Message from the Acting Director
APD Takes Action to Prevent Elimination of Services
By Bryan Vaughan
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and the Agency for Health Care Administration submitted an emergency plan to reduce provider payment rates by 15 percent for the next three months. This emergency action is to address APD’s more than $170 million deficit in the Medicaid waiver program. Florida law (Chapter 393.0661(7) and (8), Florida Statutes) requires our agencies to take action when it is determined that APD is spending more money than was allocated by the Legislature. APD received $805 million for waiver services this year.
The plan also eliminates the differential between agency and solo rates. In addition, the agency will not increase cost plans through Prior Service Authorizations or annual reviews without review and approval by me. In the case of an emergency affecting an individual’s health and safety, APD will review a request for additional services using the criteria applied to crisis determinations. The emergency rule will be in effect until the end of the fiscal year which is June 30.
These actions are necessary to comply with statutory obligations so that we are not forced to eliminate services to this vulnerable population. APD is committed to protecting the health and safety of Floridians with developmental disabilities while living within our budget.
This emergency action is necessary to bring our growing deficit under control and to ensure the long-term viability of providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities. For more information on the emergency plan, visit APDCares.org/news/news/2011/emergency-rule.htm.
Clicking on most photos will open a larger version.
APD Receives iBudget Florida Approval
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities has received federal approval of its new Medicaid waiver called iBudget Florida. iBudget Florida will pay for supports and services for people with developmental disabilities so they may live in their local community.
The agency has selected several North Florida counties for the initial implementation of the new system which will occur later this year. APD plans to begin iBudget Florida in Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Jefferson counties. APD serves approximately 1,000 waiver-enrolled customers in this region.
The agency will begin transitioning a few families now in the Big Bend area to iBudget Florida. This group will allow the agency to monitor the program and make necessary adjustments before more people are enrolled.
iBudget Florida was approved by the 2010 Legislature as the new direction for delivering services to people through APD's Medicaid waiver. iBudget Florida is designed to make the funding process fair and equitable for all Medicaid waiver customers. It will provide for more opportunities for customers to direct their own care. The new system will also allow the agency to have more budget control and financial predictability.
Some of the customer benefits of iBudget Florida are:
- Greater ability to choose services that matter to them, given their unique situations.
- Greater flexibility for customers to respond to changing needs.
- Reduced bureaucracy and "red tape."
- Support coordinators freed to focus on providing help that makes a real difference.
- Confidence that funding is fair compared to other customers who are similarly situated.
- Reduced likelihood of policy changes that cause significant disruption due to budget deficits.
- Security of a financially stable system that will be there to serve customers down the road.
- Greater control over their lives.
- Greater opportunity for APD to use new funds to serve people on the waiting list rather than resolve deficits.
APD Wins Davis Awards
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities has 38 employees who will be receiving Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards this year.
APD Chief of Staff Bryan Vaughan said, "We are thrilled to have so many winners from the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. It shows the dedication, creativity, and innovation of APD's employees who are so committed to serving Floridians with developmental disabilities."
A team of 11 employees will receive a cash award for their work on closing the Gulf Coast Developmental Disability Center in Fort Myers in 2010.
One two-man team and an individual will receive plaques. The Tacachale Quality Management and Training Team members are Jose Martinez and Michael Holloway who enhanced training programs at the Tacachale Center in Gainesville. The individual winner is Julie Waldman, an attorney with the agency at the Tacachale Center. She created an externship program with the University of Florida in Gainesville to have law students assist with administrative law cases.
The other APD teams will receive Certificates of Commendation. The APD Communications Office will receive three certificates for various outreach projects. A 15-member team renovated Hawkins Park in Santa Rosa County to make it accessible to people with disabilities. Another team partnered with the Department of Children and Families to develop a process to begin enrolling foster children going into permanent homes into APD's Medicaid waiver so they would receive ongoing services. The final winner was a small team from the Tallahassee area that developed a comprehensive database of enrolled Medicaid waiver providers so the information could be quickly given to customers.
