Advisories

Other News & Announcements

• Governor Ron DeSantis has declared this week as Direct Support Professionals Week (see proclamation here) and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities wants to show our appreciation for Direct Support Professionals in serving our customers. Thank you!
  “We are excited to celebrate and show our appreciation for the tireless work that direct support professionals provide every day. Direct support professionals are vital to enhancing the lives of Floridians with unique abilities. They deliver a continuum of care to individuals with disabilities both in state and community facilities. APD has more than 1,500 direct support professionals working at the state’s three centers in Gainesville, Chattahoochee, and Marianna. Direct support professionals work hard every day performing critical services to ensure that individuals remain safe and connected to their communities. Their dedicated service helps individuals have meaningful and productive lives" - APD Director Barbara Palmer.

• Click Here for information concerning COVID-19 for Families, Providers, and WSCs. For information concerning APD
  COVID-19 Testing, be sure to visit our APD COVID-19 Testing webpage.

• Normally, ABLE United team members might have a chance to connect with you at an event or special presentation – and while we can’t be together during this time, there are still ways for us to meet virtually. Schedule an exclusive webinar with an ABLE United representative specifically designed for your staff or those that you serve. Also, you can watch a 10-minute recorded presentation internally or externally in English and/or Spanish. Both options provide individuals interested in learning more about Florida’s qualified ABLE program with what they need to open an account from home or educate those they serve on the benefits of an account.

• APD is enhancing the Questionnaire for Situational Information (QSI); it will be called the Next Generation QSI (NG-QSI). During the next several months, APD will be conducting field tests on the new protocol. In addition, FSU will be conducting a reliability validity on the data obtained. Based upon the results of the study, refinement of the protocol may be made. APD will hold a series of stakeholder meetings to present the study results. In addition, a replication study will be conducted to further review and confirm that the NG-QSI serves its five purposes:

  • Identify support needs
  • Assess and promote social integration
  • Provide an alert component to help identify concerns to address
  • Help with allocating resources to meet support needs
  • Assist with statewide trend analysis and planning

  The agency’s goal is to begin using the NG-QSI for everyone in 2021.

• The Disability and Health Program (DHP) is funded by a five-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The goals of the program are to include Floridians of all ages with disabilities in all the Department of Health’s programs and activities for health promotion, disease prevention, wellness, and disaster preparedness. The DHP also works with individuals with disabilities, their families, their health care providers, other state agencies, and interested stakeholders to meet its goals. Learn More Here...

• The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is looking for top quality employees. If you are interested, be sure to check out jobs.myflorida.com/go/Agency-for-Persons-with-Disabilities.

• If you are an active duty military service member and are interested to learn more about applying for services, please read this PDF for more information on how to apply.