PWDF News: Program Updates

Advocacy Update

PWDF continues to hold a monthly Legal Clinic for Social Security beneficiaries (SSDI & SSI) with post-entitlement / eligibility issues. The clinic is being held the fourth Thursday of every month. Attorneys will be available to answer a wide range of questions from what the resource limits are from both earned and unearned income to requests about the effect marriage would have on a claimant's benefits. The upcoming clinics are scheduled for Thursday, September 25, October 30, and November 20 from 10 AM to Noon. Please note that the November clinic will be held on the third Thursday of the month. Call us at 415-931-3070 to make an appointment.

The Advocacy Program welcomes licensed Staff Attorney Steve Egler, with 10 years of experience in civil litigation and administrative law, and Advocacy Program Manager Nora Breslin with over 5 years of experience in public benefits, tenants' rights, and homeless advocacy.

Education Update

The PWDF Public Awareness and Education Program held or took part in a number of informational events this summer, including holding our 13th free public education seminar.

Our largest event of the summer, PWDF's 13th public education seminar took place on August 18th at the Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Public Library. The three-hour seminar included a diverse panel of experts who discussed the topic of abuse against people with mental, developmental, and/or intellectual disabilities in institutional or community settings. Speakers included a psychiatrist, a primary care physician, a licensed psychologist, three attorneys, a social worker, and an individual with personal experience with this issue. This was the first time PWDF live-streamed an event to make it available to a greater audience; the seminar is available for on-demand viewing through our website. Information and handouts are also available on our website .

PWDF Seminar: Abuse Against People with Mental and/or Developmental Disabilities

Stay tuned for the next event in this series, "Abuse Against People with Mental and/or Developmental Disabilities Part 2: Jails, Prisons and Law Enforcement." We expect to hold this seminar in early November 2014. Check our website for event updates or send us your email address to be added to our contact list for event notification. We are very interested in hearing from our readers about specific topics of interest for future events.

In May, PWDF's Program Coordinator for Public Awareness and Education, Sophia Hocini, participated in the 2014 NAMIWalk Bay Area, a walk that supports people impacted by mental illness, and works to influence the way Americans view persons with a mental illness.

In August, PWDF held a very successful workshop on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at Support for Families of Children with Disabilities. Staff Attorney Zoya Yarnykh provided information on eligibility and maintaining benefits for children on SSI, age 18 redeterminations, and disabled adult children receiving SSDI under someone else's account (i.e., deceased, disabled, or retired parent).

Several members of the PWDF staff also recently attended Project Homeless Connect (PHC) 55 at the San Francisco Civic Center Auditorium. PHC enables nonprofit medical, social service, and other providers to serve homeless San Franciscans with comprehensive services.

PWDF is available for speaking arrangements and training sessions regarding reasonable accommodations, employment, housing and other issues regarding the mentally and/or developmentally disabled population. We have particular expertise in Social Security/SSDI and SSI disability post-entitlement / eligibility issues for beneficiaries with mental and/or developmental disabilities.

For inquiries about PWDF's Public Awareness and Education Program, please contact our Program Manager, April Banerjee at education@pwdf.org.

Agency Update

PWDF is pleased to announce that Todd Teixeira joined PWDF as its new Deputy Director of Development and Administration. Todd comes to PWDF with 15 years of experience in non-profit agency management and fundraising. Todd will oversee administrative, human resources, and development functions for PWDF.

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.