Oakland office activities

Conferences, trainings, outreach, events

More than 150 attend Oakland office open house to celebrate PAI’s 30th anniversary

Ellen Goldblatt receives 2008 Key Person Award

Leslie Morrison receives NAMI's Gloria Huntley award for reducing the use of seclusion and restraints in California

Lawsuits

PAI sues Governor to restore critical mental health funding

Success stories

James “Jimmy” Campbell goes home after 5½ years in an acute care hospital

Helping a client move from a nursing facility into her new home

Successfully advocating for live-in attendant in mobile home

Training seniors from Chinese community on benefit issues

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Conferences, trainings, outreach, events

CandlesMore than 150 attend Oakland office open house to celebrate PAI’s 30th anniversary

PAI’s Bay Area office in downtown Oakland was brimming over with representatives of government agencies, and social justice, disability rights and community organizations. Read more about the gala celebration.

Leslie Morrison receives NAMI's Gloria Huntley award for reducing the use of seclusion and restraints in CaliforniaLeslie Morrison, Director of PAI's Investigations Unit, accepts an award from NAMI members at the Oakland office 30th Anniversary celebration

Photo: Leslie Morrison, PAI's director of investigations, accepted the Gloria Huntley award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) during its annual conference in San Diego. The award was given in recognition of outstanding work on reducing the use of seclusion and restraints in California. Bestowing the award are: (left to right) Howard Trachtman, chair of NAMI’s consumer council committee on restraint and seclusion, Rick Huber, consumer council chair, and Marty Raaymakers, consumer council director.

Morrison was impressed by the sessions she attended on elder issues, an area where innovative mental health partnerships are being formed to address high rates of suicide and untreated depression, often triggered by death of a partner or moving away from family members. She commented that “stigma is still a major barrier to elders’ recognition that they need help to regain mental health.”

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Lawsuits

PAI sues Governor to restore critical mental health funding

PAI and other public interest advocates have filed suit challenging Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of state funding for mental health services for homeless adults. The program provides integrated services such as supported housing, personal service coordination and other mental health services.

Plaintiffs include statewide advocacy groups as well as individual clients who credit the program with helping them quit drugs, attend college classes, or get their own apartment. All say that without the services provided through the program, they would be back living on the street. The advocacy groups are the Mental Health Association in California, California Network of Mental Health Clients, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness California.

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Success stories

James “Jimmy” Campbell goes home after 5½ years in an acute care hospital

In June a pair of From left to right: Elissa Gershon, Jim and Glenna Cecchini, Crystal Padilla and Dan Brzovich celebrate their victory in getting James Campbell the services he needs to live at home.very excited parents came to Oakland’s PAI office to present appreciation awards to attorneys Dan Brzovic and Elissa Gershon, and advocate Crystal Padilla, shown at left. The trio had worked with their client and his parents, Jim and Glenna Cecchini, through an extended unsuccessful hearing and appeal to obtain a waiver so that James could receive home-based services for his neurological condition. After James Cambell's smile shows how happy he is to be home.losing the appeal, the family contacted stateassemblywoman Sally Lieber, who, with the support of other legislators and PAI,successfully advocated for a new amended Medi-Cal home and community-based waiver, available on a restricted basis for people like James who need high levels of care and home modifications. Shown at right, James arrives home.

Helping a client move from a nursing facility into her new home

Mary T. and her daughterMary T., one of the named plaintiffs in the Chambers lawsuit, moved to the community with PAI's assistance and has been living successfully in her own apartment with attendant care, case management, money management, and home delivered meals. 

“I am very happy that more people will be able to live in their own place and not be stuck somewhere that they don't want to be." She is pictured above with her daughter, who is currently living at Laguna Honda. They both hope that they can be reunited in the community soon.

Successfully advocating for live-in attendant in mobile home

PAI helped an older adult with multiple physical disabilities enforce her right to have her grandson live with her as an attendant in a seniors-only mobile home park. D.B. relies on her 21-year-old grandson for help with mobility, shopping, dressing and other activities of daily living, as well as emergency support.

The Board of the Homeowners' Association had threatened to evict her grandson because he is younger than the minimum age of 55. PAI represented D.B. and her grandson at an informal hearing before the Board. We also got a letter from D.B.'s physician supporting her claim that the eviction would violate state and federal fair housing laws, as well as the state mobile home park law.

As a result of PAI's advocacy, the Board agreed to allow D.B.'s grandson to live with her for at least another year.

Client moves into new apartment with Medi-Cal waiver services

Friends, relatives and staff joined Daryll Rice (center) for a housewarming party at his new apartmentDaryll Rice first moved out of the subacute nursing facility almost 19 years ago, under the Medi-Cal Home and Community Based Waiver program that provides the 24-hour per day nursing he needs to live in his own apartment. Earlier this year, Mr. Rice wanted to move back to the Bay Area from Los Angeles, but after being rehospitalized, the move proved difficult.

Mr. Rice contacted PAI, who helped him transfer his Section 8 housing voucher from Los Angeles to Vallejo, locate a new Home Health Agency and secure needed equipment to make the move home.  Friends, relatives and staff joined Daryll for a housewarming party at his new apartment.

Training seniors from Chinese community on benefit issues

Associate Managing Attorney Dan Brzovic and Advocate Crystal Padilla, along with Chinese interpreter, Sabina Fung, and Yuen Chiang, Multicultural Affairs Advocate teamed with Family Bridges to train over 60 seniors from the Chinese community on “Termination of SSI Benefits.”PAI Oakland Associate Managing Attorney Dan Brzovic and Advocate Crystal Padilla, along with Chinese interpreter, Sabina Fung, and Yuen Chiang, Multicultural Affairs Advocate teamed with Family Bridges to train over 60 seniors from the Chinese community on “Termination of SSI Benefits.” This first time collaboration with Family Bridges, Oakland Chinatown’s oldest senior organization in Oakland Chinatown, proved to be a smashing success! As the crowd grew and grew, staff scrambled for more chairs to accommodate the attendees.

During the presentation, the seniors actively asked questions regarding their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. PAI staff broke into two legal clinic teams after the presentation to provide individual assistance and advice to attendees. The seniors enthusiastically thanked PAI for their valuable knowledge and services. 

PAI will continue to work with Family Bridges to bring a series of trainings to the Chinese community and to educate members about their rights and benefits.

 

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