Platform
COVID-19 Plan
COVID-19 demands an urgent response, especially as it continues to impact us here in Delaware. Marie works as a social worker in a hospital and sees every day the impact COVID-19 has on our families.
As your state senator Marie will advocate for:
- A Medicaid buy-in option to ensure that every Delawarean has access to affordable healthcare.
- An emergency paid leave policy so working people avoid having to choose between a paycheck and the health of our communities
- Supporting older adults and those concerned about COVID-19 by ensuring all health care workers and assisted living staff have personal protective equipment.
Healthcare
Marie is currently a caregiver within the healthcare system. Prior to that she worked with youth who were balancing substance abuse and mental health concerns. Through these experiences she has witnessed the shortcomings of both public and private insurance companies. Marie has also seen how the efforts of healthcare agencies in the state have been able to yield terrific outcomes through cooperation with insurance agencies. Still in 2017, it was estimated that over 70,000 adults throughout the state of Delaware had no form of health insurance.
Delaware faces many challenges when discussing healthcare. In this state, deaths due to drug overdoses, or poisonings, have continued to rise. Further, when we exam long-term and specialty care it is evident that there is a worsening shortage of long-term and specialty care workers and services that are able to meet the needs of our older adults and residents suffering from specific health concerns including Spinal Cord Injuries, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and more. Since 2003, the overall occupancy rates for private nursing homes in all three Delaware counties has hovered near 90 percent. Families are struggling to find and afford services.
As your state senator Marie will:
- Create a Medicaid Buy-In option
- Revitalize and increase available inpatient and outpatient options for substance abuse treatment and
- Increase access to life saving drugs such as Narcan
- Expand treatment options for special needs services
Youth Services
Marie was raised in Delaware during a time when it was typical for teens to enjoy an evening at one of the skate centers or the Christiana Mall on most Friday and Saturday evenings. Unfortunately, those options have been severely limited over the last decade. We know that when children do not have opportunities for safe fun or jobs they are more likely to make poor decisions.
In 2016, the U.S. D.O.J Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Program ranked Delaware well above national rates in regards to juvenile arrests for aggravated assault, robbery, larceny, drug abuse, and weapons. We can turn this around by increasing and improving the services and opportunities available to the youth in Delaware.
The early college and middle college high school models allow students to earn an Associate’s degree or significant college credit before they reach their high school graduations. We must ensure that our youth are supported by flooding the systems that come into contact with them with the support they need.
As your state senator Marie will:
- Introduce middle and early college bridge programs
- Improve support services and funding for state foster care agencies and families throughout the state
- Fund public schools based on organizational need
- Bring an end to the “Youth & Training Wage” that exploits young workers.
- Focus on the reduction and ultimately end of youth homelessness
Gun Violence
Marie, like most Delawareans, knows several people who have either lost their lives or loved ones to gun violence. In the last three years there have been over 500 shootings in Delaware, with more than 130 of those shootings resulting in death. Delaware’s 150th General Assembly worked tirelessly to draft legislation that would introduce simple yet effective gun reform in the state. However, similar to what has occurred within the U.S. Senate these simple yet effective bills were held in committee. The 13th district’s current representation intentionally withheld the process of obtaining a Senate vote on these bills. We have established that not only as a state but also a nation we agree on the need for effective gun reform.
As your state senator Marie will:
- Introduce a waiting period to obtain a firearm after the initial purchase period
- Expand effective evidenced-based community policing programs
Environmental Justice
We must save the planet! It is as simple as that. Marie believes we must not only transition Delaware into a green state but we must ensure environmental justice for all residents while doing so. Environmental justice ensures that all people receive fair allocation of environmental advantages and burdens. We often see the most vulnerable populations being placed at higher risk for environmental burdens. In the 13th district resides who reside in the New Castle area experienced this firsthand in 2018 when a huge gas toxic gas leak occurred due to a malfunction at Croda. Environmental Justice will result in improved health and wellness outcomes for Delaware residents.
Transitioning to a green state will create sustainability within the environment and the economy. The steps to developing sustainability will create new employment opportunities for Delaware residents. Some states have found that every dollar invested in environmental efficiency returns at minimum $2 in net economic benefits.
As your state senator Marie will:
- Advocate for a Green New Deal in Delaware that will bring jobs and sustainability statewide
- Ensure the provision of clean drinking water statewide
