Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Kennedy on disability issues

BILL KENNEDY: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M BILL KENNEDY, CANDIDATE FOR
GOVERNOR, AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO
YOU. BUT I ALSO WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ALL
THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE DISABILITIES, SOME OF
YOU HAVE DISABILITIES, MANY OF YOU DO NOT, WE
ALL HAVE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR LIVES THAT HAVE
EXPERIENCED CHALLENGES WITHIN THEIR LIVES. BEING ONE OF NINE CHILDREN GROWING UP IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE, MY WIFE BEING ONE OF NINE CHILDREN AND PLUS 45 YEARS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, YOU CAN'T
LIVE HERE WITHOUT EXPERIENCING SOME ASPECT OF
DISABILITY.
THIS IS NOT PARTISAN ISSUE. SHOULD BE IN THE FOREFRONT AS ONE IN FIVE, AS DICK
STATED, RESIDENTS HAVE A CLASSIFIED DISABILITY. THIS FOCUS SHOULD BE REINVIGORATING A
DISCUSSION IN THE STATE. THE EMPHASIS ON UNIFICATION OF ALL PARTIES AROUND SHARED GOALS.
WE NEED TO EDUCATE, WE NEED TO OFFER EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING, REHABILITATION AND
MEDICAL SERVICES.
THE DISABILITIES I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THROUGH MY LIFE IS -- THEY'RE NOT ALL
INCLUSIVE OR EXCLUSIVE -- BUT INCLUDE AUTISM, COMMUNICATION DISORDERS, LEARNING DISABILITIES,
EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS, PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND TBI THROUGH MY ENGAGEMENT
WITH THE VETERANS AND THE MILITARY.
DECLINE IN MORTALITY DUE TO TBI IS A GOOD THING. UNFORTUNATELY THIS HAS RESULTED
IN INCREASES IN LONG TERM COSTS AND SOMETHING
THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO DEAL WITH. INTERVENTION
IS IMPORTANT. IT SHOULD START EARLY. SHOULD START IN CHILDHOOD. WE OFFER REHABILITATION
COUNSELING AND THERAPIES. IT SHOULD START IN
SCHOOLS, BUT WE NEED TO EDUCATE EVERYONE. SAFETY PRACTICES AS A PREVENTIVE METHOD.
FEDERAL, STATE, PRIVATE, NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS, SHOULD OFFER FISCAL SUPPORT
AND ATTENTION TO THESE PROGRAMS. THE PREVENTIVE
PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT GAVE
US AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO ADDRESS MANY OF THOSE THAT WERE NOT COVERED PREVIOUSLY. THE NEW
ACT WILL COVER 30 MILLION MORE PATIENTS THAT
WEREN'T COVERED PREVIOUSLY. 60 MILLION LOW INCOME ADULTS AND CHILDREN THROUGH MEDICAID
AND A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER HAVE VARIOUS DISABILITIES.
NOW THEY WILL HAVE THE AFFORDABLE AND COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE FOR SERVICES AS CASE
MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH AND THERAPY SERVICES. THOSE THAT DID NOT QUALIFY PREVIOUSLY THROUGH
THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOME BRACKET HAVE NOW -- THE INCOME
BRACKET HAS NOW BEEN EXPANDED AND INCLUDES MANY
MORE BENEFITS OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. BY
REDUCING NUMBERS OF THOSE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, OUR UNINSURED COSTS SHOULD
GO DOWN. BY REDUCING UNINSURED COST THROUGH THE
STATES WILL ALSO PUSH DOWN COSTS FOR MENTAL HEALTHCARE AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO THOSE NOT
RECEIVING THIS CARE CURRENTLY. MASSACHUSETTS -- AND I WON'T USE MASSACHUSETTS AS A MODEL
FOR A LOT OF THINGS -- BEGAN THIS IN 2006 WITH
THEIR FIRST INTRODUCTION OF A NEW PATIENT CARE
PROGRAM. IT'S AN OUTSTANDING PROGRAM, IT'S A
BIPARTISAN PROGRAM AND SHOULD BE ADVOCATED. THIS IS NOT ABOUT CUTTING PROGRAMS, IT NEEDS
TO BE ABOUT CUTTING WASTE AND ALLOW THE PROGRAMS
TO PERSIST THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE STATES AND
THE RESIDENTS WITHIN THE STATES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER DISCUSSION. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT OPEN BECAUSE I KNOW
MANY QUESTIONS HAVE HAVE GONE UNANSWERED WITH MY
COMMENTS, BUT I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL THE
PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, BEING ONE OF YOU SINCE
1967, BEING IN THE MILITARY AND SEEING TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND THE RAMIFICATIONS
OF WHAT THAT CAUSES. SO I THANK YOU AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.