The following is the complete list of APD winners:
NOTABLE CASH AWARD
Gulf Coast Center Closure Team
Charles Ball
Jon Creamer
Larry Ragsdell
Michael Mayfield
Ray Newman
Stephen Boley
Wes Underwood
Cindy Millican
Geri Williams
Jolie LaTourelle-Jones
Sue Rayford
PLAQUE
Tacachale Quality Management and Training Team
Jose Martinez
Michael Holloway
Individual – Administrative Law Externship Program
Julie Waldman
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION
Champion Newsletter Team
Melanie Mowry Etters
Lloyd Harger
Jeff Saulich
Partnership – ADA 20th Anniversary Team
Melanie Mowry Etters
Jeff Saulich
Kimberly Tharpe
Ana Saint-Fort, Division of Blind Services
Rachel Smith, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Disability Employment Awareness Team
Melanie Mowry Etters
Jeff Saulich
Kimberly Tharpe
Hawkins Park Restoration Team
Clayton Mitchell
Jake Sexton
Jeff Egelston
Jon Creamer
Michael Padgett
Richard Maxey
Scott Charles
Sean Byrd
Stephen Boley
Stephen King
Walt Wooten
Wes Underwood
Kim White
Malva Weaver
Joni Laramore
Partnership – Foster Children with Disabilities Team
Angela Green
Terri McGarrity
Alan Abramowitz, Department of Children and Families
David Fairbanks, Department of Children and Families
Jason Gaitanis, Department of Children and Families
Keith Perlman, Department of Children and Families
Matthew Claps, Department of Children and Families
Tim Nickel, Department of Children and Families
Debra Ervin, Department of Children and Families
Provider Enrollment and Quality Assurance Team, Area 2
Cydeon Trueblood
Kristin Brandon
Marnie Millender
Nikki Bryan
Nilda Barreto
Terri Green
The Biggest DD Day Ever!
By Jeff Saulich
This was no ordinary Developmental Disability Awareness Day. The annual event, sponsored by the Arc of Florida and the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC), broke all previous attendance records when it was held on March 23. The crowd of Floridians with developmental disabilities, families, providers, and advocates was estimated to be as large as 900 people. Concerns about pending budget cuts were foremost on their minds.
While dozens of partner agencies including APD provided information at their exhibit booths inside the Capitol, almost as many speakers addressed the crowd that filled the Capitol Courtyard. Gov. Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Adam Putnam, Rep. Alan Williams (D-Tallahassee), Arc of Florida Executive Director Debra Linton, FDDC Chair Renee Valletutti, and many others expressed their support to the attendees.
Mrs. Florida, Kelli Lightbourn, spoke of her concerns about funding for APD's Medicaid waiver program and for Early Steps, which provides services for toddlers with developmental issues. Her 3-year-old son is in the Early Steps program.
"He doesn't have a voice so I have to speak for him," Lightbourn told the crowd.
One of the most inspiring moments occurred when Rep. Peter Nehr (R-Tarpon Springs) came to the lectern accompanied by his son, who has a disability.
"You don't have to tell me about your issues," Nehr said as he proudly introduced his son Clifford. "I know your issues."
FDDC Executive Director Debra Dowds expressed support for APD's iBudget Florida initiative as a form of the managed-care concept that most legislators are calling for.
"iBudget can provide that managed care and framework to control increase and provide equity," said Dowds. "We need a long-term commitment."
Food, refreshments, and live music rounded out the event. Performers included the Pyramid Studios Band, featuring talented performers with disabilities. Visit these websites for more information: www.arcflorida.org, www.fddc.org, www.doh.state.fl.us/alternatesites/cms-kids/families/early_steps, http://apdcares.org/ibudget, www.pyramidinc.org.
Transportation Disadvantaged Day Held
By Jeff SaulichThe courtyard between the old and new capitols in Tallahassee came alive on March 17, not only with the "wearin' o' the green," but also with Transportation Disadvantaged Day. The annual event is sponsored by the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD) and the Florida Association of Coordinated Transportation Systems (FACTS).
Speakers at the event included CTD Chairman and APD External Affairs Manager J.R. Harding, Ed.D., who urged attendees to let their legislators know how important transportation services are to them. Attendees were treated to musical performances by the Florida Youth Orchestra, the Gretchen Everhart School Choir, and a combo from Pyramid Studios.
Partner agencies were represented by display booths inside and outside the Capitol. APD's booth in the courtyard was staffed by transportation liaison Kent Carroll along with Meghan Murray and yours truly from the Communications Office. We spoke to many visitors and answered questions throughout the event. The Able Trust and the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association were among the exhibitors.
Some of the most popular exhibits rolled in on their own four wheels—brand new MV-1 accessible vehicles! The MV-1 is the first production vehicle to be designed specifically for drivers and passengers who need wheelchair access. 2011 is the first model year for the MV-1, which is manufactured by the Vehicle Production Group, LLC, based in Miami.
The theme for this year's event was "Every trip counts!"—driving home the point that transportation services not only benefit the recipients, but contribute to the local economy. The CTD estimates that every dollar spent on transportation generates seven dollars in associated business. Visit www.dot.state.fl.us/ctd for more information about the CTD, www.vpgautos.com to learn more about the MV-1, and www.floridayouthorchestra.org for details on the Florida Youth Orchestra.
