the way we vote influences our opportunities, · the way we vote influences our opportunities,...

The way we vote influences our opportunities, informs our democracy,

and shapes our collective future.

In an effort to inform voters where major presidential candidates stand on family-‐relevant issues, family policy doctoral students in the Department of Family Science at the University of Maryland School of Public Health compiled this family issues voting guide. We present an objective, non-‐partisan collection of information comparing candidates on important family and health policies. Readers will find this a useful tool in identifying candidate positions on an array of domestic, social, and health issues that affect families in the United States in order to make informed choices in the upcoming Presidential election. The information presented was taken from each candidate’s website during fall 2016 or other sources as cited.

Table of Contents:

Campus Sexual Assault, Naheed Ahmed, MA, MPH.......................................................................3 Child Care, Catherine Kuhns, MS...........................................................................................................4 Criminal Justice, Kecia L. Ellick, MS......................................................................................................6 Early and K-‐12 Education, C. Andrew Conway, MSW, LSCW-‐C................................................8 Gun Control and Gun Violence, Laura B. Drew, MPH..................................................................10 Health Care, Julie M. Fife, MPH.............................................................................................................12 Higher Education, Ashley Pantaleao, MA.........................................................................................14 Immigration, H. Shawn Kim, MS, MDiv ............................................................................................16 LGBTQ Rights, Yuki Lama, MPH...........................................................................................................17 Mental Health, Laura A. Golojuch, MS, LGMFT..............................................................................18 Paid Family Leave, Shy C. Porter, MS, LGMFT...............................................................................19 Sexual and Gender Identity-‐Based Discrimination, Samuel H. Allen, MS, LGMFT.........20 Veterans Health, Jessica Gleason, MPH.............................................................................................22 Women’s Health, Nina Omeaku, JD, MPH……………………………………………………………....23

Acknowledgements: Campaign comparisons included in this voting guide were prepared under the direction of Dr. Elaine Anderson and Dr. Kevin Roy by students in a graduate-‐level family and health policy course in the Department of Family Science at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. Doctoral student Laura Golojuch compiled the election guide for dissemination through the University of Maryland Council on Family Relations, a student chapter of the National Council on Family Relations, and the Maryland Family Policy Impact Seminar.

Campus Sexual Assault Naheed Ahmed, MA, MPH

Sexual assault on college campuses has garnered national media attention in recent years, due to survivors and advocates speaking out about their experiences and the lenient treatment of perpetrators (Center for Public Integrity, 2016). As a result of survivors publicizing their experiences and filing Title IX complaints against colleges, the US Department of Education has started investigating colleges accused of mishandling sexual assault cases (US Department of Education, 2011).

Center for Public Integrity. (2016). Sexual Assault on Campus. www.publicintegrity.org/accountability/education/sexual-assault-campus. April 11.

US Department of Education. (2015). Office for Civil Rights: Sexual Harassment Resources. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/sexharassresources.html. October 16, 2015.

Hillary Clinton www.hillaryclinton.com

Donald J. Trump www.donaldjtrump.com

Candidates’ Perspectives

• Provide coordinated andcomprehensive support tosurvivors, including counselingand health care services.

• Ensure transparency and fairnessin campus disciplinaryproceedings and the criminaljustice system for all involved.

• Implement prevention efforts incollege and secondary school,such as sexual violence preventioneducation programs, whichaddress topics such as consent andbystander intervention.

• The position of the RepublicanParty is that sexual assault shouldbe handled by the criminal justicesystem and not college disciplinarybodies. The Republican Party alsostates that Title IX has beenmisinterpreted and does not allowfor the Executive Branch toinvestigate sexual assault oncollege campuses.

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Child CareCatherine Kuhns, MS

According to the Census Bureau, weekly spending on childcare for families with a working mother has almost doubled over the past 30 years1. According to a 2015 report from the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual cost of infant care now exceeds the price of public college tuition in 33 states and the District of Columbia2. Moreover, the cost of childcare is particularly unaffordable for minimum wage workers. As of 2013, for families who paid for childcare, those below the poverty level spent almost four times the percentage of their income on child care as families above the poverty line1.




