Message from the Director
New Ideas to Help
By Jim DeBeaugrine
August marks my second anniversary as the director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. One of the more common concerns expressed to me by family members and advocates during the last two years is the need for access to quality dental care for the individuals we serve. I would like to take this opportunity to talk about some of the exciting work that is ongoing to address this concern.
As we all know, many of the individuals we serve have difficulty finding a dentist to serve them. Often it is due to a lack of willing professionals, even for those who can pay. Some dentists do not feel comfortable serving individuals with developmental disabilities or do not have the capability to accommodate sedation or other special requirements they have. Other individuals simply cannot afford to pay, including those on the waiting list and several thousand waiver recipients who were moved to Tier 4 where adult dental is not available.
Last year in Gainesville, APD opened a dental clinic for people with developmental disabilities to receive regular dental care on a fee-for-service basis. The families are very happy to find a dentist that knows how to help their loved ones. The dental clinic on the Tacachale campus served about 600 people from the community last year. This coming year, the dentists are hoping to help about 900 individuals find relief from dental pain and prevent future oral health problems with preventative care. This project is the result of a partnership between the University of Florida and APD.
In Northwest Florida, APD has developed partnerships for dental services for people with disabilities at little or no cost to them. A dental clinic operated by the Escambia County Health Department in Pensacola will do exams, cleanings, and extractions for APD customers at little or no cost. Pensacola State College (formerly Pensacola Junior College) Dental School will provide exams and cleanings at no charge to customers. They will also assist with referrals should there be an urgent need for further services. In Northwest Florida, there are several dentists that are experienced with clients with developmental disabilities and work very closely with APD to ensure that those with critical needs are given the services they need. The agency is in the process of getting an oral surgeon certified to accept Medicaid patients in this area of the state.
With the recent closure of the Gulf Coast Center, the dental equipment from the center was donated to a Federally Qualified Health Clinic that operates a number of facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. They have agreed, in turn, to offer outreach and access to the individuals we serve. We are in the process of finalizing a memorandum of understanding with this group that will offer access to individuals on the waiting list and others who would have difficulty making full payment.
The agency also has entered into a partnership with a dentist in South Florida who will serve people on the waiver and on our waiting list at a 70-percent discount from usual and customary fees. Since there are individuals who will be unable to pay even the discounted fee, the clinic is developing a sliding-scale fee structure. I hope to be in South Florida for the grand opening within the next few months.
Another exciting opportunity that is currently in the discussion phase is a mobile dental clinic that would operate in areas of the state that are not convenient to an established clinic or where dentists are not available. For this effort, we envision public-private partnerships with several organizations and have entered into preliminary discussions with the ARC of Florida, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, the Governor's Commission on Disabilities, and the Family Care Council. We have also reached out to the Department of Health and a couple of former and current state legislators who have provided valuable advice and the opportunity to meet with leaders of the top professional associations in our state. The mobile clinic would provide basic dental care for APD customers with referral to a regular clinic for more complicated procedures.
I would particularly like input on whether you feel there is a need for a mobile dental clinic that would provide basic dental care such as cleanings, exams, fillings, simple extractions, and preventative care. In particular, we need to know what areas of the state are most likely to benefit from regular stops by a mobile clinic. Please visit our Web site at http://apdcares.org/dental-care to register your thoughts or suggestions or to volunteer. You can also call us at 1-866-APD CARES (1-866-273-2273) and ask for Lori Kohler.
All of these efforts have two goals in mind. First, is short term: offer services to people who otherwise would go without. Second, is to increase the number of dentists willing to accept individuals with developmental disabilities as patients. We can do this by working with our schools and professional associations to provide opportunities for dental professionals to become more informed and to experience firsthand the rewards of working with the individuals we serve.
The agency has been working hard to develop community options for dental care for Floridians with disabilities. We look forward to more exciting announcements in the near future as we expand opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to receive quality dental care.
Clicking on most photos will open a larger version.
March Held to Recognize 20th Anniversary of ADA
By Melanie Mowry Etters
More than 300 people marched down a main thoroughfare in Tallahassee on July 26 to mark the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States. Many of the participants in the March for Opportunity had disabilities and used wheelchairs and crutches to travel down Monroe Street to show their support for the ADA.
Marchers gathered at 10 a.m. several blocks away to begin the short trek. Starting at 10:30 a.m., three Tallahassee motorcycle policemen led the parade with their sirens and lights flashing. Marchers proceeded down Monroe Street to the Capitol Courtyard.
Tents, tables, and chairs were set up in the Capitol Courtyard for the ADA celebration. The Sunshine City band from Pyramid Studios warmed up the group. The lively music got the crowd rocking. Agency for Persons with Disabilities Director Jim DeBeaugrine emceed the event. Speakers included disabled veteran Trueman Muhrer-Irwin and the national spokesman for Outback Steakhouse, Wayne Cook.
