Federal Judge to Set Trial Dates for SSA Discrimination Against People with Mental/Developmental Disabilities

COMMUNITY CURRENTS

Children with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Criminal Justice System

By Zoya Yarnykh, PWDF Staff Attorney, and Margaret Weadick, Contributing Writer

PTSD is not something that only affects those returning from combat in wars that are being fought on foreign soil. Children across America are literally growing up in war zones, being exposed to violence and death on a regular basis. These kids are suffering from PTSD symptomatology and acting out. Mental disorders are going untreated, and often these kids end up in the juvenile justice system.

According to Dan Macallair, Executive Director of Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice (CJCJ) and Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology at San Francisco State University, two thirds of the kids in the U.S. court system have at least one mental illness, and the correctional system is not equipped with resources or staff to deal with those issues. These disorders range from behavioral problems to severe mental disorders, such as PTSD and bipolar disorder.

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Counsel's Corner

Depression and Social Security Disability

By Howard Stern, Staff Attorney

At People With Disabilities Foundation (PWDF), we see many clients who suffer from depression. Depression is a mood or affective disorder, characterized by a deep sense of despondency or despair. The symptoms of depression include loss of interest in one's usual activities, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, recurrent thoughts of death, changes in weight and appetite, sleep disorders, loss of energy, loss of concentration and fatigue. Depression almost always results in impaired interpersonal and social functioning. Many of the persons who contact us suffer from such intense depression that they are no longer able to work. The regulations adopted by the Social Security Administration (SSA) allow for the award of disability benefits in cases of severe depression.

One of my clients at PWDF exhibited many of these symptoms.

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Program Updates

Education Update

By PWDF Staff

As of September 20, 2010:

On September 7, 2010, new Staff Attorney Jennifer Willis began working for PWDF. While we are still looking for a permanent Education Program Manager, Jennifer will fill in and supervise activities in this program.

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Celebrating ADA's Twentieth Birthday

By PWDF Staff

Program Manager Annie Hsia attended the twentieth anniversary celebration of the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2010, at San Francisco’s City Hall, sponsored by the local Independent Living Resource Center. The Disability Pride Quilt was on prominent display, and speakers included Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Representative Jackie Speier, and Mayor Gavin Newsom.

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Advocacy Update

By PWDF Staff

As of September 20, 2010:

In our two discrimination lawsuits (Davis v. Astrue, case no. 06-cv-6108 MHP and Doe v. Astrue, case no. 09-cv-980 MHP) against the Social Security Administration (SSA), we have had additional developments:

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PWDF Profile

Who We Are

People With Disabilities Foundation is an operating 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California, which focuses on the rights of the mentally and developmentally disabled.

Services

Advocacy: PWDF advocates for Social Security claimant's disability benefits in eight Bay Area counties. We also provide services in disability rights, on issues regarding returning to work, and in ADA consultations, including areas of employment, health care, and education, among others. There is representation before all levels of federal court and Administrative Law Judges. No one is declined due to their inability to pay, and we offer a sliding scale for attorney's fees.

Education/Public Awareness: To help eliminate the stigma against people with mental disabilities in society, PWDF's educational program organizes workshops and public seminars, provides guest speakers with backgrounds in mental health, and produces educational materials such as videos.

Continuing Education Provider: State Bar of California MCLE, California Board of Behavioral Sciences Continuing Education, and Commission of Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.