• Significantly increase the federalgovernment’s investment in childcare subsidies and provide taxrelief for the cost of child care toworking families so no family hasto pay more than 10% if itsincome to child care.

• Create the Respect and IncreasedSalaries for Early ChildhoodEducators (RAISE) initiative tofund and support states and localcommunities that work to increasethe compensation of child careproviders and early educators andprovide equity with kindergartenteachers by investing ineducational opportunities, careerladders, and professional salaries.

• Double the number of childrenserved by Early Head Start–ChildCare Partnership program toprovide comprehensive, full-day,high-quality services to low-income families.

• Increase access to high-qualitychild care on college campuses byincreasing funding for campus-based child care centers and givescholarships of up to $1,500 peryear to students who are parents tohelp pay for child care.

• Rewrite the tax code to allow working parents to deduct from their income taxes childcare expenses for up to four children. The deduction is limited to those earning under $250,000 a year or$500,000 for couples.

• Allow parents to enroll in tax-free dependent care contributions (up to $2,000 per year) to dependent care savings accounts, with a 50 percent federal government match for low-income parents who contribute up to $1,000.

• Provide low-income households an Expanded Earned Income Tax Credit – in the form a Childcare rebate – and a matching $500 contribution for their savings accounts.

• Creating a new market for family-based and community-based solutions by excluding cost of such care from tax if allowed by the state.

• Incentivizing employers to provide childcare at the workplace by allocating the same income tax exclusion allowed to individuals to businesses that contribute to an employees’ cost of childcare.

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1Laughlin, L. (2013). Who’s minding the kids? Child care arrangements: Spring 2011 (Current Population Reports, pp. 70–135). Washington, DC: US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 1, 2016 http://www.census.gov/library/publications/2013/demo/p70-135.html

2Gould, Elise, and Tanyell Cooke. 2015. High quality child care is out of reach for working families. Economic Policy Institute, Issue Brief #404. Retrieved October 1, 2016 http://www.epi.org/publication/child-care-affordability/#epi-toc-9.

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Criminal Justice Kecia L. Ellick, MS

With over twenty-five percent of the total prison population, the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. There are currently more than 2.2 million people serving time in American prisons. Along with rising incarceration costs of nearly $80 billion per year, the U.S. has witnessed gaping racial disparities in arrests, convictions, and sentencing1. These facts along with concerns about inefficient police training and accountability and dwindling trust between American citizens and law enforcement officials highlight the need for commitment to reform of the criminal justice system.



Community / Police Relations

Mass Incarceration

• Supports legislation to end racialprofiling by federal, state, andlocal law enforcement officials torestore trust between communitiesand police.

• Supports providing $1 billion infederal dollars for lawenforcement training programs toaddress implicit bias, racialprofiling, use of force, de-escalation, community policingand problem solving, and crisisintervention.

• Supports providing federal fundsto make body cameras availableto all police departments acrossthe nation

• Argues mandatory minimumsentencing has increased racialinequality in the criminal justicesystem. Supports cuttingmandatory minimums in half fornon-violent drug offenses andeliminate the disparity betweencrack and powder cocainesentencing.

• Supports alternatives toincarcerations for nonviolent, lowlevel drug offenders. Willencourage federal prosecutors toseek treatment for nonviolent

• “Well, one of the things I’d do…is I would do stop-and-frisk,” –Donald Trump, 2016 PresidentialNational Debate2

• Supports automatic sentencingand prison for undocumentedimmigrants for individuals caughtcrossing the border.

• Argues most people with mentalhealth issues are not violent andneed help and wants to expandtreatment programs for thementally ill.

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http://www.hillaryclinton.com

http://www.donaldjtrump.com

Re-entry Programs

drug crimes and ensure law enforcement officers are trained for crisis intervention and referral to treatment for offenders with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

• Argues incarceration of criminalsis the responsibility of thegovernment and should not becontracted to private corporations.Plans to close private prisons andimmigrant detention centers.

