Voluntary Partner Surveys: Focus Group Discussions on Training and Technical Assistance

OMB No. 0915-0212

Expiration Date: 04/30/2009

Focus Group Facilitator

SOAR Evaluation: Key Issues

1. Discuss the effectiveness of SOAR technical assistance activities in meeting project goals (to develop SSI/SSDI applications that are approved on initial submission and reduce the time for benefit approval).

2. Talk about the effects of the SOAR technical assistance components (e.g., State action planning, train-the-trainer program, observation and assistance in in-vivo training, follow-up TA) in preparing participants to develop successful SSI/SSDI applications.

3. Discuss implementation of the SOAR model, including barriers or obstacles.

4. Talk about the benefits of SOAR technical assistance to States/localities. Benefits can be related to any of the following areas:

1. Relationship building and linkage to provider agency

2. SSI/SSDI benefits

3. Medicaid/Medicare benefits

4. Improved access to health care and social services

5. Ongoing participation in services (i.e., mental health and substance abuse treatment, primary care)

6. Obtaining/retaining housing

7. Services in supportive housing

8. Assignment of representative payees

5. Discuss sustaining benefits over the time.

6. Discuss how success can be modeled or replicated. Talk about similarities between states/localities that have had success versus states/localities that have had mixed success or low success.

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0915-0212. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to HRSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10-33, Rockville, Maryland, 20857.