FROM THE DESK OF KELSEY COLETTA

Dear Neighbor,

My name is Kelsey Coletta, and I'm running to be your State Representative. As I spend the summer walking, biking, and scootering through the neighborhoods of District 42, I wanted to introduce myself in case I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you yet.

I was raised in the East Bay, the middle child of three. My older brother, John, works in finance, and my younger sister, Mae, is a child life specialist in Boston, where she works with critically ill children. My mother, Donna, was a beloved public school teacher, and my father, Jay, worked as a construction project manager. My mom was an active member of her union, and my dad became involved in town committees, showing us all the value of being dedicated public servants. Their hard work and commitment to our community instilled in my siblings and me the importance of public service and supporting those around us. Growing up in Tiverton, we learned to value dedication and community involvement. John is involved in Tiverton town committees, and Mae volunteered with Special Olympics all throughout high school. Mae and I both chose our careers because of the values our parents instilled in us as children. Although John and I don't see eye to eye on many things, our parents taught us to always listen, consider other points of view, and keep an open mind. Our family discussions, filled with love and respect, taught us the true meaning of community and service.

I currently work as a substance use counselor and am a licensed independent clinical social worker and a licensed chemical dependency professional. My husband, David, is a physician assistant in outpatient neurosurgery and we have lived in his childhood home on Tarragon Drive in Johnston with our two dogs and two cats since 2017. We are both big fans of basketball (go Friars!) and last year, I was the proud sponsor of the 2022-2023 Johnston Youth Sports girls basketball champions. 

As a sophomore in high school, I was fortunate to be chosen as a Rotary International exchange student, spending my junior year living in La Serena, Chile. Living with a Chilean host family and attending a Chilean school allowed me to gain fluency in Spanish, a skill I still use daily. That year abroad was transformative and helped shape the person I am today, instilling in me a deep appreciation for different cultures and the importance of global understanding.

When I was 15 years old, I developed an eating disorder. I was scared and overwhelmed, not knowing where to turn. After returning from Chile, I tried to tackle the eating disorder on an outpatient basis. I graduated high school and began classes at Rhode Island College, but continued to struggle. After my freshman year, with my parents' support, I sought more intensive treatment in Boston. I admitted myself to a residential program, ready to do the hard work to recover.

Recovery often gets worse before it gets better. During my second week in treatment, my insurance company informed me that I no longer met the criteria for the level of care I was receiving. Despite tireless efforts from my parents and my doctors, my insurance refused to cover the treatment I desperately needed. My parents contacted my Congressman and asked for help. His office worked tirelessly to help with no success. My parents called and wrote to the insurance company repeatedly. My doctors, both at the program and outpatient, wrote letters telling the insurance company that they truly worried that if I were to suddenly stop treatment, I would die. I knew all of this, and the stress made me struggle even more. Logically, I understood the importance of fighting for treatment, but emotionally, I was worn down and started to wonder if I was truly "sick enough" to continue with such intensive treatment. As the fight continued, so did my symptoms.

I needed the help I had so desperately sought. Unable to work and without income, my student loans went into repayment, and I found myself with less than $20 to my name. My family couldn't afford the $1,200 daily cost of the program, and I was discharged. Because I hadn't finished the residential program, my insurance wouldn't cover any step-down programs. I went from having 24-hour care to nothing.

This experience made me realize that, to the insurance company, I was just a string of numbers on a screen. For so long, I had assumed and hoped that a company claiming to care about my health actually cared about my health. Instead, I was left with multiple copies of a 40-page letter informing me that I was suddenly ineligible for the benefits that my parents worked so hard for. I returned to college and tried my best, continuing to search for additional care. I spent nearly every summer in intensive programs, dictated by insurance coverage. After eight long years, I finally graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from RIC. Walking across the stage to get my diploma was one of the proudest moments of my life.

