Barbara Mullen is the Democratic candidate for Broome County’s 5th district in the Broome County Legislature. Mullen is an adjunct lecturer at Binghamton University’s College of Community and Public Affairs and works for United Health Services (UHS) Home Care at Twin Tier Home Health as a social worker.

1. Why should students and young people across Broome County vote for you?

“I have worked for [UHS Home Care at Twin Tier Home Health] for the last nine years and visited over 800 homes throughout Broome County, including Vestal. As the team social worker, it is my job to ensure that our homebound patients have the services they need to recuperate safely at home. Working directly with senior citizens, veterans and the disabled, I am familiar with their needs and the needs of their caregivers. As a school social worker for many years, I have been working directly with students, teachers, parents and community organizations to reduce the barriers to academic achievement. Also, I have worked closely with the social work program at [BU] since its inception. I provided field supervision to many students, taught a class on policy and practice as an adjunct and have been a field liaison meeting with students and agency field supervisors throughout Broome [County] and the Southern Tier. I believe the citizens of Vestal and Broome County need a legislator at the table who knows their needs and who will work to ensure that we maintain the services vital to our quality of life. The COVID-19 shutdown of our economy means carefully weighing and prioritizing the needed services of our community and how our tax dollars are spent. Making sure my constituents have access to [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program], [Home Energy Assistance Program], housing subsidies, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, etc, while being open to and encouraging the innovative opportunities created by our local entrepreneurs is a role I look forward to. I am proud to have received the endorsements of many labor unions, the Sierra Club and the Broome County Young Democrats. I believe working together we can lead Broome [County] through these uncertain times. The future is ours to create.”