October Mental Health
Webinar Series

Disability Rights California’s Peer Self-Advocacy Program is presenting a virtual conference where you will learn more about your mental health and self-advocacy from a peer perspective. Please join us to learn more about the rights of people with mental health disabilities and important disability benefits, your voting rights, the history of the peer movement and assertiveness skills and strategies. Know that you have rights and how self-advocacy skills can benefit you!

These webinars will be presented in both English and Spanish – please check for the correct dates and times.

Webinar Topics

Disability Benefits and Work Incentives Under SSI (Spanish Webinar)

Incentivos de Empleo bajo SSI

Acerca del Seminario Web:

Este seminario web explicará los beneficios e incentivos laborales por Discapacidad del Seguro Social del Título XVI (SSI). Vamos a desenmascarar los mitos del trabajo y aprender sobre los incentivos laborales, y aprenderá como reportar sus ingresos mensuales a la Administración del Seguro Social.

Juntos exploraremos lo siguiente:

• ¿Qué pasa con mis beneficios del SSI cuando trabajo?
• ¿Perderé mis beneficios de SSI si trabajo?
• ¿Qué es Ingreso Contable?
• ¿Cuáles Excepciones y Gastos están Permitidos?
• ¿Cómo reporto mis ingresos mensuales para el SSI?

Oradoras:

Rosy Tellez

Disability Benefits and Work Incentives Under SSI

About the webinar:

This webinar will explain Title XVI Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits and work incentives. We will debunk work myths and learn about exclusions and exceptions that prevent deductions to your SSI check. You will also discover options for reporting your wage earnings to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Together we will explore the following:

• What Happens to My SSI Benefits When I Go To Work?
• Will I Lose My SSI if I Go to Work?
• What is Countable Income (CI)?
• What Exclusions and Expenses are Allowed?
• How do I Report Wages for SSI?

Speakers:

Rosy Tellez

YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE: Voice Your Choice! (Spanish Webinar)

SU DERECHO A VOTAR: ¡Exprese Su Elección!

Acerca del Seminario Web:

Ejercer su derecho al voto es una forma poderosa de opinar sobre cómo operan nuestros gobiernos locales, estatales y federales. Votar por leyes y candidatos de su elección es su oportunidad de asegurarse de que el gobierno sirva bien a sus ciudadanos. Únase a nosotros para obtener más información sobre la importancia de votar, sus derechos de voto y el proceso de votación.

Este webinar se enfocará en:

• Por qué es importante votar
• Sus derechos de voto
• Cómo registrarse para votar
• Cómo emitir su voto y hacer oír su voz
• Cambios recientes en el proceso de votación

Únase a nosotros para obtener más información sobre su derecho a votar y el proceso de votación. ¡Entonces Vamos a Votar!

Oradoras:

María García

YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE: Voice Your Choice!

Description:

Exercising your right to vote is a powerful way to have a say about how our local, state and federal governments operate.  Voting for laws and candidates of your choice is your opportunity to make sure the government serves its citizens well.  Join us to learn more about the importance of voting, your voting rights and the voting process.

This webinar will focus on:

• Why it’s Important to Vote
• Your Voting Rights
• How to Register to Vote
• How to Cast your Vote & Make Your Voice Heard
• Recent Changes to the Voting Process

So join us to learn more about your right to vote and the voting process. Then Let’s Go Vote!

Speakers:

Debi Davis

The History of the Peer Movement and Our Fight for Equality (Spanish Webinar)

La Historia del Movimiento de Compañeros y Nuestra Lucha por la Igualdad

Acerca del Seminario Web:

Durante más de 2 siglos, las personas con discapacidades de salud mental estuvieron encerradas en hospitales estatales en todo Estados Unidos. Fueron aislados de amigos, familiares y de su comunidad y la sociedad los rechazó.

La década de 1960 fue una época de grandes cambios sociales. Los estados comenzaron a enviar a un gran número de clientes a las comunidades sin el apoyo o los servicios que necesitaban para vivir de forma independiente. Los defensores de compañeros lucharon por los derechos de las personas con discapacidades de salud mental a tener servicios y recursos para que pudieran adaptarse con éxito a la vida en la comunidad. Descubra los esfuerzos y logros del movimiento de compañeros y los desafíos que se avecinan.

Este seminario web explorará:

• ¿Cuándo y cómo comenzó el movimiento de compañeros?
• Los desafíos que enfrentan los defensores de compañeros
• Los logros del movimiento de compañeros y cómo nos beneficiamos
• Desafíos futuros que enfrentamos en nuestra lucha por la igualdad

Oradoras:

María García

The History of the Peer Movement and Our Fight for Equality

Description:

For over 2 centuries, people with mental health disabilities were locked away in state hospitals throughout the United States. They were isolated from friends, family and their community and shunned by society.