Outback Steakhouse donated lunches for the 300 marchers. The Able Trust provided ADA T-shirts to participants. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation contributed a large banner. And Abilty 1st provided a van for transportation assistance.
Some of the organizations that sponsored the march were Outback Steakhouse, APD, Ability 1st, Able Trust, Division of Blind Services, Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Governor's Commission on Disabilities, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Agency for Workforce Innovation, and the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association.
On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law. The ADA has made a tremendous impact on American life and culture. The ADA is an important civil rights act designed to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy the same freedoms as everyone else. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the workplace, requires accommodations for people with disabilities by state and local governments, and provides access to public places, transportation, and communication.
For additional photos from the celebration, please visit the ADA 20th Anniversary Photo Gallery.
ADA Celebrated in Area 1
The name of the event said it all—"Northwest Florida Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act." Pensacola Mayor Mike Wiggins was a featured speaker at the July 24 expo. More than 250 attendees celebrated the improvements that the ADA has made in the lives of people with disabilities.
APD's Area 1 office partnered with many agencies to sponsor the event, including the Center for Independent Living, Special Olympics Florida, Escambia County Area Transition, United Cerebral Palsy, Arc Gateway, Pensacola Bay Transportation, Florida Telecommunications Relay, Autism Pensacola, Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, Canine Companions for Independence, U.S. Navy, Vocational Rehabilitation, Disabilities Summit Council, and the University of West Florida, where the celebration was held.
People with disabilities and family members had the opportunity to network with these agencies and many others, when they weren't enjoying the event's food, fun, and games. There was entertainment, too, including a performance by the Pyramid Show Choir. The celebration ended with an awesome talent show by persons with disabilities, featuring a dance routine called "The Battle Is the Lord" and the singing of "The Impossible Dream."
How Tweet It Is!
By Lloyd Harger
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is now on Twitter. News, information, and special features about the agency can be sent out faster than ever.
Would you like to receive Tweets from APD? To become a follower or to create a free account, go to http://twitter.com and click "Sign Up." After you enter your name, e-mail address, and choose a username and password, your account will be all set. From there, type "Florida APD" in the search box. When the APD profile comes up, simply click the "Follow" button on the side of the profile screen.
That's all there is to it! You are now following APD and receiving the latest, up-to-the-minute information that is available. For general information or questions about Twitter, please visit http://twitter.com/about.
Shining on the Job
By Melanie Mowry Etters
Clean floors mean good business. Robert Williams' job is to make sure the tile floor at the 24-hour Walmart in Marianna is bright and shiny every morning. Williams is a member of the 6-man overnight floor crew. The work involves running scrubbers and buffers over the more than 200-thousand-square-foot store. It involves heavy labor and good old fashioned hard work.
- Mickey Gilmore, Walmart Manager
Walmart Manager Mickey Gilmore says. "No one wants to shop in a grocery store with sticky floors. I have high respect for Robert and others on the floor crew because they have to get the job done with customers walking through the aisles. It is also a very technical job."
After seven years on the job, Williams has adjusted to the overnight shift. He feels a part of the store team, "I like it at Walmart. The people are nice. I have quite a few friends there." Because the store is open all night, Williams also delivers customer service when approached. "I interact with customers quite a bit. They ask me where this item is or do you carry this. I show them or ask another associate to help them."
Gilmore says he hires people who can get the job done and many times does not even know if a person has a disability when selecting them. Gilmore has high praise for his employees with disabilities saying, "They love having a job and are very dependable. They do not call in sick. They are extremely productive and have pride in their work."
Working at Walmart and having a reliable income has made a difference in Williams' life. He has matured and become a responsible tax-paying citizen. He bought a car, got married, and is now a new father.
Williams is developing a small lawn care business, in addition to his fulltime job, to earn extra money to support his family.
Around the State
Gallery of Dreams—The Sequel
By Kirk Ryon
APD's Area 11 office proudly opened the second annual Gallery of Dreams on July 6. The art exhibit features the work of more than two dozen fine artists in Miami-Dade County who are also customers of APD.
The artists are mostly untrained, and their work is considered "outsider art" because they are not in the mainstream arts community. These facts make the artwork even more amazing, as the artists' natural talents reflect their unique perceptions. Often the art was created during adult day training and licensed community residential programs.
The Gallery of Dreams exhibit, in the state's Rhode Building in downtown Miami, will run through the end of August. For these artists, an exhibition of their work in a public gallery is truly a dream come true.
Person Centered Planning Training in Miami
By Hillary Jackson
APD's Area 11 office in Miami held its third round of Person Centered Planning (PCP) training on July 6 and 7. Area 11 Trainer Marcie Brittain and Waiver Support Coordinator Diane Gelpi co-presented the training session. They began by emphasizing each participant must respect the opinions of all the others. The mood at each session has been quite lively, especially when attendees are asked to explain the reasons for their decisions in some scenarios.
