Our story
Personal experience + Professional Expertise
the beginning
When I was a young girl, a loved one suddenly became ill. So ill that I had to leave my family home and live in foster care while they worked to find the right treatments and obtain Social Security Disability benefits. It took FIVE YEARS. But, once this happened, I was able to return home. That’s when I realized that Disability Benefits are life changing.
I grew up, went to college, and eventually earned a Bachelors and Masters in Social Work as well as Public Administration. I have worked in a direct service delivery capacity as a clinician and social worker in a variety of systems and settings, including:
An inpatient state funded psychiatric hospital
outpatient behavioral health organizations
non-profit foster care agency
A county medical hospital
A local school district
An adoption agency
A homeless shelter
Local Government Social Service agency
US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
The experience
I was introduced to SOAR (SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access and Recovery) in 2010 when I became SOAR-certified, using the opportunity as an MSW practicum student to apply SOAR principles for homeless and at-risk clients serviced by a local government agency.
I regularly applied learned skills from SOAR training to provide SSA claim advocacy for clients at all levels, including, Initial, Reconsideration, and ALJ (Administrative Law Judge) hearings.
For three years I served as a Nevada State Coordinator for the SOAR project, working closely with case managers, treatment providers, and their identified clients to ensure that best practices and appropriate intervention was applied for successful SSI/SSDI advocacy.
I worked to build collaborative relationships with community partners and stakeholders in developing processes that ensured successful implementation of the SOAR model within the state. I also developed and provided training and technical support to SOAR case managers, as well as presentation and training for administrators, supervisory staff and community stakeholders.
In 2021 I sat for and passed the exam administered by the SSA to act as an EDPNA (Eligible for Direct Payment Non-Attorney), allowing me to be compensated directly as a formal non-attorney representative.
The credentials
Ambrosia Crump, MPA, LCSW, EDPNA
Bachelors: Social Work, minor in Criminal Justice UNLV
Masters: Social Work, UNLV
Masters: Public Administration, UNLV
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of NV Board of Examiners for Social Workers
SOAR Certified Practitioner
SOAR Trainer
Eligible for Direct Payment Non-Attorney, SSA
Member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Member of the National Association of Disability Representatives (NADR)
The mission
My greatest desire is to level the playing field for vulnerable individuals who lack the capacity to adequately pursue their disability benefits without an advocate. I work passionately to change the trajectory for those destined to fall through the cracks of systems of care.
My goal is to use my personal experiences and professional skills to bring access to disability claim representation to those not traditionally served, in order to support restoration and dignity to our most vulnerable community members.
Someone helped my loved one and it changed our lives. Through my painful past, I found my purpose and passion.