• Supports providing $2 billion infederal dollars to reform harshdisciplinary policies, addressdiscriminatory disparities inschool discipline, and implementevidence-based social andemotional support interventions.

• Supports “Ban the box” - Jobswith the federal government andfederal contractors to be able todemonstrate one’s qualificationsbefore being asked about theircriminal record.

• Supports investing $5 billionfederal dollars into job programsfor individuals previouslyincarcerated.

• Supports legislation to restorevoting rights for felons.

• The Republican platformencourages states to provideliteracy and vocational educationto prepare prisoners for releaseinto the community.

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Early and K-12 Education C. Andrew Conway, MSW

Early, primary, and secondary education are vital for today’s students especially considering that three quarters of jobs in the fastest growing fields require some education or training beyond a high school diploma. The United States has less 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool compared to other developed countries and while K-12 education is a guarantee for all, early education is not. Additionally, the United States spends more money per student than other countries on education but has lower achievement rates and higher dropout rates. 1,2



Early Education

• Provide universal preschool toevery 4-year-old through newfederal funding for states thatexpand access to “qualitypreschool”

• Double the investment for EarlyHead Start and the Early HeadStart-Child Care partnerships.

• Addresses increasing access tochild care but no specific policyregarding early education.

K-12Education

• End the “school-to-prisonpipeline’ by providing $2 billion toschool districts to reformdisciplinary practices and improveschool climates. Increase fundingto “School Climate TransformationGrants” from $23 million to $200million

• Increase teacher training aboutrestorative justice and classroomclimate via funding through TitleII and Title IV

• Ensure equal access to educationthrough enforcement of civil rightslaws.

• Modernize and elevate theteaching profession throughincreases in wages and funding forschools to hire specialized supportprofessionals (counselors, socialworkers, school psychologist,community school coordinators)through increased flexibility inTitle I funding

• Propose investing $20 billion inblock grants for school choiceprograms by reprioritizing existingfederal funds.

• Allow use of federal funds tofollow students to public or privateschools. Encourage states toparticipate in this program byprioritizing those with privateschool choice, magnet schools andcharter laws.

• Create a national goal to give allchildren living under povertyaccess to school choice.

• Support merit-pay for teachers.• End the Common Core.

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1 Alden, E., & Strauss, R (2016, Feb). Remedial Education: Federal Education Policy. Retrieved Oct, 2016.

2 Progress in Our Schools | U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved Oct, 2016, from http://www.ed.gov/k-12reforms

• Support rebuilding andmodernizing public schoolthrough the creation of the“Modernize Every School Bond,”doubling the Building AmericaBonds subsidy for schoolrevitalization projects

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Gun Control and Gun Violence1

Laura B. Drew, MPH Gun ownership is one of the most widely debated issues in the United States. The summaries below outline each candidate’s position on gun control and their respective approaches to address gun violence in the United States.

1 All information retrieved from https://www.hillaryclinton.com/ and https://www.donaldjtrump.com/




• Interventions are necessary toreduce gun violence in the U.S.

• The gun industry should be heldaccountable for illegal andirresponsible actions. If gundealers break the law, theirlicenses should be revoked.

• Buying a gun for a personprohibited from owning a gunshould be a federal crime.

• Defend the Second Amendment ofthe U.S. Constitution and defendthe rights of law-abiding gunowners.

• Nominate U.S. Supreme CourtJustice(s) who will uphold theSecond Amendment.

• National right to carry should belegal in all 50 states.

• Increase prosecution of violentcriminals and reintroduceprograms like Project Exile toprosecute gang members and drugdealers. This will make cities andcommunities safer.

Background Checks

• Expand background checks tomore gun sales and shut down gunshow and internet sales loopholes.

• Strengthen our background checksystem and eliminate the“Charleston Loophole,” whichallows licensed dealers to sell afirearm after three business dayseven if the background check hasnot yet been completed on theperson who is purchasing the gun.