Double Time
By Melanie Mowry Etters
Jonathon Flachner is an active man. He holds two jobs and has a filled social calendar. The Miami man lives in his own apartment, pays his own bills, and buys his own groceries. He also has a developmental disability. Flachner describes himself as a social person saying, "I am busy every day. I like to stay busy."
Flachner has worked for two South Florida businesses for 17 years. He has the same job at both stores—a re-stocker. He takes items that are returned or are not bought during checkout and puts them back on the shelves so someone else may purchase the product. One of the stores is a very busy Wal-Mart. From his years of experience, he is fast and efficient at re-stocking both stores' shelves. "The job is easy for me now," says Flachner.
Flachner receives services from Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD).
Wal-Mart Manager Alex Rahini says, "Jonathon is a wonderful person. Everyone likes him and enjoys working with him. I have seen the growth in him in his job performance over the years. He is very dedicated."
Rahini says his store is very family oriented, and Flachner is a very good team player and a part of the family.
The interaction with customers and fellow workers is rewarding to Flachner. He says he enjoys the relationships with customers and fellow associates at both stores.
Around the State
Special Needs Field Day Held in Key Largo
The Second Annual Moose Lodge 2287 Special Needs Field Day blasted into being on March 5 at Key Largo Park. Growing from an event of 15 participants in 2010, this community-sponsored field day boasted 50 participants and more than 100 volunteers and spectators. Participants included Keys residents and, this year, added individuals from group homes in Homestead.
In contrast to other more structured athletic events, the Moose Special Needs Field Day consists of events that are fun, require no practiced skills, and are open to any and all individuals with special needs. Events included throwing rubber chickens, squirting partners with water, bouncing beach balls, rubber fish relay, jumping (or crawling or stepping) over tackle dummies, and races of partners holding a beach ball between them, and partners inside a hula hoop. Every skill level and mode of mobility was accommodated.
The highlights of the day were lunch and the awarding of blue ribbon medals to each participant who also received a goodie bag from community sponsors.
The Special Needs Field Day is the brainchild of Key Largo Moose Lodge 2287 members Max Trent and Bob Thomas. The Moose are the first Monroe County organization to initiate a free-form event aimed at the special needs population of the Keys. Participating in the planning and execution were a core of community members, including Murphy House and Monroe Arc (MARC). Volunteers included members of Moose lodges from Key Largo, Marathon, and Big Pine Key; private citizens; students from Coral Shores High and Key Largo Middle schools; and a nursing student from Florida Keys Community College. The "Pirates on the Water" handled the food and drinks in the best pirate tradition. Many individual and business sponsors contributed money and items for the silent auction.
All monies collected are used exclusively for the continuance of the annual special needs field day. That means an even bigger and better third annual event next year!
It Was a Ball!
By Minerva Barndt
Or was it a strike? Actually, it was a home run when APD-AmeriCorps partnered with the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA) and others for the kickoff of the Miracle League of Tallahassee. About 150 children, teens, and adults enjoyed an evening of fun, food, fellowship, and music on March 24.
Members of Florida State University's Reverb acapella group provided delightful music for the event. The vocal group includes APD-AmeriCorps member Jack Henmy. Then the "Bleacher creatures" (APD customers and parents) cheered as the children and teens played an exciting game of softball. This was followed by second game with adult players.
APD-AmeriCorps members arrived early to assist with setup and stuck around for cleanup. They also hosted the APD booth where they welcomed participants with home-baked goodies and ready smiles, along with flyers and games for customers and families. APD-AmeriCorps members from Area 2B and Central Office were on hand to encourage customers and families as they joined the fun.
The rubberized surface at Miracle Field in the James Messer Sports Complex on Jackson Bluff Road provides a safe, inclusive recreation environment where accommodations are made to ensure the safety and full participation of each player. Miracle League of Tallahassee is a program of FDOA, a nonprofit agency that enriches the lives of people with disabilities through recreation and active leisure, in collaboration with the Kiwanis Club, the City of Tallahassee, and Leon County. Sports that have been played at Miracle Field to date are softball, kickball, and flag football.
Visit www.fdoa.org for more information about the FDOA and Tallahassee's Miracle Field.
Student Transition Conference Held
The University of West Florida's Student Disability Resource Center sponsored the Sixth Annual Student Transition Conference on February 17 in the university's Conference Center. APD Chief of Staff Bryan Vaughan was the keynote speaker for the Pensacola event.
Held in conjunction with APD's Area 1 Office and other partner agencies, the conference featured a panel of admissions representatives from Pensacola State College, UWF, the University of South Alabama, and Chipola College to discuss the criteria for students with disabilities entering college.
Another panel was composed of representatives of county school systems, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties. Katrina Washington of the Area 1 office presented information about Social Security work incentives for students and the importance of staying in school until age 22.
