Every Floridian should be treated fairly and with dignity. That means providing reasonable accommodations in employment, housing, transportation, communication, health services, voting, and recreation. It also means supporting families, not ignoring their needs or sweeping them under the rug as the DeSantis Administration has done.
As Governor, Charlie created the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities so that Florida’s disability community would have a seat at the table during his Administration. In Congress, he has a solid record of fighting to better serve the disability community. When elected Governor again, he has a comprehensive plan to deliver better care with dignity and equal access
Policy Toplines
BETTER CARE
- Charlie Will Fight For Medicaid Expansion. In addition to providing coverage for 800,000 uninsured, working Floridians and lower premiums for everyone, Medicaid expansion will strengthen Florida’s Medicaid program and draw down billions in additional federal dollars that can be used to better serve the waiver population.
- Charlie Will Fight To Clear The Waiting List. Charlie will fight to ELIMINATE the Medicaid Waiting Lists for the iBudget and Long Term Supports & Services Waivers by actually providing the needed services. DeSantis has ignored the needs of the Disability & Seniors Communities and has cut funds on an annual basis, driven caregivers away and made it impossible for families in crisis to qualify.
- Charlie Will Increase the Number of Caregivers. Charlie will support caregivers and the vital work they do. He will increase the minimum wage for Medicaid caregivers to at least $15 per hour and work to provide healthcare to them as well. This will ensure a quality workforce with enough caregivers to meet the need.
- Charlie Will Reserve a Seat at the Table for Floridians With Disabilities. No decisions about us without us! Charlie will stand for full inclusion of people with disabilities in the development of policy and fight for and enforce civil rights laws. As governor, Charlie will promote inclusion, accessibility, and individual needs.
- Charlie Will Fight For Accessible Schools, Housing, And Transportation. Charlie will fight for ESE students to provide better access and protect alternative educational opportunities when public schools do not meet the need. He’ll expand Voluntary Pre-K to 3-year-olds, so that children with developmental disabilities can access supportive services sooner in life. He’ll work to make accessible home modifications an eligible expense under Medicaid, and he’ll fight for transportation that is accessible and useful.
- Charlie Will Make Sure People with Disabilities Are Safe During Hurricanes. Charlie will work to build a strike force of emergency caregivers to fill gaps during hurricanes or family crises. People who need a hand should not be on their own when disaster strikes.
- Charlie Will Repeal DeSantis Restrictions On Vote By Mail. Charlie will fight to repeal DeSantis’ restrictions on mail in ballots because every Floridians has the right to have their voice heard. In Congress, he has secured additional federal dollars to make polling locations more accessible.
- Charlie Will Deliver Fast Affordable Internet for All. For many Floridians with disabilities, internet access is essential for being able to participate and thrive. Using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law he helped pass, Charlie will work to deliver affordable, high-speed internet to every corner of the state.
- Charlie Pushed the US Department Of Education To Sue Florida Over Inaccessible Mask Policy. Charlie referred Florida schools’ inaccessible mask bans to the United States Department of Education, which initiated a federal civil rights investigation. Students with disabilities are guaranteed equal access and reasonable accommodations, and when Governor, Charlie will deliver.
- Charlie Blew The Whistle On Sunshine Health Medicaid Meltdown. When families of children with severe disabilities were crying out to the DeSantis Administration that their caregivers were no longer getting paid by Sunshine Health, they were ignored. Parents were losing their jobs. Small businesses were losing their livelihoods. And children were losing their care. When Charlie learned about this, he took action. Charlie blew the whistle, going directly to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to accuse DeSantis’ Agency for Health Care Administration for neglecting their responsibilities under the Medicaid waiver. The public pressure forced AHCA to finally act, resulting in accountability for Sunshine Health.
- Charlie Is A National Leader On Fighting Back Against Abusive Guardianships and Conservatorships. Long before Britney Spears drew the world’s attention to the horror of fraudulent and abusive guardianships, Charlie was fighting. He worked to protect a person under guardianship’s Social Security benefits from going to known abusers, and he alerted the FBI to the scourge of abuse and fraud taking place in these arrangements. In response to the Free Britney movement, Charlie introduced two, bipartisan bills to create a guaranteed federal right for a person under guardianship to get themselves out under the Fourteenth Amendment. His legislation would provide independent advisers to persons under guardianship to inform them of their rights and monitor for signs of abuse or neglect. He would also expand criminal penalties to go after crimes committed against a person under guardianship, official personhood status notwithstanding. As Governor, Charlie will reform Florida’s guardianship and conservatorship system to make guardianship only available as a last resort — in favor of an Informed Decision Making model. For Charlie, this is an issue of fairness, due process, dignity, and respect.
Original source can be found here.