• Fix the background check systemso it works as it was originallyintended to.

• The background check systemshould not be expanded. Don’texpand a broken system.

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Mental Illness and Gun Ownership

• Domestic abusers, violentcriminals, and the severelymentally ill should not own guns.

• Close loopholes that allowindividuals with severe mentalillness to purchase and own guns.

• Address gun violence throughimprovements in our mental healthsystem. Expand our treatmentprograms because individuals withmental health problems are notviolent, but they need help.

Gun and Magazine Bans

• Military style weapons should bekept off of our streets.

• The government should not dictatethe types of firearms Americansare allowed to own.

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Health Care Julie M. Fife, MPH

Health is important for personal happiness and well-being, and national economic progress.1 The pursuit of health is significantly influenced by how well a health system optimizes cost, quality and access. The 2016 Presidential candidates differ in their approach to optimize the health care system. Central to their debate is the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).2 Since the implementation of the ACA:

• “The average family premium has increased an average of 4.7 percent per year, compared to 7.9percent from 2000 to 2010 – a 40 percent reduction in growth.

• Medicare spent $473 billion less from 2009 to 2014 than it would have if spending trendscontinued at pre-ACA rates.

• Consumers now have access to free preventive services, and their plans now have limits on out-of-pocket costs and no annual or lifetime limits on coverage.

• Consumers now have access to free preventive services, and their plans now have limits on out-of-pocket costs and no annual or lifetime limits on coverage.

• Hospital readmissions dropped in 49 states plus the District of Columbia since 2010.• Medicare beneficiaries avoided about 100,000 readmissions just in 2015, compared to if

readmissions had stayed constant at 2010 rates.• During the first quarter of 2016 the national uninsured rate fell to a record low of 8.6 percent.”3



• Bring down out-of-pocket costs like copaysand deductibles. American families arebeing squeezed by rising out-of-pockethealth care costs.

• Reduce the cost of prescriptiondrugs. Prescription drug spendingaccelerated from 2.5 percent in 2013 to12.6 percent in 2014.

• Protect consumers from unjustifiedprescription drug price increases fromcompanies that market long-standing, life-saving treatments and face little or nocompetition.

• Offer new enforcement tools that makedrug alternatives available and increase

• Repeal and replace Obamacare with HealthSavings Accounts (HSAs)

• Work with Congress to create a patient-centered health care system that promoteschoice, quality, and affordability.

• Work with states to establish high-risk poolsto ensure access to coverage for individualswho have not maintained continuouscoverage.

• Allow people to purchase insurance acrossstate lines, in all 50 states, creating a dynamicmarket.

1 WHO | Health and development. (n.d.). Retrieved October 07, 2016, from http://www.who.int/hdp/en/ 2 KFF | Snapshot of Where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Stand on Seven Health Care Issues. (16, October 6) Retrieved October 07, 2016, from http://kff.org/health-‐reform/issue-‐brief/snapshot-‐of-‐where-‐hillary-‐clinton-‐and-‐donald-‐trump-‐stand-‐on-‐seven-‐health-‐care-‐issues/#reprohealth3 US.HHS. (16, September 14) New data show major improvements in health care access, affordability, andquality under the Affordable Care Act. Retrieved October 7, 16, fromhttps://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2016/09/14/new-‐data-‐show-‐major-‐improvements-‐health-‐care-‐access-‐affordability-‐and-‐quality-‐under-‐affordable-‐care

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competition, broaden emergency access to high-quality treatments from developed countries with strong safety standards, and hold drug companies accountable for unjustified price increases with new penalties.

• Defend the Affordable Care Act, whichcovers 20 million people, and expand itthrough the creation of a public option.

• Allow people over 55 years old buy intoMedicare.

• Incentivize states to expand Medicaid—andmake enrollment through Medicaid and theAffordable Care Act easier.

• Expand access to affordable health care tofamilies regardless of immigration status

• Expand access to rural Americans, whooften have difficulty finding quality,affordable health care.

