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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 21, 2013

CONTACT: Melanie Mowry Etters Communication Director 850-488-4257

APD Kicks off Town Hall Meetings

TALLAHASSEE—The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and the Family Care Councils are hosting Town Hall style meetings throughout the state. APD Director Barbara Palmer will present a state of the agency, then lead a question and answer session with attendees. Palmer wants to engage in dialogue with APD customers, stakeholders, waiver support coordinators, providers, and others to update the agency’s strategic plan for the next five years.

Director Palmer said, “I want to hear about things our agency should focus on in the future.  I especially want to hear from individuals and families who are served by APD on their issues, concerns, and successes.  After spending many weeks on the road, I hope to create a better APD and a brighter future for all the people we serve.”

APD will begin its Town Hall meetings in the Tampa area with two meetings.

• June 27 from 6-8 p.m.

All Peoples Life Center
6105 East Sligh Avenue
Tampa  33617

• June 28 from 10a.m.-noon

Disability Achievement Center
12552 Belcher Road South
Largo  33773

Director Palmer will share an update on the approved Florida Families First budget.  As a result of session, APD is receiving $36 million to enroll people from the waiting list onto the Developmental Disabilities Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid waiver beginning July 1.

To find out the latest schedule of APD Town Hall meetings, visit APDCares.org.  Director Palmer hopes to visit every region of the state to hear ways the agency can improve its services to citizens with developmental disabilities.

To encourage attendance at the APD Town Hall meetings, APD is launching the Picture This campaign. Town Hall attendees are asked to take a digital photo with Director Palmer before or after the meeting with their camera or smart phone, and then send it to APD.info@apdcares.org.  The photos will be posted on the APD website and on APD social media. One photo will be picked to be highlighted in the APD Champion newsletter each month.

APD annually serves more than 50,000 Floridians with the developmental disabilities of autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, spina bifida, and Prader-Willi syndrome. To learn more about the agency, call 1-866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273) or visit APDcares.org.