New Jersey’s 36y Legislative District, which includes South Bergen County and the City of Passaic, is represented in the Assembly by two committed Disability Advocates. Gary Schaer and Marlene Caride have a long history of fighting for the rights of children and adults with disabilities in the schools, housing, employment, health care and community acquiescence.
Disability Advocacy Associates
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Disability Advocacy Associates Charter Members: Dr. Salvatore
Pizzuro, Ed.D., LL.M.- New Jersey/ Carole Sevely, M.B.A., LL.M. -
New York/ Stacy Edgcombe Coleman, M.A., LL.M. Michigan/Frank Rusch,
Ph.D. of Pennsylvania State UniversityJune 8, 2015Newsletter (TWO)
PAGES
Schaer and Caride Continue the fight for the Rights of New
Jerseyans with Disabilities by Salvatore Pizzuro
New Jerseys 36y Legislative District, which includes South
Bergen County and the City of Passaic, is represented in the
Assembly by two committed Disability Advocates. Gary Schaer and
Marlene Caride have a long history of fighting for the rights of
children and adults with disabilities in the schools, housing,
employment, health care and community acquiescence.
In 2014, Assembly members Schaer and Caride served as Primary
Sponsors of a bill to protect children with developmental
disabilities from abuse and negelect. The bill would improve
protections for children with developmental disabilities in
institutions and provides for increased transparency of
investigations conducted in connection with allegations of child
abuse. In addition, the bill would improve protections for children
with developmental disabilities in institutions and provides for
increased transparency of investigations conducted in connection
with allegations of child abuse.
In 2012, Assemblywoman Caride served as a primary sponsor of a
bill that would provide safety measures for wheelchair bound
individuals who ride in vehicles owned by public entities. Carides
bill was designed to require a private entity which is primarily
engaged in the business of providing transportation for passengers
in wheelchairs to secure, or cause to be secured, any passenger in
a wheelchair using a properly adjusted and fastened four-point
securement system. A four-point securement system is defined as a
complete four-point system that includes: (1) four wheelchair
restraints to secure a wheelchair to the vehicle floor; (2)
occupant securements; (3) a lap and shoulder belt that integrates
to the rear wheelchair restraints; and (4) floor anchorages
installed in the vehicle floor. The private entity is also required
to secure unoccupied wheelchairs.
Protection from abuse and neglect has also been a hallmark of
Carides policy on disability issues. As part of those efforts,the
Assemblywoman served as a primary sponsor of a bill that would
require case managers to include information pertaining to the care
and safety of the individual with a developmental disability,
including, but not limited to, personal hygiene and grooming,
nutritional and clothing needs, overall sanitary and living
conditions of the community residence for the developmentally
disabled, and the general well-being of the individual with a
developmental disability.
As the Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, Schaer has taken
the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities to task on
the allocation of public dollars for disability-related
programs.
As the Vice-Chair of the
Committeesjavascript:ShowCommittee('ACE') on Financial Institutions
and Insurance and the Transportation and Independent Authorities,
as well as the New Jersey Intergovernmental Relations Commission,
Caride has demonstrated a critical response to emerging disability
issues. As part of that initiative, both legislators have developed
strong relations with parents and family members, caregivers and
advocates.Schaer and Caride will continue to provide a voice for
voiceless individuals.