• Make more health care providers eligiblefor telehealth reimbursement underMedicare and other programs, includingfederally qualified health centers and ruralhealth clinics.

• Defend access to reproductive health care.• Ensure that all women have access to

preventive care, affordable contraception,and safe and legal abortion.

• Double funding for primary care atcommunity health centers, and support thehealthcare workforce.

• Triple size of the National Health ServiceCorps.

• Maximize flexibility for states via blockgrants so that local leaders candesign innovative Medicaid programs thatwill more appropriately serve their low-income citizens.

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Higher Education Ashley Pantaleao, MA

Total student debt in our economy now exceeds $1.2 trillion.1 69% of new graduates of four-year colleges are in debt and carry an average balance of nearly $30,000.2 Tuition has risen 40% in the last ten years at four-year public colleges and universities, after inflation, while family incomes have remained basically flat. As of March 2014, unemployment rate of workers under age 25 was 14.5%, slightly over twice as high as the overall unemployment rate, 6.7 percent.3

1. Chopra, R. (2013). Student Debt Swells, Federal Loans Now Top a Trillion. Retrieved September 27th,2016, from http://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/student- debt-swells-federal-loans-now-top-a-trillion/




• Refinancing student loans at current rateswith estimated saving of $2,000 over thelife of the loan. Borrowers will be able toenroll in income-based repayment at nomore than 10 percent of monthly income.College debt will be forgiven after 20years. Employers will contribute tostudent debt relief by creating a payrolldeduction portal for employers andemployees that will simplify therepayment process. Relief from debt forstarting a business or social enterprisewith loans being deferred for up to threeyears. Teachers in high-need areas willget enhanced loan forgiveness. Expandsupport for student-parents, including afifteen-fold increase in federal fundingfor on-campus child care.

• Updates to the New College Compactwill allow families with income up to$125,000 to pay no tuition at 4- yearpublic colleges and universities withinthe next four years. Colleges anduniversities will be accountable forreining in tuition costs. Students will beexpected to work 10 hours a week to helpdefray the full cost of attendance. Stateswill have to commit to reinvestment andreform over the next four years andbeyond to ensure that federal support isfunding students and not excessive costgrowth.

• Need to work with Congress onreforms to ensure universities aremaking a good faith effort to reducethe cost of college and student debtin exchange for the federal tax breaksand tax dollars.

• Ensure that the opportunity to attenda two or four-year college, or topursue a trade or a skill-set throughvocational and technical education,will be easier to access, pay for, andfinish.

• “We have to ensure that jobs arewaiting for our young kids when they graduate high school and college.”

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https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/08/10/college-compact-costs/

2. Institute For College Access and Success. Student Debt And The Class of 2014 10th Annual Report.Retrieved September 27th, 2016, http://ticas.org/posd/home3. Shierholz, H. Davis, A., & Kimball, W. (2014). The Class of 2014: The Weak Economy Is Idling TooMany Young Graduates. Retrieved September 27th, 2016, http://www.epi.org/publication/class-of-2014/

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Immigration H. Shawn Kim, MS, M Div

According to the United Nations, the U.S. is the leading destination for international migrants— approximately 20% of the world’s international migrants reside in the U.S.1 Nearly 13% of the U.S. population is foreign-born2, and 24% of children in the U.S. have at least one parent who was foreign-born3. Needless to say, issues regarding immigration have a significant impact on the U.S. society. In addition, illegal immigration is an issue that has caused much social debate in the U.S. as it affects homeland security, economy, and families with members of mixed immigration status. There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., 52% of whom are from Mexico4.

1 United Nations. (2013). International Migration Report 2013. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/migration/migration-report-2013.shtml

2 United States Census Bureau (2012). The foreign-born population in the United States: 2010. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acs-19.pdf

3 Annie E. Casey Foundation, KIDS COUNT Data Center. (2012). Retrieved from http://datacenter.kidscount.org 4 Pew Research Center. (2016). 5 facts about illegal immigration in the U.S. Retrieved from

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/20/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/



Enforcement of Immigration Laws/ National Security

• Create Immigration enforcement that is humane, targeted, and effective.

