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McCall Response -
Position Statement on Disability Issues
Answers by: H. Carl McCall,
Democratic Party Candidate for Governor of New York
McCall Record on Individuals
with Disabilities
One of my priorities in public
service is to level the playing field so that individuals are recognized for
who they are and all that they can contribute…not limited by others'
perceptions about what they may be unable to do.
DISCRIMINATION
Support State ADA. New York
needs to enhance the New York State Human Rights Law for people with
disabilities and enact a State version of the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) in New York. Just like in California, New York needs its own State ADA to
help stop discrimination in this state. We need a coordinated approach and we
must ensure enforcement of ADA provisions. We currently have many laws on the
books that are not enforced. I have a long record of identifying and
criticizing, through OSC audits, the significant case backlog and inadequate
funding for the State Division of Human Rights. I have repeatedly called for
and will support fully funding the Division to facilitate enforcement of our
current laws.
Issued Executive Order on Equal
Opportunity Regardless of Disability. As State Comptroller, I issued a
strong Executive Order on equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and
affirmative action that requires employment decisions must be made without
regard to disability. I have many people with disabilities working for me at
our Albany and New York City offices. In my past jobs in public and private
agencies, I have also hired people with disabilities. I fully support advancing
people with disabilities when the job requirements fit that persons needs. I
will also develop a special jobs and training project to get the 3 out of 4
people with disabilities employed in this State.
QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
Expand EPIC to Disabled. I
have proposed using any newly available federal funding for prescription drugs
to expand, not supplant, existing pharmaceutical coverage. These federal funds
combined with some of the State savings identified above would expand
eligibility for EPIC to all disabled Medicare beneficiaries regardless of age.
Ensure Quality Care in Adult
Homes. We must ensure quality care in our adult homes immediately. As
governor, I will fully evaluate homes with multi-disciplinary teams and
inspectors supervised by the Commission on Quality Care for the mentally
disabled (CQC), and, where the health and safety of residents is in immediate
jeopardy, Shut down substandard facilities, deploy State staff for support
services, and move residents that are at risk; institute a moratorium on new
adult home placements until such review is complete; enforce current penalties
in full without negotiation and impose civil penalties with fines dedicated to
incentive funding streams; develop low-cost financing to adult homes for
facility improvements that would improve resident conditions and save lives;
create a pooling mechanism to provide access to low-cost capital financing for
non-profit owners interested in assuming ownership of adult home facilities
whose operating licenses have been revoked; fully implement the State
Comptroller's recommendations ensuring the competence of adult home operators,
timely inspections, and penalties for non-compliance; and develop a long-term
strategic plan to meet future needs of seniors and mentally ill including a
commitment to build additional housing and reinstate the Community Reinvestment
program.
Demand Mental Health Parity. The
World Health Organization states that four of the top ten disabilities
throughout the world are due to mental disorders and the American Psychological
Association (APA) estimates that one in ten Americans will suffer a disability
due to mental illness. We need to ensure that New Yorkers truly have
comprehensive health coverage by making it illegal for insurance companies to
discriminate against people with mental health ailments or substance abuse
problems. The Senate should pass and the Governor should fight for Assembly
Bill A.4506 to put fairness into our health care system.
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