The purpose of PCP training is to bring everyone back to the basic principle of planning services and supports with the customer rather than for them. Asking for the customer's input during the entire process, when possible, is crucial to the success of their support plan.
Support coordinators were pleased with changes to the support plan that will be rolled out in the near future, especially the section "Things I Must Have." This section lists things that complete the person's life or that are essential for quality of life. Examples are living with a nonsmoker, having hot chocolate before bed, or having personal space and quiet after work. This section will provide more information to those that provide support to customers, allowing providers to better meet their needs.
Area 11 is planning its next series of PCP training for September. These sessions are well received by participants and encourage them all to think outside of the box for their customers.
BLN Breakfast Boasts Boxer
By Katrina Washington
Employees of APD's Area 1 office attended the annual Panhandle Business Leadership Network Membership Drive Breakfast on July 26. Prizefighter Roy Jones Jr. was the keynote speaker for the Pensacola event.
Other speakers included Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino, who discussed an incentive plan to encourage local businesses to hire persons with disabilities in the Pensacola area. Several companies and agencies participated in the breakfast and the discussion, including the Studer Group, Manpower, Sacred Heart Hospital, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Walmart was well represented by five store managers and a regional manager.
Area 1 and Civitans Ramp Up!
The Pensacola Civitan Club and APD's Area 1 office are continuing their partnership to help children on the waiting list. Volunteers recently constructed a wheelchair ramp at the home of Michaela Harrelson near Century in northeastern Escambia County. The 13-year-old attends Escambia Westgate School in Pensacola.
The building project on June 5 included a five-by-eight-foot deck and a 36-foot ramp. APD provided $690 for the building materials and the Civitans contributed their time and labor in order to make the project a success. The ramp has improved Harrelson's quality of life and her entire family is very happy with the results of the Civitans' hard work.
This is the third wheelchair ramp that the partnership has constructed for waiting list individuals in Northwest Florida.
UCP Employee Earns Award
Lucinda McGruder recently was awarded the Direct Support Professional of the Year award by the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). She was honored for being a dedicated and loyal employee of United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Florida. Her customers, families, and co-workers regard her as a teacher, mentor, confidante, and most of all, a friend.
McGruder has worked at UCP in Pensacola for 25 years. Through the years, she says, "The bond and love between the people I serve and myself have remained the same."
ANCOR is an organization that represents and advocates for direct providers that serve people with disabilities. Visit www.ancor.org for more information.
APD Customer Wins Volunteer Award
By Jeff SaulichMichael Smith likes to keep busy. But it's more than that. The APD customer enjoys helping others, so he has volunteered at four different community service agencies in and around Apopka, near Orlando, for the past three years. Last year, he put in more than 200 volunteer hours. His consistent record of service, and a few acts of heroism, earned him a President's Volunteer Services Award. Smith received the award in Panama City during the July 29 meeting of the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism & Community Service.
Smith was nominated by Paul Durand, president of Alliance Supports Corp. in Apopka. Durand and his company provide companion supports to Smith and other APD customers through the Medicaid waiver program. Durand emphasizes community service to his customers.
"The community inclusion that he provides is an opportunity for his clients to be exposed to volunteer opportunities to help other community residents in need," said APD Area 7 Administrator Merari Perez.
Smith's exemplary volunteer service also earned a Better Communities Include Everyone award for Alliance Supports Corp.
Now, about those acts of heroism. In April 2009, Smith was delivering Meals on Wheels to residents in Apopka. While Durand waited in the car, Smith knocked on a door with a meal in hand.
- Jim Bushmen, Meals on Wheels coordinator
"He motioned for me to come to the front porch and told to me call 911," wrote Durand on Smith's nomination form. "I could hear the woman inside calling for help. In a few minutes the police and ambulance responded to our call and transported her to the hospital."
The pair learned later that the woman had recovered and wanted them to visit her home. She told them that, the night before Smith tried to deliver the meal, she had fallen and there was no one around to answer her calls for help. She was very thankful for Smith's quick action when he responded to her cries.
"The help that Michael gives to the people to whom he delivers Meals on Wheels can't be measured in words," said Jim Bushmen, Meals on Wheels coordinator in Apopka. "It can only be measured by the impact he has on the lives he touches with his love."
Another measure could be the Bronze Award that Smith brought home from Panama City last week. It was accompanied by an official President's Volunteer Service Award pin, a personalized certificate of achievement, a letter from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, and a note of congratulations from the President of the United States.
Melanie Mowry Etters - Editor
Jeff Saulich - Photo Editor
Lloyd Harger - Web Development