on the issues
Fixing Our Mental Health Crisis
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It’s what happens when people live paycheck to paycheck. One illness. One surprise bill. One termination notice away from financial ruin.
They are the people I see and treat every day as a mental health professional.
A lot of the mental health issues we face are driven by economic anxiety.
Constant worry about finances lead to clinical anxiety disorders.
Financial hardships, even short term, lead to feelings of hopelessness and acute depression.
Stress from financial worries often lead to high blood pressure and heart disease, which compound mental health challenges.
One way to fix our mental health problems in Florida is by fixing the porous holes in our safety net, unemployment benefits, health care, and housing assistance.
There are other measures:
Increase funding for mental and emotional health services, and requiring health insurance companies to increase access to mental health care.
Enhance workforce development training to help the underemployed and underpaid develop jobs skills
Expanding Telehealth and Telepsychiatry for those who can be helped with remote care.
Embedding mental health professionals in primary care settings to facilitate early detection and intervention.
We will not improve mental health services in Florida unless we have a Governor serious about doing it.
I am.
I will.
Create First-Rate Public Schools
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The reason we don’t have them is because we too often refuse to invest in keeping first-rate teachers, counselors and educators.
Our future depends on a talented workforce. All high school graduates should be able to go to college/technical school, get a good paying job or join the military.
My Plan:
Equalize the funding formula so that no school is left behind. There are serious inequities between rural schools and their urban and suburban counterparts. No child should be deprived of a quality education because their parents live in rural Florida.
Raise Teachers Salaries. Florida ranks 50th out of all U.S. states in average teacher salaries. It’s an insult to hard-working teachers and our children.
Enhance Teacher Recruitment and Retention. Because Florida ranks at the bottom in teachers salaries, we’ve been losing some of our best and brightest to classrooms in other states. Measures should include signing bonuses for new hires, tuition assistance, loan forgiveness and relocation stipends for teachers willing to teach in rural schools.
Demand Accountability. In return for more investments in public schools, taxpayers should expect improved performance; high school graduates with a demonstrated command of math, science, reading, writing and technical skills necessary to thrive in todays workplace.
Better Access to Affordable Child Care
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There are implications for Florida and working families. According to the Florida Policy Institute, the dearth of childcare facilities costs the state’s economy nearly $7 Billion annually in lost in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue. The average annual cost of childcare costs families $8,700, nearly 10% of the median income for married couples and 26% of a single mother’s income.
My Plan:
Increase Child Care Subsidies and Expand Eligibility. Although Florida offers some help, the waitlists to enroll are long, the help meager and the income restrictions too stringent.
Extending hours of Universal Pre-K and Early Childhood Education programs.
Raise the Wages of Child Care Providers and provide subsidies to entrepreneurs willing to open and operate Child Care facilities.
Offer Tax Incentives to Companies to provide on-site Child Care or Subsidize Employee Care Costs.
Affordable Healthcare for Working Families
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In fact, it is one of the worst states in America to get sick.
*We are one of 10 states in the nation that refuses to participate in the federal Medicaid program.
*Private health insurance is more expensive than other states.
*Floridians who live in rural areas suffer from an acute shortage of doctors and medical providers.
We need a Governor willing to fight for the Working Class.
My Plan:
Join the Federal Medicaid Program, Expand Coverage
Almost 3 million Floridians have no health insurance, one of the highest uninsured rates in the country. With the stroke of a pen, we can join the Federal Medicaid program and provide what should be a basic human right to untold number of working-class Floridians and their children.
Better Regulate Insurance Premiums and Out‑of‑Pocket Costs
Why does private health insurance cost more in Florida than states with higher costs of living? Lack of competition. Lack of regulation. Plus, when the sick and uninsured end up in emergency rooms, it leads to higher costs for health care providers, who in turn raise rates on premiums and out-of-pocket costs on those with insurance.
Beef up the Provider Network In Rual Florida.
Millions living in rural Florida must endure long trips for routine medical care or hospital stays.
We can fix this by:
Expanding high-speed internet for telemedicine, virtual consultations and remote monitoring.
Deploying mobile clinics to provide preventive care, routine screenings, and management of chronic conditions.
Offering competitive salaries, signing bonuses, and student loan forgiveness to doctors, nurses, and health professionals to live and work in rural areas.
Increase the number of doctors, nurses, and health professionals in Florida. We already have a severe shortage of qualified medical professionals in rural areas. Given our growing population, the shortage will soon become acute absent foresighted leadership.
A Path to Better Jobs, High Wages
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Its use will grow because it allows people and companies to become exponentially more productive. It will also disrupt the marketplace and cost some Floridians their jobs.
State Government needs to step up to the plate and be ready to assist those who are negatively impacted by technology.
It is also in Florida’s interest to help those who are underemployed or stuck in low-wage jobs to scale the ladder of prosperity.
We have the infrastructure in place to do it, including CareerSource Florida Network, the Career and Adult Education program at the Department of Education, and OIC in South Florida.
My Plan:
Expand the number of Workforce Development Training Centers so that all Floridians have access to in-person training.
Collaborate with Industries that employ large numbers of workers to help them train/retrain workers to improve employee productivity, including healthcare, technology, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing.
Enlist the Help of Chambers of Commerce and their members to assess workforce skills needed in their communities, and how to recruit talent in areas with labor shortages.
Work with local governments and community organizations to conduct outreach and marketing campaigns that inform residents about available training opportunities.
making car insurance affordable and fair
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Currently Florida has the 4th highest car insurance rates in the U.S.. In 2015, the average annual premium was approximately $1,742. By 2025, projections indicate that the average annual premium for full coverage will reach around $3,484. This represents an increase of about $1,742 over the decade.
My Plan:
1. Crack Down on Fraud & Litigation Abuse
• Insurance fraud and excessive lawsuits drive up costs. Strengthening anti-fraud measures, increasing penalties for staged accidents, and limiting attorney fees in minor claims could lower premiums.
• Expanding the state’s fraud detection unit and partnering with insurers to investigate fraudulent claims could also help
2. Address Uninsured Drivers
• Florida has one of the highest uninsured driver rates (nearly 20%), which raises costs for insured drivers.
• Enforcing stronger penalties for uninsured motorists or offering state-backed affordable insurance plans for low-income drivers could reduce uninsured rates.
3 . Encourage More Insurance Competition
• Attracting more insurance providers to Florida through regulatory incentives and reduced bureaucracy could increase competition and lower rates.
• Consider offering tax incentives or reducing excessive regulatory burdens on insurers.
4. Review and Adjust State-Mandated Coverages
• Florida requires relatively high coverage limits, which increases costs.
• Reviewing these mandates and allowing drivers more flexibility in choosing coverage levels could help lower premiums
5. Address Rising Vehicle Repair & Medical Costs
•Exploring cost-control measures for vehicle repairs and medical expenses related to accident claims could help reduce claim payouts, lowering premiums