• Protect families such as parents of DREAMers, those with a history of service and contribution to their communities, or those who experience extreme labor violations to make their case and be eligible for deferred action

• Focus resources on detaining and deporting individuals who pose a violent threat to public safety, and ensure refugees who seek asylum have a fair chance to tell their stories.

• End family detention for parents and children who arrive at our border in desperate situations and close private immigrant detention centers

• Create a national Office of Immigrant Affairs to support affordable integration services and significantly increase federal resources for adult English language education and citizenship education

• Expand fee waivers to alleviate naturalization costs, and increase outreach and education to help navigate the process

• Expand access to affordable health care to all families (regardless of immigration status) through ACA exchanges.

• Build a wall on the southern border and have Mexico pay for the construction of the wall.

• Ensure that anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country. No catch-and-release.

• Triple the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

• Remove all criminal aliens through joint operations with local, state, and federal law enforcement

• Eliminate sanctuary cities across U.S.• Ensure that other countries take their people

back when deported.• Ensure that a biometric entry-exit visa

tracking system is fully implemented at all land, air, and sea ports.

• Suspend the issuance of visas to any place where adequate screening cannot occur, until proven and effective vetting mechanisms can be put into place.

• Turn off the jobs and benefits magnet by ensuring the use of E-verify and eliminating access to welfare programs by households headed by undocumented immigrants.

• Reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers

Obama’s Amnesty Executive Orders (DACA & DAPA)

• Defend Obama’s executive actions and constantly work to pass DAPA

• Immediately terminate President Obama’s two executive amnesties.

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LGBTQ Rights Yuki Lama, MPH

According to estimates from the 2014 American Community Survey, there were 334,829 same-sex married households and 448,271 same-sex unmarried partner households in the United States, accounting for 0.29% and 0.36% of total households, respectively. Since the Supreme Court ruling allowed same-sex marriages to be legal nationwide in 2015, there has been continued discussion on discrimination based on sexual orientation, with focus on religious freedom laws.

1 https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-‐releases/fact-‐sheet-‐donald-‐j.-‐trumps-‐new-‐child-‐care-‐plan 2 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-‐text-‐donald-‐trumps-‐2016-‐republican-‐national-‐convention/story?id=40786529 3 https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-‐releases/donald-‐j.-‐trump-‐addresses-‐terrorism-‐immigration-‐and-‐national-‐security 4 https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-‐releases/issues-‐of-‐importance-‐to-‐catholics 5 https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/12/17/fighting-‐for-‐full-‐equality/ 6 https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/lgbt-‐equality/



Marriage Equality and Discrimination with LGBTQ Rights

• Work on passing Every ChildDeserves a Family Act, whichprohibits federally funded childwelfare agencies fromdiscriminating against potentialfoster or adoptive families on thebasis of sexual orientation,gender identity, or maritalstatus5.

• Work on passing Equality Actwhich includes protections thatban discrimination on the basisof sexual orientation and genderidentity6.

• Plans to oppose religiousfreedom laws such asMississippi’s, House Bill 1523,Indiana’s Religious FreedomRestoration Act and NorthCarolina’s House Bill 2.

• Supports same sex couples toreceive same proposed child carebenefits as heterosexual couples1

• Publicly announced support forprotecting LGBTQ group fromviolence during acceptancespeech2 and press release3

• Plans to sign First AmendmentDefense Act which protectsreligious beliefs of those whooppose same-sex marriage4

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Mental Health Laura A. Golojuch, MS, LGMFT

Almost 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness in a given year. Mental illnesses are often associated with other comorbid disorders, such as substance use disorder and chronic illnesses like diabetes and ashtma. Many barriers remain to accessing adequate mental health care for those who need it.

1 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (2016). Mental health by the numbers. Retrieved from http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers.

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2011). CDC report: Mental illness surveillance among adults in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealthsurveillance/fact_sheet.html.




