DISABILITY RIGHTS

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act provides protections and accommodations for cognitively and physically disabled people, and New York City’s infrastructure is lagging in making public spaces, facilities and services accessible to the elderly and disabled. And our public school system is shortchanging special needs students. As a member of the City Council, I will work hard to change this—not just for District 15, but for the city as a whole.

• Due to poor planning during the pandemic by the mayor and the New York City Department of Education, special education students didn’t get the supportive services to which they’re entitled by law for an entire year. Parents of special needs children know that when they're not moving forward in their abilities, they are really sliding backward. As a member of the City Council, I will join the Committee on Education and will work with parents groups to make sure kids who need physical, occupational and speech therapy get these services, which are mandated by law.

• COVID planning is just the latest example of how the public school system has failed special needs students and their families for years. I will require the public school system to give special needs students the job and life skills they need so they can become as independent as possible when they age out of the system.

• I will work with MTA and with my counterparts on the City Council representing Districts 12 and 13 to ensure that the new Metro-North stations at Coop City, Morris Park and Parkchester/Van Nest are fully ADA compliant, including: ramps, elevated pedestrian crossings that can be accessed by elevator and signage in Braille. 

• The two dozen playgrounds within the district should be upgraded to become “wellness playgrounds” where elders can exercise, socialize with friends and play with grandchildren. Many elders in District 15 can’t afford, or live far from, gyms with Silver Sneakers programs. Equipment can be added to existing playgrounds to help extend range of motion; improve balance; build muscle strength and promote cardiovascular health. Disabled people of all ages could also benefit from game tables that accommodate wheelchairs, and equipment that can be used while seated. Our playgrounds can also be accessible to all users by replacing steps with ramps, using wheelchair-friendly surfacing and including signage in Braille. As a member of the City Council, I will help communities apply for Participatory Budget funding, and for other grants to cover the cost of retrofitting playgrounds for the elderly and disabled. 

• There is a shortage of adaptive housing for seniors, the disabled and veterans—who often fall into all three categories—throughout the district. I want to join the Land Use Committee and work with Community Boards and developers to facilitate new adaptive housing for these underserved groups. 

• I will work with my counterparts in the State Legislature to extend the FreedomCare program to elderly and disabled family members who have Medicare. Currently CDPAP NY (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program) only pays family members to care for loved ones who have Medicaid.