SOAR Online Application Tracking (OAT) User Guide

SOAR Online Application Tracking (OAT) User Guide

Registration

Create an Account/Log-in

New Users: To begin using OAT, please go to https://soartrack.prainc.com/ and click on “Create an account” in the User Log-In box.

Existing Users: Log-in at https://soartrack.prainc.com/. You may need to update your password when using the revised OAT system for the first time.

Password requirements

OAT passwords must be at least 8 characters and contain at least 3 of the following character types: Uppercase, Lowercase, Number, Special Character

Password reset procedure

On the homepage, click on “Forgot password?” and enter your email. You will receive an email from SOAR OAT with a link to reset your password. You will receive a second email to let you know it has been successfully changed.

User Roles

There are four roles in OAT as described below. Select the role most appropriate for you at the time you register. Please note you can only choose one. Outcomes can be entered by all the roles in OAT without the need for multiple accounts.

Agency Lead, Local Lead and State Team Lead roles must be approved by the SOAR TA Center’s Administrator. Case Workers that are registered with existing agencies in OAT will not have to be approved. However if the agency is not recognized in the database, the agency must be approved first.

State Team Lead: Directs the SOAR initiative at the state level; has access to data from all agencies in the state. May work with applicants and enter data.

Local Lead: Oversees multiple agencies in a community, county or region; has access to data from multiple agencies in the specified service area (e.g. CoC). May work with applicants and enter data.

Agency Lead: Oversees multiple case workers in an agency. May work with applicants and enter data, but also has access to data from other caseworkers in the agency.

Case Worker: Works with applicants and enters data into OAT on his/her application outcomes. Has access to his/her data only.

Entering Applications

Applicant Identification (ID)

Once registered/logged-in, you will be directed to the dashboard where you can add a new applicant to the database. You must create a unique Applicant ID. This ID avoids the need for personally identifiable information and helps prevent case duplication. We recommend recording the Applicant ID in the applicant’s case file for future cross-reference. The ID is created by entering the following:

· First two letters of first name

· Last two numbers of birth year

· First two letters of last name

· Last four digits of Social Security Number (SSN)

Example: Jane Doe, born in 1985, with a SSN of 123-45-6789; ID = ja85do6789

Tab 1: Demographics

Questions that include an asterisk (*) require a response in order to continue.

· Gender: Male or Female. If the applicant is transgender pick the one with which s/he identifies.

· Age: Applicant’s age at the time of application

· Military Service: Whether or not the applicant is a Veteran of the U.S. Military

· Was this person receiving any state, county or any other public assistance? (e.g. TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) or any type of public assistance)

o To select more than one response, hold down the shift key while selecting.

· Was the applicant working during the application process? Yes or No

· Living situation at time of application: To be considered a SOAR application, the applicant must be either experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

o The first three options are for individuals who are literally experiencing homelessness.

o The last four options are considered to be at-risk of homelessness.

· Length of time homeless. Length of time homeless prior to the SOAR application or prior to entering the current (at-risk) housing situation.

· Applications for individuals who are stably housed can be tracked using OAT. These cases are considered Non-SOAR applications and will not be included in national SOAR outcome reports and should NOT be flagged as a SOAR case when submitting the application to SSA.

Tab 2: Application Type

Choose Application Type

· Initial application using SOAR: Case worker starts SSA disability applications with an applicant using SOAR

· Reconsideration using SOAR: Case worker starts working with an applicant after s/he has been denied at the initial application level

· ALJ Hearing using SOAR: Case worker starts working with applicant at the ALJ hearing level

· Non-SOAR Claim:

o Applicant is not currently experiencing or at-risk of homelessness AND does not have a mental illness, medical impairment and/or co-occurring substance use disorder

o When NONE of the SOAR critical components were used in the application process

Change Application Type

You can change the application type without losing demographic information. However, ALL other information will be deleted. The option to change application types is only available until a decision is entered and saved in Tab 4.

Tab 3: Application Detail

Initial Application

Protective Filing Date

Enter the date on which you or the applicant notified SSA of their intent to file (by faxing the SOAR consent form, calling SSA, going in to the local SSA field office, or starting the disability application online). Please note: an application will appear in the individual reports if there is a protective filing date. It will not appear in the summary report unless there is a date of decision.

