Father Joe’s Villages and CSH along with Kris Kuntz of LeSar Development are leading San Diego’s efforts to implement a national best practice model focused on increasing access to SSI/SSDI for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are disability income benefits administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that generally also provide either Medicaid and/or Medicare health insurance to individuals who are eligible. Accessing these benefits is often a critical first step in recovery. For people, who are homeless with disabling health conditions or who are returning to the community from institutions (jails, prisons or hospitals), access to these programs can be extremely challenging. The application process for SSI/SSDI is complicated, detailed, and often difficult to navigate. Typically, about 10-15 percent of individuals who are homeless have these benefits.
Staff who are trained in the HOPE San Diego approach use highly effective techniques so that people who are homeless and disabled can quickly access income and healthcare. In order to reach the largest number of homeless individuals with disabling health conditions, Father Joe’s and CSH provide responsive and sophisticated technical assistance to 35 plus community and government partners, enabling them to learn and implement these specific methods.
To be alerted of future trainings, please call Simonne Ruff at 619-232-3194 ext. 4292 to add your contact information to our HOPE San Diego email list.