With the support of my loving family, skilled professionals who never gave up on me, and access to life-saving care, I overcame the eating disorder that nearly killed me. I am acutely aware of the luck and privilege that has allowed me to make it to this point. And while I can never know for sure, I strongly believe that had I been able to access that critical care when I first sought it out, I could have avoided the fifteen years it took for me to get better. I still have that letter from my insurance as a reminder of what led to where I am today and why I'm so determined to fight such a broken system. I also saved an explanation of benefits from one of my stays in treatment. It outlines just how much insurance paid during my five weeks there and highlights just how difficult it is to access care. Over five weeks, insurance paid over $55,000. Without insurance coverage, I never would have been able to receive the care that saved my life, and far too many others die preventable deaths because of lack of coverage and inability to pay.

During my undergrad, I worked as a CNA and Mental Health Worker on a locked psychiatric unit and in a busy emergency department. It was during those years that I developed a passion for policy and advocacy, never forgetting my personal experiences and having witnessed so many others struggle to access the care they needed. After graduation, I started a Master's in Social Work program at Simmons University, working as a case manager in a substance use treatment center while attending classes at night. Later, I worked as a substance use counselor with incarcerated women at the ACI, deepening my dedication to advocacy.

Then, COVID happened. I was unable to continue my role at the ACI and began working in an outpatient substance use treatment center. During the nearly three years that I worked there, I ran groups in English and Spanish and helped people in recovery from substance use and psychiatric disorders. I was also exposed to even more gaps in the system that prevented many from accessing needed resources and care, contributing to difficulties with sobriety, housing, and financial security. I saw time and time again just how many people struggle to survive in our community and how much work there is still left to do.

As I tried to get more involved in policy and advocacy, I applied and was accepted to the Women's Policy Institute through the Women's Fund, a program that trains women to become effective policy advocates and leaders. I spent nine months as a fellow, learning about the legislative process and engaging in policy work directly with legislators. During my fellowship, I learned about the tremendous backlog of rape kits that weren’t being tested in Rhode Island, leading to a significant lack of justice for survivors. Determined to address this issue, I worked on legislation to improve the tracking and testing of rape kits. With the help of advocates and legislators, we introduced and passed a law that made significant improvements in policy, ensuring that rape kits are properly handled and tested, providing justice and closure for many survivors. In 2023, I also helped pass a bill to protect living organ donors from insurance discrimination. My father-in-law, Domenic, has a chronic kidney disease and was told last year that he needed a transplant. My sister-in-law, Kerri, was a match, and both have recovered and are doing well. Watching my loved ones struggle with chronic health conditions has only strengthened my commitment to addressing critical healthcare issues.

In 2022, I decided to run for the same seat I am running for now: State Representative, House District 42. The weeks I spent campaigning were difficult but rewarding. Each day after work, I threw on my sneakers and hit the roads. I knocked on doors and had meaningful conversations with members of my community. I came up just 83 votes short of winning, which was a testament to the power of every single vote. I am still so grateful for the time I spent with members of my community, and this time, with your support, we can make every vote count and put us over the top. Your vote truly makes a difference, and together, we can achieve the change our community deserves.

One of the reasons I'm running is because I know what it's like for Rhode Islanders. I understand the reality of life: the way that bills can pile up and working overtime feels inevitable. I've felt the fear of a medical emergency threatening the ability to pay rent. Like so many of us, I have lost loved ones to the disease of addiction. I've opened the door of my refrigerator to find empty shelves and considered skipping a prescription to buy groceries. These experiences are why I am a fierce advocate and have dedicated my life to creating change, even when it makes the "establishment" uncomfortable. I am passionate about fighting against the status quo because we all know that the status quo isn't working. We don't have to choose between groceries and medication. We don't have to lose loved ones to treatable disorders. We don't have to send our children to underfunded schools or change our route to work because the road we normally take is flooded. We don't have to accept the way that things are because we deserve better than what we've been given.

By electing me to serve as your State Representative, you will have a voice at the State House. You will have a passionate and dedicated advocate who will always work on your behalf and for your best interests. You will have a State Representative who means what she says and has experience not just living in the broken system but fighting against it. I know what it means to fight and I know what it takes to get things done.

I humbly ask for your support and your vote in the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, September 10th.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to continuing to have these vital conversations and listening to what's important to you. If I haven't met you already, I look forward to it.

Sincerely,

Kelsey

P.S. If you happen to see a woman on a scooter going by your house at approximately 7 mph, say hi. It's probably me. You can contact me directly at (401) 757-0283 or kelsey.coletta@gmail.com.