• Main goal: to put the treatment ofmental health on par with physicalhealth by integrating thehealthcare system and caring forthe “whole person”

• End stigma associated with mentalhealth issues and treatment

• Promote early diagnosis andintervention

• Invest in scientific research formental health and developtreatment that works

• “Enforce mental health parity tothe full extent of the law”

• Create initiatives for suicideprevention

• Develop community-basedtreatment programs and train lawenforcement officers in crisisintervention

• Prioritize mental health treatmentover jail time

• Increase access to housing andjobs for those with mentalillnesses and disabilities

• Believes mental health care is inneed of reform

• Believes families lack tools andinformation about mental health tohelp their loved ones

• Promotes bi-partisan support ofreforms being developed inCongress

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1

2

Paid Family Leave Shy C. Porter, MS

One of new parents’ primary concerns in the workplace is their ability to take time off of work to welcome their new family member without risk of losing salary. Paid family leave mandates offer working adults the flexibility to take time off to care for a newborn and/or ill family members. The Family Medical Leave Act guarantees employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with their jobs guaranteed upon their return1. Currently, there is no federal mandate guaranteeing paid leave to employees who request time off to attend to a newborn, an ill family member, or their own health conditions.

1 https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave/fmla




• Guarantees up to twelve (12)weeks of paid family and medicalleave for new mothers and fathers.

• Permits the twelve (12) weeks ofleave to be used to care for a newchild, seriously ill family member,or the employees’ own serioushealth condition.

• Adults who take leave are paid upto 2/3 of their current wages.

• Plans for the paid family leave tobe funded by increased taxes onthe wealthy.

• Stipulates that no additional costswould be imposed on businessesof any size.

• Plans to amend mandatorycompany unemployment insuranceto include six (6) weeks of paidfamily leave for new mothers.Fathers are ineligible toparticipate.

• Plans to fund the mandate throughunemployment benefits formothers whose employers do notoffer paid family leave.

• Stipulates that paid leave is onlyapplicable to mothers who arecaring for a new child. It does notinclude ill family members.

• The percentage of income to bereceived while on leave,unspecified.

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Sexual- and Gender Identity-based Discrimination Samuel H. Allen, MS, LGMFT

Though much legal progress has been made for LGBT people in the past decade, 31 states (62%) still do not require employers to include sexual orientation or gender identity as part of their anti- discrimination policies. Furthermore, akin to recent state legislation attempting to mandate individuals to use restrooms aligning exclusively with their biological sex, transgender discrimination is rampant: 90% of transgender

adults report experiencing harassment, mistreatment, or discrimination in the workplace. Additionally, an alarming 41% of transgender adults have attempted suicide.1

Hillary Clinton (D) www.hillaryclinton.com

Donald Trump (R) www.donaldtrump.com

www.gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform

Candidates’ Perspectives • Work with Congress topass The Equality Act,which adds genderidentity and sexualorientation to the list ofprotected classes,including employment

• Guarantee the Obama’sAdministration’s issuednondiscriminationprotections for LGBTpeople employed by thefederal government andfederal contractors

• Support efforts toinclude gender identityand sexual orientation ascomponents of sex-based discrimination infederal workplaces andinstitutions

• No informationavailable

• The RepublicanPlatform states that theparty “empathicallysupports the original,authentic meaning” ofTitle IX’s non-discrimination policy inthe workplace,” whichexcludes discriminationbased on both sexual- and gender-identity

• The Republic Partysupports currentlegislation (The FristAmendment DefenseAct) that barsgovernmentdiscrimination againstbusinesses orindividuals who declineto offer services topeople because of theirreligious views onmarriage and the family

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http://www.donaldtrump.com

http://www.gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform

http://www.gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform

Transgender-Specific Discrimination

• Require the U.S.Department of Justice tocollect gender identitydata for victims ofcrimes

• Encourage jurisdictionsto improve reports ofhate crime data based onvictims’ actual orperceived genderidentity

