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In Honor of John Loring
We are sad to share the news of John Loring's passing. John was a great SOAR advocate and trainer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is survived by his wife, Amy, and three children, Michaela, Grace, and Ian. We are sharing two tributes of him written by his colleagues to honor his memory.
Tara Truax of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services:
John Loring was instrumental in bringing SOAR to the State of Michigan in 2007. He was a SOAR trainer and delivered training to countless service providers across the state alongside partners at the state level. John had an 82% success rate on the SOAR applications he did in his own practice. He also worked as a part of the Frequent Users System Engagement (FUSE) community team, which identified high utilizers of crisis and health care systems. John was a compassionate, faithful, and tireless advocate for those he served.
John was very highly regarded in his local community, throughout the state, and by his colleagues for his commitment and caring for those that were the most vulnerable.
John was an extraordinary human being who demonstrated compassion for others each and every day. Social work was not only a vocation for John but also an avocation. He was a champion for the most vulnerable citizens in the community. He was a beloved husband, father, and social advocate. John was deeply loved for his renowned work among the homeless and mentally ill, as well as his service to his church community. John passed away on April 8, 2015 from an inoperable brain tumor, diagnosed just a few months earlier. He will be missed.
Emily Carmody of the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness:
John presented to my social work class at the University of Michigan, and I was determined to work with him after that. He embodied common sense, loving social work. He had a way of shooting straight with integrity that went a long way in engaging folks who fell through the cracks and got burned along the way. John didn't just do a job, he followed a calling to end homelessness. I first got trained in SOAR through John, and I remember working on my first cases with him. He had confidence in my ability to do good applications, and without that, I'm not sure I could have done it. There are certain people in your career that you can pinpoint in saying you wouldn't be the same without having worked with them, and John is one of those people for me. I'll miss him as I'm sure his whole community will.
Sharing Our Successes
Arizona: This success story comes from Loren Gallegly, a SOAR Case Manager at the Human Services Campus - Lodestar Day Resource Center!
"I helped a client get her Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Determination in the beginning of the year after her release from prison and about a dozen previous jail arrests. Her SMI determination enabled her to obtain housing through our campus resources and collaboration with housing partners. I submitted her SSI claim in early March through the SOAR program. In just 34 days, she was approved!
- Appropriate level of care? Check.
- Housing? Check.
- Income? Check.
In just 3 months of SOAR intensive case management and working together with various partners and agencies, this person experiencing chronic homelessness who had been on the streets for years (documented in nearly a dozen jail arrests) now has the opportunity and resources to improve her quality of life!"
Way to go, Loren! What an amazing success story!
Federal Updates
Social Security Announces Vision 2025, a Long-range Service Delivery Vision
John F. Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." In keeping with this change, Social Security has released Vision 2025 -- the picture of the future. Vision 2025 has three priorities: a superior customer experience, exceptional employees, and an innovative organization. Speaking about Vision 2025, Carolyn W. Colvin, Social Security Administration Acting Commissioner, said, "we must simplify Social Security policies and procedures that are creating obstacles for customers and employees and stand in the way of truly transforming our organization." View Vision 2025 and provide feedback.
CMS Proposes Mental Health Parity Rule for Medicaid and CHIP
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposed rule to align mental health and substance use disorder benefits for low-income Americans with benefits required of private health plans and insurance. The proposal applies certain provisions of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 to Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program. The Act ensures that mental health and substance use disorder benefits are no more restrictive than medical and surgical services. Read the press release.
CMS: From Coverage to Care
From Coverage to Care is an initiative to help people with new health care coverage understand their benefits and connect to primary care and the preventive services that are right for them, so they can live a long and healthy life. CMS has developed written resources, videos, and provided ways for individuals to connect with Coverage to Care. Learn more about the technical assistance resources.
VA Announces New Grants to Help End Veteran Homelessness
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald announced the award of nearly $93 million in Supportive Services for Veteran Families 3-year grants that will help approximately 45,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. The grants will be distributed to 24 non-profit agencies in 15 communities, with $30 million in awards being distributed to the Los Angeles area. Read the full press release.
Recent Stories from the SOAR Voices Blog
SOAR Critical Components
One of the key elements of the SOAR approach to completing SSA disability benefits applications is the use of five "critical components." Read more...
A South Carolina Success Story
I first met Robert* in January 2014. He was staying at the Winter Shelter in downtown Columbia, South Carolina and had been homeless for approximately 2 years. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) years prior while living in California. Read more...
Using Students to Expand the Reach of Rhode Island's SOAR Program
Over the past few months, Rhode Island's SOAR program has expanded its reach by training and providing ongoing support to local university students acting as SOAR case managers. While this initiative is still in its pilot phase, it has demonstrated itself to be of benefit to all involved. Read more...
Upcoming Events
Innovative Ways to Utilize Consumer/Peer-Run Organizations in SOAR Webinar
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. EDT As states and communities across the nation look for new and innovative ways to sustain and grow SOAR, local community resources are often overlooked. Consumer/peer-run organizations are one of the most invaluable yet overlooked assets in our service system. Operating in most communities across the country, these organizations have a history of providing excellent services to people with behavioral health issues. This webinar will provide the background, tips and tools necessary to implement consumer/peer initiatives within SOAR programs to increase service capacity. Speakers will include representatives from SOAR initiatives operating within consumer/peer-run organizations. Webinar participants will gain firsthand knowledge from consumer/peer-run organizations that are already obtaining great outcomes using SOAR. Register here!
Leadership Academy 2015 Dates
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