program update

Education Update

On October 6, 2015, PWDF presented its 15th public awareness seminar, on Reasonable Accommodations in Housing for People with Psychiatric and/or Developmental Disabilities.  Over 125 attendees filled the Koret Auditorium of the San Francisco Public Library, and roughly 40 others joined the event via livestream.  This three-hour seminar featured 10 presenters, including fair housing regulators, a psychiatrist, a housing provider, tenant and landlord attorneys, and individuals with lived experiences relating to housing discrimination.  This seminar is available for on-demand viewing on You Tube.  Seminar presentations and handouts are also available on our website.

We are very pleased that PWDF was selected for a New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service student Capstone project.  The Capstone team will research and make recommendations to PWDF as to how we can expand the reach of our Public Awareness and Education Program.  We are very excited to participate in this program.

On August 11, 2015, PWDF staff attended “Collaborating for Adult Education Success,” hosted by San Francisco AB86 Adult Education Consortium at City College of San Francisco (CCSF), and at the invitation of CCSF’s Disabled Students and Programs.  The goal of AB86 is to “rethink and redesign an educational system to provide adults with skills they need for academic and career success.”  This objective to improve adult education programs and services, including those for adults with disabilities, is intended to be met by strengthening relationships between community colleges and K-12 school districts, and other partners.

On August 13, 2015, April Banerjee, PWDF Program Manager for Public Awareness and Education, and the PWDF Education Coordinator attended Senior and Disability Action’s monthly meeting to discuss PWDF’s education and advocacy activities.

On September 22, 2015, PWDF had a resource table at the 19th Annual Golden Gate Self-Advocacy Conference: Give It to Me Straight! Current Happenings in Our Developmental Disability Community, held at the Milton Marks Conference Center.  On September 24, 2015, PWDF staff delivered a short presentation on PWDF’s public awareness activities at The Arc of San Francisco Client Advisory Committee meeting.

PWDF is available for speaking engagements and training sessions on reasonable accommodations, employment, housing and other issues concerning people with mental and/or developmental disabilities. We have particular expertise in Social Security/SSDI and SSI disability post-entitlement/eligibility issues for beneficiaries with mental and/or developmental disabilities.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest information and media updates from PWDF. For inquiries about PWDF’s Public Awareness and Education Program, please contact Program Manager April Banerjee at education@pwdf.org.

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.