APD-AmeriCorps Members and Waiting List Clients Enjoy Concert
Music was in the air on February 17 as APD-AmeriCorps members of the Suncoast Area joined a group of waiting list clients to enjoy an outing to the Phillippi Estate Park gazebo in Sarasota. This beautiful spot is home to the Brown Bag Concert series. Headline performers Suzanne and Jim kept the audience entertained, playing everything from the banjo to the spoons while navigating a repertoire of lively folk songs. An audience sing-along of familiar favorites such as "You Are My Sunshine" really got the crowd involved.
In attendance were waiting list clients Cynthia "Gracie" Mohn, Louis Amico, Hector Feliciano, Eric Martin, Judy Thomas, Kristin DeVore, Tom Kroog, April Beckman, and Timothy Grimes along with APD-AmeriCorps members Connie Strausburg, Judy Rotolo, and Marilyn DuBois and APD employees Michelle Pilkington and Anne Barrow. Everyone brought their picnic lunches and lawn chairs and settled in under a canopy of oaks to enjoy the music, breeze, and the company of one another.
The Brown Bag Concert series is presented by Sarasota County Parks and Recreation. Concerts feature an eclectic variety of performers every Thursday in February and March from 12 noon to 1 p.m. This outing was the perfect opportunity for APD-AmeriCorps members and some of the waiting list individuals they serve to get out, enjoy each other's company, and take advantage of the wonderful free recreational opportunities that the community offers. A good time was had by all, and by the time you read this, they will have attended another concert on March 24 and enjoyed music by Tommy Barrett's Sophisticated Dixieland Festival with several additional waiting list clients and the newest APD-AmeriCorps volunteer, Diane Covino.
Born to Be a Hero
After P.E. class, Maalik Rancher noticed his friend was not feeling well. Rancher quickly responded and notified his teacher when his peer began having a seizure. The Miami youth's quick response allowed the teacher to respond immediately, accurately account for the length of the seizure, and continue with the school's seizure protocol that may have saved his classmate's life.
In February, Rancher was recognized in an award ceremony as a hero and given the "Do the Right Thing" award from Do the Right Thing of Miami, Inc. (DTRT). The DTRT awards program recognizes exceptional school-aged children who choose to be drug- and crime-free, exhibit nonviolent behavior, do well in school, make a difference in their communities, and demonstrate turnaround behavior.
The 10-year-old Rancher has cerebral palsy and is on APD's waiting list for waiver services. He is adored and loved by all that know him.
"He has a magical smile and a contagious laugh. He is always the life of the party and he enthusiastically approaches all challenges presented to him," says Rancher's teacher.
6 Days 6 Ramps Funding Now Available
Volunteer Florida has announced the availability of three grants of up to $2,500 each to support the 2011 6 Days 6 Ramps Community Service Project. 6 Days 6 Ramps is a multisite collaborative service project between the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, known as Volunteer Florida, and other partners including nonprofits, organizations that serve persons with disabilities, volunteer centers, faith-based organizations, AmeriCorps and other national service programs, and the business community.
The project's goals are to exemplify and expand the role of persons with disabilities in improving their community through participation in national service programs and volunteering; bring attention to the need for barrier removal so that persons with disabilities can remain independent and a part of their communities; and help strengthen existing volunteer efforts to remove barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating in their community by building wheelchair ramps for local residents with disabilities whose income cannot cover the cost.
Successful 6 Days 6 Ramps applicants will establish partnerships with organizations that serve veterans with disabilities to be ramp recipients and to help build ramps in their community.
The deadline for submitting applications is 5 p.m. on April 8. Visit www.6days6ramps.org to download an application form. For more information, send an e-mail to 6days6ramps@gmail.com or contact Volunteer Florida's Paul Martell at (850) 414-0093.
Accessible Vans Available at Northwest Florida Airport
The new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport now has wheelchair accessible vans for rent. Rollx Vans has partnered with Paraquad Automobility and Hincklease, a commercial vehicle leasing company, to offer wheelchair accessible Dodge and Chrysler minivans through Thrifty Car Rental, Dollar Rent-A-Car, and Payless Car Rental at several airports around the country.
The first-of-its-kind strategic collaboration directly addresses the needs of travelers with disabilities. The accessible vans are offered by rental agencies at airport locations in Salt Lake City; Denver; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Austin and Killeen, Texas; and Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport near Panama City.
For more information on Rollx Vans, visit www.rollxvans.com or call toll-free 1-800-956-6668. Learn about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport at http://iflybeaches.com.
Champion Staff
Melanie Mowry Etters - Editor
Jeff Saulich - Story and Photo Editor
Meghan Murray - Assignment Editor
Lloyd Harger - Web Development