was developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More information about SOAR can be found on the SOAR Works website.
The SGCJP project will recruit inmates with serious and persistent mental illness from four county jails (Fulton, Cobb, Baldwin, and Pierce counties) in Georgia and help them apply for SSI/SSDI benefits if they are eligible. The project will utilize two benefit specialists (BS) trained in the SOAR model for application development and one forensic peer mentor (FPM) to work with inmates. GASAC and ARS are responsible in leading evaluation activities. DBHDD is responsible for hiring and training BS and FPM.
Status
We began planning activities for SGCJP in September 2021. Enrollment started in May 2024 and will continue for two years. SGCJP is currently scheduled to end in September 2026 but may be extended to allow sufficient time for the intervention and evaluation.
The SGCJP evaluation will employ a mixed method approach. For this project, we will collect and analyze both qualitative data, including in-depth interviews and document review, and quantitative data, including surveys of county jail staff and inmates and matching data from jail management system with data from SSA and the Department of Community Health.
The evaluation will include a process study and a study of participant outcomes. Key variables of interest for the evaluation will include:
- Ease with which the BS and FPM are provided access into the jail;
- Fidelity of the BS to the SOAR Method for application completion;
- Degree to which the jail inmate understands the application process and is able to participate in it;
- Degree to which the BS and FPM are able to engage the person in community-based services upon release;
- Application submission success rate at initial submission and appeal;
- Return on investment from benefits acquisition, both in terms of Medicaid/Medicare payments for services and also cash benefits to the recipient;
- Ability of benefits recipients to achieve mental health recovery as measured by decreased use of emergency services and decreased contact with the criminal justice system.
The final evaluation report is expected at the end of the project.
Not applicable at this time.
Not applicable at this time.