Month: September 2016

Vermont’s Patrick Leahy Responds to #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Patrick Leahy standing outside with clouds in the background

Vermont’s Patrick Leahy Responds to #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 16, 2016

Patrick Leahy

Washington, Sept. 16 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Incumbent Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat running for re-election for the U.S. Senate seat in Vermont, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Only 33.3 percent of Vermont’s more than 41,500 working-age people with disabilities are employed. This lack of opportunity creates poverty, powerlessness and even can increase the likelihood of developing a mental health condition. Among those with disabilities, there is a poverty rate of 29.2 percent in Vermont.

While Leahy did not answer each question individually, he sent a statement addressing several of the issues brought up in the questionnaire including his support for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Excellence in Mental Health Act of 2013 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

California’s Loretta Sanchez Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Loretta Sanchez wearing a red dress and pearls standing facing camera with background being ocean

California’s Loretta Sanchez Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 15, 2016

Loretta Sanchez

Washington, Sept. 15 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

California has 5.9 million eligible voters with a disability, and they are looking to know where the candidates stand on important disability issues in order to increase opportunities for competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.

Illinois’ Mark Kirk Responds to #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Mark Kirk seated behind table with a microphone

Illinois’ Mark Kirk Responds to #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 15, 2016

Head shot of Mark Kirk with Capitol in background — Mark Kirk

Washington, Sept. 15 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican running for re-election for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Only 36 percent of Illinois’ more than 450,000 working-age people with disabilities are employed. This lack of opportunity creates poverty, powerlessness and even can increase the likelihood of developing a mental health condition.

While Kirk did not answer each question individually, he sent a statement addressing several of the issues brought up in the questionnaire including his own personal experience with disability and his record on improving lives for people with disabilities, as well as specific plans for students and veterans with disabilities.

Burr Campaign Launches Television Ad Touting Work on ABLE Act

Published by Philip Pauli on September 12, 2016

screenshot of Burr ad showing picture of the D'Amelios family — Screenshot of Burr’s Ad

Washington, Sept. 12 – One week after incumbent Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) completed RespectAbility’s #PwDsVote candidate questionnaire on disability issues, the campaign supporting his reelection efforts launched a new television ad focused on disability.

This new statewide political ad describes how the North Carolina Republican worked to get the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act passed and how this law empowers people with disabilities to save money without fearing the loss of essential benefits. The ad features a North Carolina family with two children on the Autism Spectrum and discusses how the entire family benefits from these new 529 savings accounts.

“Without Richard Burr, our children and other people’s children would not have the benefit of saving for their future,” Christie D’Amelio of Charlotte, North Carolina, says in the ad.

The YouTube version of the ad, which is the version embedded on the campaign’s website, and the Facebook upload, both include captioning, which is important for the 37.5 million American adults aged 18 and over who report some trouble hearing.

The Role of Stigma in the Coverage of Clinton’s Plan for Mental Health

Hillary Clinton waving in front of multiple American flags while standing on stage wearing a teal blue suite

The Role of Stigma in the Coverage of Clinton’s Plan for Mental Health

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 9, 2016

Washington, Sept. 9 – Last week Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton released a plan for addressing mental health and illness in America. Unlike when she released a plan for Autism, this one did not receive a large amount of coverage.

The timing may be an issue. The Autism plan was released in January when all eyes were on the Iowa caucuses, while the mental health plan was released in August before Labor Day – a last chance of summer before the sprint to Election Day begins.

Another reason is stigma. People with Autism are more likely to be considered mainstream. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of every 68 children has some feature that places them on spectrum for autism disorders. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.–43.8 million, or 18.5 percent–experiences mental illness in a given year. However, people with mental illness often hide their disability from loved ones for fear of negative consequences.

Clinton’s plan aims to curb that – by “integrating our healthcare systems and finally putting the treatment of mental health on par with that of physical health.”

“Her goal is that within her time in office, Americans will no longer separate mental health from physical health when it comes to access to care or quality of treatment,” the plan reads. “The next generation must grow up knowing that mental health is a key component of overall health and there is no shame, stigma, or barriers to seeking out care.”

New Hampshire’s Hassan Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

New Hampshire’s Hassan Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 7, 2016

Maggie Hassan

Washington, Sept. 7 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Democrat Maggie Hassan completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

166,258 people in New Hampshire have a disability, 77,800 of whom are of are working age (between the ages of 21 and 64). Only 41.8 percent are employed compared with 80.3 percent of people without disabilities in New Hampshire. There are an additional 5,900 people ages 16-20 with disabilities, many of whom are hoping to enter the workforce. New Hampshire’s voters are looking to know where the candidates stand on important disability issues in order to increase opportunities for competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.

#PwDsVote Campaign Questionnaire: Call to Action

Image shows people in line waiting to vote. Majority are physically-able-bodied individuals standing in line. One man is in a power wheelchair.

#PwDsVote Campaign Questionnaire: Call to Action

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 7, 2016

Washington, Sept. 7 – With just 61 days until Election Day, RespectAbility is calling on all candidates for governor or Senate to complete the #PwDsVote Senate & Gubernatorial Disability Questionnaire.“PwDs” stands for “people with disabilities.” So far, Hillary Clinton and 15 candidates for Senate or Governor from both parties have done so. Now we’re calling on you to help to encourage the remainder. A number of candidates, including Donald Trump, have yet to fill out a nonpartisan candidate questionnaire on issues vital to America’s 56 million citizens with disabilities!

