Hoeffel: Quality of Life for People with Disabilities will be a Priority

By JOE HOEFFEL 2010

April 21, 2010 – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Hoeffel said today that his administration will make a priority of “improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.”

In releasing his position paper on disabilities, Hoeffel said that improving the quality of life for those with disabilities “is not an unsolvable problem, it simply must become a priority of government.”

“One of the most important roles of government is leveling the playing field so that all members of our society are afforded equal opportunity and quality of life,” Hoeffel said. He said he will work closely with the Governor’s Cabinet and Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities and the PA Statewide Individual Living Council, solving problems through close collaboration between government and communities.

Hoeffel will approach the problem by attempting to remove or minimize hurdles faced by those with disabilities. Some of those hurdles include:

· Increasing employment

· Improving access to job training

· Improving transportation

· Creating accessible housing

· Encouraging community-based care

“The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 70%, by far the largest of any minority group,” Hoeffel said. Hoeffel said he would hold an employment summit for those with disabilities that would set goals for hiring people with disabilities to state jobs, and will study incentives like targeted tax credits for hiring people with disabilities.

Hoeffel also will stress access to job training. “The transition from high school to higher education or job training is often not a smooth one for people with disabilities,” Hoeffel said, “which contributes to the alarmingly high unemployment rate.”

He said he would instruct the Bureau of Special Education and the Pennsylvania Training & Technical Assistance Network to develop a strong program designed to ensure that transition planning begins early. The program, according to Hoeffel must involve students, families, community agencies and potential employers in order to be successful.

After jobs are created and training is provided, the disabled still face the hurdle of getting to those jobs, therefore, Hoeffel will emphasize the improvement of transportation options for the disabled.

“Transportation services need to become more accessible and provide more service for people with disabilities,” he said. “ADA Complementary Paratransit Service is available in much of the commonwealth, but we should work to make regular public transportation vehicles more accessible, which will increase the flexibility and options for all travelers.”

Hoeffel said he would work with Pennsylvania’s 47 public transportation agencies to make sure access to transportation is maximized for all riders, and will also work with county governments to create stronger partnerships with the state to improve local services.

Housing is another hurdle. “People with disabilities may need housing built or modified for accessibility, but their needs shouldn’t force them to move or segregate themselves from the communities in which they want to live,” Hoeffel said.

He said he would fully fund the Pennsylvania Accessible Housing Program to help people with disabilities keep their homes through adaptations which are often simple and inexpensive. Such improvements enhance the vitality of neighborhoods for everyone by creating more stable, inclusive, integrated, and intergenerational communities.

Hoeffel said he believes efforts should focus on revitalizing and making accessible older communities rather than building new developments. Joe will call upon the legislature to create a State Housing Trust Fund without delay. Federal funds will automatically be given to Pennsylvania upon the creation of the State Housing Trust Fund which can immediately be put to work on accessibility improvements.

Home-based care will also be hallmark of Hoeffel’s efforts.

“Every person benefits from living a life of freedom to the fullest extent of their abilities,” he said. “Everyone should be allowed to live in the least restrictive environment possible. Independence improves our quality of life, and independence also saves money–allowing more people to be helped on the same budget.”

Hoeffel will make passing Adult Protective Services legislation an early priority of his administration. “Providing this critical protection for some of our most vulnerable citizens requires a simple act of the legislature, but the legislature has not acted,” said Hoeffel. “We’re one of only five states without this protection. We must make this a priority.”

Hoeffel said he supports closing the five remaining state-operated institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. He said he will set aside funds realized by the sale of the closed state institutions for future funding of community-based care programs. Joe will also work closely with advocacy organizations across the commonwealth to encourage private institutions to transition from institutional care to community-based care.

For the entire Hoeffel platform on serving those with disabilities, go to www.joehoeffel2010.com/disabilities

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