• Ensure both federalgovernment and statesengage in “bestpractices” in allowingindividuals to changetheir gender marker onidentificationdocuments to reflecttheir gender identity andnot their natal sex

• Invest in lawenforcement trainingfocusing on implicitbias, use of force, de-escalation, and fair andimpartial policing ininteracting with theLGBT community, inparticular transgenderindividuals

• No informationprovided

• The word “transgender”is not mentioned oneither Mr. Trump’s orthe Republican Party’sPlatform

1 The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, Executive Summary: http://www.thetaskforce.org/static_html/downloads/reports/reports/ntds_full.pdf

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1. About VHA. Veterans Health Administration. http://www.va.gov/health. Accessed October 13, 2016.2. Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.; Pub. L. No. 113-146; 2014:201(a).3. Commission on Care. Final Report. Washington, DC; 2016.

Veterans Health Jessica Gleason, MPH

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), responsible for providing health service to American veterans, serves 8.76 million veterans at more than 1,700 care sites across the nation.1 Over the years, a number of scandals surrounding the VHA have emerged regarding appointment delays and inconsistency across facilities, which prompted passage of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.2 This act required independent committees to assess the system and provide recommendations for VHA reform.3 This section provides information on the candidates’ policy ideas for VHA reform.




• Supports veterans’ health carereform so that veterans receivehigh quality care that is availablein a timely, accessible manner.Reform should create a widerrange of services in moreaccessible locations, and veteransshould no longer have to waitexcessively for appointments anddisability claims.

• Demands better accountabilityfrom VA leadership to ensureveterans don’t get lost in aninefficient system. Modernize theVA to make its structure moreveteran-centric.

• Opposes privatization becauseveterans have unique health careneeds that may not be fulfilled byproviders outside the VA healthcare system.

• Believes the VA should improvecare for women, end veteransuicide, and continue to treat the“invisible wounds” of war, whichinclude PTSD and toxicexposures.

• Wants to ensure veterans receivetimely care in any geographiclocation, while encounteringminimal bureaucracy. Wait timesfor appointments should beminimized.

• Supports reform of theadministrative structure of the VA,including firing current executiveswho have failed to carry out theirduties, passing legislation to allowthe Secretary of the VA todiscipline and terminate employeeswho fail to protect veterans, andcreating an extensive whistle-blowing and complaint program toensure complaints are heard andaddressed.

• Promotes the choice of veterans toseek care from any privateprovider or from the VA to ensuretimely access to care.

• Believes in holistic care of theveteran, including addressing“invisible wounds” by providingaccess to more mental healthproviders, both within the VA andthe private sector. Femaleveterans’ needs should be bettermet.

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Women’s Health Nina Omeaku, JD, MPH

The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was established in 1991 “to improve the health of American women by advancing and coordinating a comprehensive women's health agenda throughout HHS to address health care prevention and service delivery, research, public and health care professional education, and career advancement for women in the health professions and in scientific careers.” With the vision that all women and girls are able to achieve their best possible health, OWH aims to 1) inform and advance policies; 2) educate the public; 3) educate professionals; and 4) support model programs.



Abortion • Senator Clinton is pro-choice.

• Senator Clinton has stated shewill stand with PlannedParenthood and stop thedefunding the organization,which would restrict millions ofwomen’s access to critical healthcare services, like cancerscreenings, contraception, andsafe, legal abortion

• Mr. Trump is pro-life with exceptions – similar to Ronald Reagan (rape, incest and life of the mother).

• Mr. Trump has stated that if Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb.

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i Retrieved on October 2, 2016 from http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/15/health/trump-contraceptives-without-prescription/.

Contraception • Senator Clinton aims to repealthe Hyde amendment to ensurelow-income women have accessto safe reproductive health care.

• Senator Clinton vows to defendaccess to reproductive healthcare. Hillary will work to ensurethat all women have access topreventive care, affordablecontraception, and safe and legalabortion

• Mr. Trump has stated thatcontraceptives should be availablewithout a prescription. i

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the way we vote influences our opportunities, · the way we vote influences our opportunities,...

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