program update

Education Update

The PWDF Education Program recently held its 14th free public education seminar on November 10th at the Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Public Library. Attorney Tom Nolan of Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld, LLP presented valuable information at the three-hour seminar entitled “Abuse Against People with Mental and/or Developmental Disabilities Part 2: Prison and Law Enforcement Contexts”. This seminar was the second part of a series on abuse against people with mental and/or developmental disabilities. PWDF has made the seminar available for on-demand viewing on our YouTube Channel; our twelfth seminar and a rough edit of our thirteenth seminar videos are also available for viewing.

In November, PWDF cosponsored the Superfest International Disability Film Festival in San Francisco. The film festival features cinema that depicts disability culture and is the longest running festival of its kind in the world.
On January 16, 2015, we will be co-sponsoring continuing legal education entitled “Disability Discrimination Lawsuits: Ensuring Equal Access to Advocacy for Clients with Mental and/or Developmental Disabilities” at the Bar Association of San Francisco. Please see our website for more information.

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.

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.