COHHIO and the SSI Ohio Project: an Overview
Developed by the Interagency Council on Homelessness and Affordable Housing, the SSI Ohio Project was launched as a model pilot program and has been administered by COHHIO since June 2008. The SSI Ohio Project expands the Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) to include SSI and SSDI benefits and helps individuals gain access to work supports and other public benefits that lead to financial and housing stability. The SSI Ohio Project helps individuals 18 and older who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and mentally or physically disabled to obtain benefits.
The goals of the SSI Ohio project are to expedite the SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) application process, reduce barriers and increase the number of homeless disabled adults receiving SSI/SSDI benefits for the first time.
Over the last several years COHHIO has been working with various stakeholders, content experts such as SSI/SSDI Outreach Access and Recovery (SOAR) and Solutions for Progress (developers of the OBB) to create a tool that incorporates best practice interviewing techniques, helpful tips, HIPAA compliance, data collection, case management tools and a host of features that follow the rules and regulations set by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) at the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission.
The SSI/SSDI module is a professional edition of the existing Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) Online Services. This interface is designed for trained staff members who have extensive knowledge of the benefit application process and a professional responsibility to help clients apply for SSI and SSDI. This tool supports SSI Ohio Project Specialists throughout the State of Ohio.
To learn about the SSI Ohio Project’s impact on the lives of homeless disabled individuals, click below on the Where Are They Now? Survey Report, SSI Success Stories, and reflections “In Their Own Words” from SSI Ohio Specialists:
· Where Are They Now? Survey Report
· Laura C.
· “In Their Own Words”; Stories from SSI Ohio Specialists
To locate an SSI Ohio Specialist:
· SSI Ohio Specialist Contact List