The 1960’s was a time of great social change. States began discharging massive numbers of clients into communities without the support or services they needed to live independently. Peer advocates fought for the rights of people with mental health disabilities to have services and resources so they could successfully adapt to life in the community. Find out about the peer movement’s efforts and accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead.

This webinar will explore:

• When and How the Peer Movement Started
• The Challenges Peer Advocates Faced
• The Peer Movement’s Accomplishments and How We Benefit
• Future Challenges We Face In Our Fight for Equality

Speakers:

Debi Davis

How to Get What you Want - Assert Yourself! (Spanish Webinar)

Cómo Conseguir lo Que Quiere: ¡Haste Valer!

Acerca del Seminario Web:

* Este entrenamiento es presentado desde una perspectiva de compañeros personas que han vivido experiencias con discapacidades mentales.

Este webinario explicará las diferencias entre comunicación asertiva, agresiva y pasiva. Mostraremos cómo la asertividad es el estilo de comunicación más eficaz para conseguir lo que usted necesite o desee.

Exploraremos:

• Estilos de comunicación asertiva, agresiva y pasiva
• La importancia de ser asertivo y sus beneficios
• Cosas que podrían impedirnos ser asertivos
• Ejemplos de comunicación asertiva

Oradoras:

Senobia Pichardo

How to Get What you Want - Assert Yourself!

About the webinar:

*This training is presented from a peer perspective by people who have lived experience with mental disabilities.

This webinar will explain the differences between assertive, aggressive and passive communication.  We will show how assertiveness is the most effective communication style for getting what you need or want.

We will explore:

• Assertive, Aggressive and Passive Communication Styles
• The Importance of Being Assertive and Its Benefits
• Things That Might Stop Us From Being Assertive
• Examples of Assertive Communication

Speakers:

María García

How to Live a Better Life with CalAble (Spanish Webinar)

Como Vivir una Mejor Vida con CalAble

Acerca del Seminario Web:

* Este entrenamiento es presentado desde una perspectiva de compañeros personas que han vivido experiencias con discapacidades mentales.

Antes de que se iniciara la Ley ABLE de California (CalAble) en 2018, una persona con una discapacidad que viviera en California no podía ahorrar más de $ 2,000 sin afectar sus beneficios de SSI. ¡Al obtener una cuenta CalAble, ahora puede ahorrar hasta $ 100,000 sin que le reduzcan sus pagos de SSI! ¡Obtener un coche o comprar una casa está ahora a su alcance!

Únase a este seminario web para obtener más información sobre:

• La Ley ABLE de California (CalAble)
• Requisitos de elegibilidad
• Cómo inscribirse y abrir una cuenta CalAble
• Como se pueden utilizar los ahorros de una cuenta CalAble
• Gastos calificados por discapacidad (QDE)

Oradoras:

Senobia Pichardo

Learn about our speakers:

Maria Garcia

Maria Garcia is a person with lived experienced. For the last 14 years she has been an Assistant Patients’ Rights Advocate, working for California Office of Patients’ Rights (COPR). COPR specializes in advocating for the rights of patients with mental health disabilities at the state hospitals.

Maria was a Certified Bilingual Teacher for 5 years. After she was diagnosed with a mental health disability, Maria strived to self-advocate for her rights, and when she joined COPR she was able to advocate for the rights of patients at DSH Metropolitan.

She recently joined the Peer Self Advocacy (PSA) Program as a Coordinator.

In 2018, she received an Advocacy Achievement Award for her dedication and hard work. Her most important reward comes from knowing that with COPR and PSA services, people with mental health disabilities have a voice in the communities and in state hospitals.

Debi Davis

Debi Davis, MSW, is a person with lived experience and a long-time mental health advocate. She founded WE C.A.N. (Client Advocacy Now), a client advocacy group and volunteer for 10 years with Riverside County Patient Rights Office. For the past 12 years, Ms. Davis has worked in the Peer and Self-Advocacy unit of disability rights California, facilitating self-advocacy groups at a state hospital and facilities in the community.

Senobia Pichardo

Senobia Pichardo is a Coach in the Peer Self-Advocacy Program (PSA Unit) with Disability Rights California. She has been facilitating Self Advocacy groups for 15 years throughout Los Angeles County. Both in the community and in intensive care clinics.

Her love for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being led her to start energy medicine courses and is now a Reiki and integrated energy therapy practitioner. She likes being able to offer support in various ways and thus feels reconnected to her roots. She is a lifelong learner and feels that the heart never tires of learning, growing and expanding.

Rosy Tellez

Peer Self-Advocacy Coordinator with Disability Rights California, brings extensive peer employment training expertise. She facilitated Peer Specialist Trainings in Los Angeles County for the past 13 years at the Disability Community Resource Center and holds a high peer employment placement success rate. Having navigated Department of Mental Health Youth and Adult services, Rosy uses Peer Support, Self-Help and Peer Advocacy as primary Wellness tools. She is an important role model for the peer community, having achieved 17 years without any psychiatric hospitalizations.