PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOUNDATION

ADVOCACY PROGRAM: IN 2023, WE FILED TWO NEW DISABILITY CIVIL RIGHTS DISCRIMINATION CASES AGAINST THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) IN FEDERAL COURT FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR CLIENTS WHO HAVE SCHIZOPHRENIA AS A PRIMARY DISABILITY. (CASE NOS. 3:23-CV-01037 AND 3:23-CV- (N.D. CAL.) IN ONE CASE, PLAINTIFF'S SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) CHECKS WERE INITIALLY HELD UP FOR TWO YEARS BASED ON THE SSA'S FALSE ACCUSATION THAT PLAINTIFF HAD 1 MILLION OF REAL ESTATE; THIS RESULTED IN HIM BEING CAST OUT ON THE STREETS HOMELESS, BEING IN FOUR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS AND LIVING IN SHELTERS, ETC. IN THE OTHER CASE, THE SSA CEASED PLAINTIFF'S BENEFITS WHEN SHE TRIED TO WORK, EVENTUALLY REINSTATING HER BUT WITHOUT THE RETROACTIVE 12-MONTHS OF BENEFITS. THE SSA SHOULD NEVER HAVE CEASED HER BENEFITS, GIVEN HER SYMPTOMATOLOGY, WHICH INCLUDES DISORGANIZED THINKING, VISUAL, AUDITORY, AND OLFACTORY HALLUCINATIONS, AND SEVERE NEURO-COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS PUTTING HER IN THE LESS THAN 2% IN MOST CATEGORIES. IN BOTH CASES, THE SSA HAD THE MEDICAL INFORMATION, WHICH SHOWED CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE, ONE FOR 27 YEARS, THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS' SYMPTOMATOLOGY INCLUDED HALLUCINATIONS AND/OR DELUSIONS, INCLUDING AUDITORY, VISUAL, AND OLFACTORY, IN ADDITION TO PSYCHIATRIC FINDINGS OF CONSTANT DISORGANIZED THOUGHTS LASTING NOT LESS THAN 2 YEARS AT TIMES. SEE SOCIAL SECURITY LISTING 12.03 SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDER, PART 404, SUBPART P, APP. 1. THE SSA KNEW ONE PERSON WAS HOMELESS FOR 2 YEARS AND FROM THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL'S WORK CDR (REVIEW FOR CESSATION OF BENEFITS), THAT THE STATED REASONS FOR TERMINATING HER SSDI CHECK BENEFITS WERE FALSE. WE FILED THESE CASES FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS TO PREVENT THE SSA FROM TERMINATING THESE CLIENTS FROM BENEFITS WITHOUT "EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION" FOR MEANINGFUL PROGRAM ACCESS. THESE CASES CAN TAKE 5 YEARS SINCE THE SSA USUALLY DELAYS DISCRIMINATION CASES. ONE CASE SETTLED IN MARCH 2026 AND THE OTHER HAS BEEN REMANDED TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FOR FURTHER ALJ HEARING, THE FIFTH TO BE IN APRIL 2026. PWDF REPRESENTED A CLIENT WHO REFUSED TO TAKE PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS, WHICH THE SSA USED TO SUPPORT THEIR CONCLUSION THAT THE CLIENT WAS NOT DISABLED. THE RIGHT TO REFUSE PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION IS AN IMPORTANT CIVIL RIGHT. M.F. V. O'MALLEY, COMMISSIONER, SOC. SEC. ADMIN., CASE 3:20-CV-08742 (N.D. CAL. NOV. 11, 2021). PWDF CONTINUES TO CONSULT WITH AND REPRESENT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PSYCHIATRIC, INTELLECTUAL, AND/OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES INCLUDING NEUROLOGICAL, ON CASES THAT INVOLVE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS, EMPLOYMENT, AND/OR HOUSING, INCLUDING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ISSUES.

EDUCATION PROGRAM: PWDF'S PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM GENERALLY INCLUDE OUTREACH EVENTS, GUEST SPEAKING, A QUARTERLY E-NEWSLETTER, INFORMATIONAL SEMINARS, TRAINING SESSIONS, AND A YOUTUBE CHANNEL, WHICH HOSTS OUR SEMINAR AND OTHER VIDEOS. TO DATE, WE HAVE ~70 VIDEOS FROM THE 3-HOUR EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. IN ADDITION, WE CONTINUE TO MARKET OUR EMPLOYMENT TRAINING VIDEOS REGARDING EMPLOYEES AND JOB APPLICANTS WITH MENTAL AND/OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES FOR DISTRIBUTION. WE HAVE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF OUR PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM FROM A PRIMARILY LOCAL PROGRAM TO A NATIONAL PROGRAM THROUGH LIVE STREAMING TECHNOLOGY. OUR 2025 FREE PUBLIC AWARENESS SEMINAR OCCURRED ON APRIL 3 AND WAS ENTITLED "PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES IN OLDER ADULTS (65 AND OLDER)." IT ADDRESSED PSYCHIATRIC ISSUES RELATED TO AGING, INCLUDING THOSE THAT MAY ONSET LATE IN LIFE. VIDEO CLIPS AND A RECORDING IN ITS ENTIRETY ARE POSTED ON YOUTUBE. WE PROVIDE TRAINING ON THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 (ADA), AND ON SSI AND SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE (SSDI) WITH A FOCUS ON HOW THE RULES AFFECT PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC, INTELLECTUAL, AND/OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (P/IDD). WE PROVIDE THESE TRAININGS LOCALLY, STATEWIDE AND NATIONWIDE BY LIVE STREAMING, INCLUDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NAMI CALIFORNIA, NAMI SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER, THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO, AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, AMONG OTHERS. WHEN APPROPRIATE, WE SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS TO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES AND REGULATORY CHANGES AS THEY PERTAIN TO PEOPLE WITH P/IDD, BECAUSE THIS POPULATION IS UNDERREPRESENTED AND STIGMATIZED.