For Immediate Release: August 29, 2001

DEBI ROSE HIGHLIGHTS HER PLATFORM ON WOMEN AND YOUTH ISSUES : “Provide a Voice for Women and Children”

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — 49^th District (North Shore) New York City Council Candidate Debi Rose today highlighted her strong record and experience on behalf of women and youth on Staten Island. Ms. Rose hosted her press conference at Baby Boomers Academy, a full service daycare center, located in St. George.

“Today I hope to provide a voice for the sometimes unheard members of our community – women and children,” she stated. “For the past twenty years I have been a leading advocate for woman and youth services on Staten Island. I am outlining today a platform that will be the center of my service in the City Council,” she continued.

Child-Care

“As I stand here today I can think of no more important a responsibility of a society than raising our children,” Ms. Rose stated. “We must provide access to adequate daycare services for those parents who need it, particularly for single mothers and public assistance recipients with federal term limits fast approaching,” she continued. “As a member the board of the Staten Island Mental Health Society I fought for an additional 80 Head Start seats on the North Shore of Staten Island. As a former parent leader of the Whitney Young Daycare Center I have personal experience with the City’s daycare system and would seek to improve its operation. I would advocate for additional funding of seats, to assist parents in transition from welfare to work.”

Ms. Rose's platform on women's issues and youth issues includes:

• Support the allocation of already budgeted capital funds for repair of childcare centers and construction of new facilities in the City and on Staten Island
• Support extension of State & City benefits without lapse and without need for reapplication for those still showing need for assistance.
• Require skills assessment and training for recipients to provide meaningful opportunity for employment.
• Utilize and train recipients in high need job placements areas, including child, health and home care services.

Health Care Services

“As an active member of the American Cancer Society - Women’s Breast Partnership and founder of the Staten Island Black Women’s Health Initiative, a resource service that informs and advises the community on breast cancer and the free health care services available to women, I have shown my commitment to women's health issues,” Ms. Rose stated.

“Recent published reports have highlighted the need for more breast cancer screening and mammograms in the City and on Staten Island,” Ms. Rose said. “Staten Island is at a distinct disadvantage because there are no public facilities providing cervical, breast cancer screening and mammograms, particularly for low-income people and communities of color which tend to suffer from a lack of early detection and access to primary care. Therefore I am calling upon the City and Health and Hospital Corporation to expand the cervical and breast cancer screening services it provides to Staten Island, including seeking to increase the reimbursement rate for mammograms,” she continued.

In other health-related issues, Ms. Rose indicated her support for:

• reproductive freedom for women, including government funding of reproductive services and health education; and
• police protection for clinics providing reproductive health services and for their patients.

Gender Equality

“Unfortunately women still suffer from discrimination and harassment in their professional careers, in schools and even at home,” Ms. Rose stated. “We must provide a strong voice that this conduct will not be practiced or tolerated by our government,” she continued. “Therefore I support the following measures:

• Passage of the ERA and full support for legal affirmative action programs for women in education, employment and contracting opportunities with the City of New York.
• Support for enforcement of gender anti-discrimination laws by the City’s Human Rights Commission.
• Providing mentoring and guidance programs for young women, including Girl Scouts, Take Your Daughter to Work.
• Creating entrepreneurial programs for young women to become business owners and employers.

Youth / Children

“In both my professional and civic life, I have demonstrated concern for the Island’s youth. For 11 years I was a member of the Community Board #1’s Youth Service Planning Committee where I helped evaluate and approve many services for North Shore youth. In addition, I have served on several youth-related community-based organizations, including the Education and Youth Committee of the NY Urban League – Staten Island Branch, You Participate in Solutions (YPIS) and the Staten Island Children’s Museum,” Ms. Rose continued. “As Executive Director of the Liberty Partnerships Program for the past 11 years I have navigated over 2,100 intermediate and high school at risk students through to graduation, providing tutoring, counseling, and mentoring services, advocating for parental involvement and building public and private partnerships." Based on these experiences, Ms. Rose proposed the following youth related programs:

• Provide a budget increase for Department of Youth and Community Development for funding for at least one additional Beacon After-School program in the Council District in the Port Richmond/Mariner’s Harbor/Arlington section.
• Restore funding for youth coordinator positions at the Community Board level.
• Insure implementation and completion of the Mariner’s Harbor Library.
• Provide capital funding for additional Public Libraries, including expansion of Stapleton Library and a new Rosebank facility.

Today, Ms. Rose accepted the endorsement of We’re On the Move for Equality Now Political Action Committee (WOMEN PAC), created in November 2000 to support candidates with progressive agendas on women issues in the New York City 2001 elections. In addition, Ms. Rose received the endorsements of, Katina Johnstone, 2000 Democratic Candidate for Congress (13^th – S.I./Bklyn), and Una Clarke, Coucilwoman, (40^th CD, Brooklyn).

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