504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for State Assembly Francesca Castellanos' response)

Candidate Name: Francesca Castellanos

Campaign Manager: Carmen Acosta

Phone: 212-927-4351

Campaign Name: Rising Voices Coalition

Campaign Address: 966 St. Nicholas Ave., New York, N.Y. 10032

Phone: 917-858-2048

Assembly District: 72

Please describe any experience with disability you have had in your life or career.

I have family and friends who are disabled.
Is your campaign headquarters accessible to persons with disabilities? If you are an incumbent, is your district office accessible to persons with disabilities? If you are in private practice, is your office accessible to persons with disabilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

Somewhat. There is a ramp to the entrance of building where the office is located. But there are no elevators in the building, as it is a very old tenement.
How will you incorporate people with disabilities into your campaign?

Help out in the office and distribution of campaign literature.
Are you willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing if necessary?

Yes.
Seventy (70%) percent of people with disabilities of working age are unemployed at any given time, no matter how well or poorly the economy is doing. How will you use your office to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities?

I will use my office by encouraging businesses to hire people with disabilities.
What will you do to reverse the negative impact of recent decisions in Federal Courts which are undercutting the powers of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities in New York State? How would you change the laws of New York State to protect the rights of its citizens with disabilities?

I would look into these laws and review them carefully. I would also work with organizations that work with disabled Americans so that toghether we can work to introduce legislation that will address and protect citizens with disabilities.
Currently, over 130,000 people reside in nursing homes and other care facilities in New York State. In 1999, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) found in L.C. v Olmstead that individuals with disabilities have a right to live in the most integrated setting. What will you do to encourage Olmstead implementation in New York?

Give loans and encourage developers to create housing that will accommodate such individuals.
We are in the midst of a housing crisis. Accessible, affordable housing is in short supply. People with disabilities are being priced out of the market. What would you do to develop a housing policy that would lead to the development and maintenance of accessible, affordable and integrated housing stock?

I believe that a good role model is the "city's" Housing Market Program where a percentage of apartments are reserved for people with disabilities.
Timothy's Law was designed to end health insurance discrimination by enacting parity in coverage for people with biologically-based psychiatric disabilities. To address cost concerns raised by small businesses, the agreement directs the state Superintendent of Insurance to develop a methodology that would hold businesses with 50 or fewer employees harmless from any increase in insurance premiums that result from this measure. It also requires the state Insurance Department and the Office of Mental Health to conduct a two year study to determine the effectiveness and impact of mental health parity legislation in New York and other states. What would you do to help small business?

(No response)
Under Kendra's Law, a state-funded Medicaid grants program has been established to provide medications for eligible individuals with a psychiatric disability upon release or discharge from institutions. This will help eliminate some of the problems associated with the Medicaid coverage gap. Do you support Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility legislation which would eliminate the standard 45 days without coverage, and thus without access to treatment?

Yes.
By passing the Help America Vote Act of 2002 the U.S. Congress has tried to ensure that people with disabilities will, by 2006, be able to cast an independent, private ballot for the first time. What will you do to ensure successful implementation HAVA?

That my district Board of Elections is complying with this law by installing machines that permit disabled persons to vote independently.
Disabled children in grades K-12 are entitled to receive a "free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment," but there have been major problems. Most often, schools are not physically accessible and not accommodating their students' needs. What do you propose to correct this problem?

I believe that money should be appropriated to accommodate the needs of our students.
Despite Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities face problems when pursuing higher education. These statutes do not specify how students should request accommodations or assistance in asserting their rights under the law. Will you support a fully funded office of disability services on each SUNY and CUNY campus to assist students with disabilities in securing accommodations?

Yes.
What is your position on expanding DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) to be the same as SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) to low-income, eligible persons with disabilities under the age of 62 on the same basis and income level (currently the SCRIE's income cap is $25,000, while DRIE's is $17,000)?

I believe that SCRIE should be increased to at least $35,000. As with today's economy, no one can barely survive on $25,000 a year income.
Do you support the extension of Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) to low-income persons with disabilities regardless of age? What would you do to ensure this?

Yes. Furthermore, I believe in universal coverage and free-or-low cost medication, as medicine is vital to the survival of many of our sick and disabled. I see this as part of our government constitution in proctectin our citizens.
What would you do to expand accessible transportation options for people with disabilities in NYS?

(No response)

go to top of page