As DAC has done during the past two gubernatorial elections we have once again sent questionnaires to both candidates. Enclosed is our first response from Creigh Deeds. Please read the questions and answers to help you decide who should be our next governor of Virginia.
Keith Kessler - DAC
D A C
Disabled Action Committee
14405 Artery Ln#11 - Dale City, VA 22193 - U.S.
Phone 703-878-1737 - Email DAC4VA@aol.com
Question 1
We have asked and received face to face meetings with our past two elected governors when issues arose that needed immediate personal attention. Although we never abused this privilege it has served very beneficial in alleviating problems that may have exasperated without such a meeting. If elected governor, would you continue this trend throughout your term and be an assessable governor or can you suggest a better way to listen to your constituents?
A)
I will be an accessible governor. My door will always be open to constituents from across the Commonwealth, including from the disability community. More importantly, as governor I will not wait for representatives of the disability community to contact me. I will maintain the position of special advisor to the Governor for disability issues—Virginia is the only state that has such a position—and conduct regular outreach to the disability community.
Question 2
Virginia is ranked 47th in terms of funding community based care for individuals with disabilities -- as governor, "Do you believe that Virginia's human services system is adequately funded? If not, what, as governor, would you do to improve it?"
A)
I think investments in community-based care for the disabled are both the right thing to do and good investments for the Commonwealth. Community-based approaches to care hold great promise to lower costs and improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
Question 3
Virginia has an opportunity to use capital dollars to downsize current institutional settings, "training centers" across the Commonwealth, rather than re-build large institutional settings. As Governor, "What steps would you take to bring investing in our human services system more in line with our income."
A)
I believe community-based approaches to care hold great promise to lower costs and improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. As governor, I will carefully evaluate all budgetary requirements and seek ways to fund more community-based services. I will also direct my administration to work with localities to increase the capacity of communities to provide services so that there is a sufficient support system for individuals with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional settings.
Question 4
It takes adequate funding, person centered policies and the attitude that ALL people regardless of ones ability to have the right to live, learn, work, love, play and worship in the community. If elected Governor, what are your thoughts and what is your vision to either deliver or not for those individuals choosing to live in the community?
A)
I will pursue people-centered policies that help all Virginians with disabilities. Virginia has a legal obligation under the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Virginians with Disabilities Act to provide opportunities for the disabled to choose to live in the community. I look forward to working with disability advocates to pursue our shared goals.
Question 5
Virginia has historically had a system of services for individuals with disabilities that is fragmented and disjointed -- Blind and Visually Impaired, Deaf and hard of hearing, DRS, etc. If elected Governor, would you consider consolidating agencies to help save on administrative costs?
A)
Yes; I will consider proposals to consolidate agencies, if doing so improves the way we serve people with disabilities.
Question 6
What is your stance on creating the establishment of a separate Medicaid waiver for Autism? Why? If there is an Autism waiver should there be an option allowing private providers to provide case management, etc., for services? Would you prefer case management as it is similar to the non-consumer directed Intellectually Disabled / MR Waiver that continues to exist with the CSB's?
Part B of 6
If case management is privatized will providers be paid $326 per month per case as is presently the situation with Community Service Boards (CSB's) providing for the ID/MR waiver or the $175 paid to private providers for Developmental Disability (DD) waiver cases knowing there is virtually no difference in the intensity of case management services between the Intellectually Disabled (ID/MR) and DD waivers.
A)
I support efforts to reduce the waiting list for Medicaid disability waivers. I also support mandating that all health insurers provide coverage for autism and would consider different options for improving autism care through waivers.
Question 7
Rest stops/areas have been closed posing a potential safety hazard and/or relief stop for visitors and residents in our state. As Governor, would you reopen the closed rest stops statewide or do you have a better plan/idea such as a public private partnership?
A)
I will re-open the rest stops within 60 days of taking office. I will consider all available options to re-open the rest stops, including commercialization.
Question 8
The SCAN Foundation released a survey, conducted on their behalf by Lake Research Partners, that focuses specifically on long-term care and health care reform. The survey results show that there would be greater support for health care reform if long-term care were included.
Highlights from the survey are below:
- Eight in ten Americans (79%) say they would be more likely to support a health reform proposal if it included coverage for home and community-based long-term care services.
- Nearly eight in ten Americans (78%) say health reform would benefit them personally if it included improved coverage for home and community-based long-term care services
- Similarly 79% of Americans are concerned about their ability to pay for long-term care for themselves or a family member (46% are "very concerned")
- An overwhelming 92% of people say it is important to improve insurance coverage that help people remain in their homes instead of going to a nursing home.
Note that strong support for improved coverage cuts across gender, age, income and party lines. If elected Governor, would you respect the wishes of individuals who wish to remain in the community and consider long-term health care supports or do you have a better plan which is more cost effective to share?
A)
Yes I would absolutely consider proposals to boost long-term care. I believe that all Virginians have a right to make a personal choice about where to live, whether it be in a high-quality facility or in their own home. As a legislator, I supported extending the caregiver tax credit, a $500 grant to anyone who provides care to an impaired relative. As governor, I will expand options for long-term care for the elderly and disabled, while focusing on allowing people to live in community settings as long as possible whenever possible.
Question 9
Over the past eight years we have had a Board, Committee and now a Commission that reports directly to the Governor of the needs of the elderly and disabled. This Commission is made up of the individuals served by the state along with all the appropriate agencies and advocates within the state. If elected Governor, would you support keeping the office of Community Integration for People with Disabilities intact so it can carry on its mission or do you have a better idea to expedite this work?
A)
Yes; I strongly support keeping the office of Community Integration for People with Disabilities intact. As governor I would continue to use this Commission as a resource for helping my administration set responsible policies that address the needs of the elderly and disabled. Virginia has a legal and a moral obligation to provide opportunities for people with disabilities who choose to do so to become fully integrated into the community. I will be a strong partner for the disability community.
Creigh Deeds, Candidate for Governor
DAC MAIN
www.dac4va.org/main.htm
Candidate Creigh Deeds
www.dac4va.org/deeds.htm
Candite Robert McDonnell
www.dac4va.org/McDonnell.htm