Call and tweet candidates and demand that they respond to the questionnaire. Tell them why it’s important to you!

This is the first time down-ballot candidates have been asked to complete a questionnaire about disability-related issues on such a wide scale. Why are we focusing on candidates for governor and U.S. Senate? The reason is simple. We hope that voters who care about disability issues will have the opportunity to compare how the candidates responded to the same questions in their own words.

The questionnaire itself has been written in a way that is acceptable for 501c3 nonprofits, is nonpartisan and is not electioneering. RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

First Ever Senate / Governor Disability Vote Campaign Questionnaire

Text in image: #PwDsVote 2016 Senate and Gubernatorial Disability Questionnaire, mage in background - two individuals at voting booths, one in a wheelchair and one using a white cane

First Ever Senate / Governor Disability Vote Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 6, 2016

Washington, Sept. 6 – Employment. Stigma. Education. Criminal Justice. Independent Living. Sexual Assault. Housing. Transportation. Adaptive Technology. Fifteen candidates for Senate or Governor have given detailed answers about their views on these issues for people with disabilities.

The more than 56 million people with disabilities in the U.S. have a long list of policy concerns for the candidates running for governor and the U.S. Senate in 2016. Only one-in-three working-age Americans with a disability has a job, despite the fact that studies show that 70 percent want to work. Moreover, according to Disability & Criminal Justice Reform: Keys to Success, more than 750,000 people with disabilities are behind bars in our nation. Disability is the only minority group that people can join at any time due to accident, illness or aging.

RespectAbility, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization advancing opportunities for people with disabilities, asked candidates on both sides of the aisle to complete a 16 (for gubernatorial) or 17 (for Senate) question survey. The questionnaire asked for their positions on a range of issues important to the disability community, a group that makes up fully one-in-five Americans. Their answers are posted verbatim and in full here on The RespectAbility Report, a publication that covers the intersection of disability and politics.

This is the first time down-ballot candidates have been asked to complete a questionnaire about disability-related issues on such a wide scale.

Nevada’s Masto Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Catherine Cortez Masto speaking at a rally wearing a blue suit with signs saying her name behind her

Nevada’s Masto Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 5, 2016

Catherine Cortez Masto

Washington, Sept. 5 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Only four out of ten of Nevada‘s 171,600 working-age people with disabilities are employed. This creates poverty, powerlessness, and poor health. People with disabilities want the opportunity to have the dignity that jobs provide.

Maryland’s Szeliga Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Kathy Szeliga, a Republican member of the Maryland House of Delegates, announces she is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate during a news conference in Annapolis, Md., on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. She is wearing a blue suit, standing on a stage with people behind her and a podium sign with her name on it.

Maryland’s Szeliga Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 3, 2016

Kathy Szeliga

Washington, Sept. 3 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Republican seeking the open U.S. Senate seat representing Maryland, along with Democrat Chris Van Hollen who also is running for the seat, completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

There are 321,409 Marylanders with disabilities who are between the ages of 18-64. Additionally, there are 22,000 Marylanders ages 16-20 with disabilities. More than 90,000 Maryland students have individual education plans (IEPs). However, many Marylanders with disabilities have not yet received a disability diagnosis they need, and thus are not yet receiving the school accommodations and supports that they need to succeed. Many students who might need support to succeed academically instead find themselves trapped into a lifetime of poverty or flowing down the school to prison pipeline.

Missouri’s Chris Koster Responds to #PwDsVote Governor Campaign Questionnaire

Official portrait of Chris Koster, outside with trees in background

Missouri’s Chris Koster Responds to #PwDsVote Governor Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 1, 2016

Official portrait of Chris Koster in a black suit, white shirt and yellow tie — Chris Koster

Washington, Sept. 1 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat running to be Missouri’s next governor, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Only 33 percent of Missouri’s more than 450,000 working-age people with disabilities are employed. This lack of opportunity creates poverty, powerlessness and even can increase the likelihood of developing a mental health condition.

While Koster did not answer each question individually, he sent a letter addressing several of the issues brought up in the questionnaire including ensuring websites are accessible for all, expanding access to healthcare and ensuring accessible housing for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility also has sent the questionnaire to the campaign of Republican Eric Greitens, who also is seeking the governorship in Missouri.

We are presenting Koster’s full letter below:

North Carolina’s Burr Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Richard Burr standing in his office wearing a suit with blue shirt and green tie

North Carolina’s Burr Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 1, 2016

Richard Burr

Washington, Sept. 1 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Republican incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, along with Democratic hopeful Deborah Ross, completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Only 30 percent of North Carolina’s 715,508 working-age people with disabilities are employed. This lack of opportunity creates poverty, powerlessness and even can increase the likelihood of developing a mental health condition.

Both Burr and Ross submitted their responses by the deadline, making North Carolina’s Senate race the first race to have all candidates respond.

We are presenting Burr’s answers in full below.

North Carolina’s Ross Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

North Carolina’s Ross Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 1, 2016

Deborah Ross

Washington, Sept. 1 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Democratic hopeful former State Rep. Deborah Ross, along with Republican incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Both Ross and Burr submitted their responses by the deadline, making North Carolina’s Senate race the first race to have all candidates respond.

We are presenting Ross’ answers in full below.