Florida Freedom Initiative

The Florida Freedom Initiative (FFI) is one of the most innovative programs to address the long-term care needs of persons with disabilities. This small program may be the light on the horizon that enables people with disabilities to finally achieve true freedom through self-determination and person-centered planning in a realistic awareness that the poverty must be broken. The Florida Freedom Initiative addresses the most basic problem of how to increase private resources while providing public funding for persons with critical service needs.

The FFI enables people to save for things that make self-determination possible. A person can save to buy a home or vehicle. A post-secondary education may be obtained without declaring a work goal until six months from graduation. A person can purchase a small business or learn new and very innovative ways to use assistive technology and natural supports on the job.

To qualify, a person with a disability must currently be enrolled in the CDC+ program or control group, receive SSI, and want to work or own a small business. It is an opportunity to protect the first $280 dollars earned, save up to $10,000 a year for an approved goal in a Freedom Account and protect Medicaid and Social Security benefits.

It is innovative and cutting edge. It is the "future" of human services!