SOAR Critical Components

The next few questions ask about the SOAR critical components. These are very important to the success of applications for eligible individuals. OAT tracks whether the case worker completed and submitted the SSA-1696 Appointment of Representative form; collected and submitted medical records; wrote and submitted a Medical Summary Report (MSR); had the MSR co-signed by a physician or psychologist; and had a quality review of the application completed prior to submission (this may include a review of the application by a local SOAR trainer or a trained colleague, or a review of the MSR by the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center).

Consultative Exam

A Consultative Exam (CE) is ordered by the Disability Determination Services when there is not sufficient medical evidence in the file to make a decision based on the applicant’s alleged illnesses and conditions. If a CE is required, a follow up question will ask how many were ordered for the applicant.

Application Date

Enter the date that the complete application packet is delivered to the local SSA field office. This date cannot be before the protective filing date. See SOAR Application Packet Checklist for packet contents.

Application Not Submitted

If a protective filing date has been established but the application has not been filed, you can indicate the reason why. Reasons include: the applicant has moved, disappeared, is incarcerated, withdrew, transferred to another representative, or other.

Reconsideration

Enter the date of request for reconsideration.

· An error message will alert if the reconsideration request date is before the initial date of decision that resulted in denial.

· If none, the next screen allows the caseworker to return to the homepage or log out of OAT.

· “My state doesn’t have reconsideration, filed appeal.”

o The following states and areas do not have the Reconsideration level in the Appeals process and so the first level of appeal is for an ALJ hearing: Alabama, Alaska, California (Los Angeles North & WB), Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania.

· Note that the demographic information completed in Tab 1 does not have to be repeated.

The questions in the Reconsideration and ALJ Hearing section are very similar to those in the Initial Application section, explained above.

ALJ Hearing

There are additional application assistance components that can be tracked for ALJ Hearings

· Expedited Hearing: A request made to expedite the scheduling of a hearing due to dire need.

· On the Record Review: A written request asking the ALJ to make a favorable decision based on the evidence in the case record.

· Attorney Involved: Even if the applicant had an attorney, if you collected medical records, wrote and submitted an MSR and assisted with the application, you should track the outcome of the application in OAT.

Tab 4: Decision

Notification of Decision

· If notification has been received, enter the date of SSA’s decision. This can be found on the letter that is mailed to the applicant and the appointed representative.

· If notification has not been received the case is considered as pending. Pending cases are displayed on the user dashboard and will remain in pending status until a decision is entered.

Outcome of Decision

Approved

If the application is approved, the follow up questions are:

· Approved for both SSI/SSDI, for SSI only, or for SSDI only?

· Was a representative payee needed? If yes, was a referral/connection provided? You do not have to serve as the representative payee!

Denied

If the application is denied, you will be asked for the reason for the denial found in the SSA letter:

· Earning SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity): monthly earnings over $1,130/month (in 2016)

· No significant impairment: the illness/condition is not severe enough to qualify for benefits

· Ability to do past work: the person can do work that they used to do

· Ability to do other work: the person can do work available in the local or regional economy

· Substance use is material: the person would not be disabled if they were clean and sober

· Duration requirements: the illness/condition has not lasted or is not expected to last 12 months or more or result in death

· Failure to cooperate: the applicant or representative did not provide additional information requested by SSA or DDS via form or Consultative Exam (CE)

· Non-medical: this could be due to excess income or resources, not enough work credits, living arrangement, etc.

· Unknown

Applicant Overview

Users are directed to the Applicant Overview page once a decision has been entered

Tab 5: Post Decision

Optional (yet, Important!) Information

This section appears when an application has been approved at any level of adjudication (initial, reconsideration or ALJ). While these questions are optional, the information gathered can be very helpful in sustaining SOAR initiatives both on the local and state levels. There is a separate report that OAT generates on these data.

If you choose not to respond to these questions, click “save and continue” at the bottom of the screen. This will take you to the final screen where you can either go back to the OAT

Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement

Contact your local hospitals or healthcare providers to get this information. With the proper release you can often get this information from the billing department. Providers can bill Medicaid retroactive up to 90 days prior to the date of the SSI application. Enter the amount received.

General or Public Assistance

Contact the state, local or county agency that provides general or public assistance, if available in your state. Again, you’ll need a proper release from the applicant.

Employment Information

If the applicant was working either during the application process or started working post-decision, even if only for a few hours, please indicate that and his/her earnings from that employment.

Award Amounts

When your applicant receives his/her approval, please enter the award amount and any retroactive back payments received.

Hours to Complete Claim

As part of quality review and potential retraining, it is important to know how many hours it takes case workers to complete each claim.