Message from the Director
iBudget Moving Forward
By Jim DeBeaugrine
An exciting new era for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities began in August when APD announced the site for the initial phase-in of the new individualized budget concept called iBudget Florida. It's the new system for people enrolled on the Medicaid waiver that pays for supports and services so they may live in their local community.
Customers, families, waiver support coordinators, providers, and advocates came together last year to develop the iBudget Florida plan with the support of agency staff. iBudget Florida was approved by the Legislature in the spring as the new direction for delivering services to people through APD's Medicaid waiver. Federal approval must be received before the initial phase-in begins. The approval is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.APD has selected several North Florida counties for the initial implementation, and APD held several meetings to tell stakeholders about the program. The first two meetings were held in Tallahassee in Leon County. The third meeting was held in Madison County, and the last meeting was in Carrabelle in Franklin County. The attendees were very interested in how iBudget will work and the agency's plans for moving it from concept to reality.
iBudget Florida implementation will begin in Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Jefferson counties. APD serves approximately 1,000 waiver-enrolled customers in this region. During 2011, iBudget will be expanded to Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Washington, and Holmes counties. APD has already notified people of the phase-in plans by letter and e-mail. APD plans to eventually expand iBudget Florida statewide over the next few years.
By selecting the Tallahassee region, it allows the agency's headquarters employees to support the local area office staff, customers, families, waiver support coordinators, and providers in implementing iBudget Florida. Its size will allow for a manageable implementation of the new program while permitting APD to collect data for evaluation.
Individualized budgeting is a concept that is being used in many other states for people enrolled in developmental disabilities Medicaid waivers. iBudget Florida is designed to make the funding process fair and equitable for all Medicaid waiver customers. It will provide for more self-direction for the person to direct their care. The new system will also allow the agency to have more budget control and financial predictability.
Some of the customer benefits of iBudget 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.
September 13 and 14, APD is hosting a stakeholders meeting in Tallahassee to continue to fine tune implementation details. Information about these meetings will soon be available on the APD Web site. The agency also plans to host many more information and training sessions for customers in the months to come on iBudget Florida. Stay tuned.
Clicking on most photos will open a larger version.
Florida to Recognize State's Exceptional Employers
On October 1 in Tallahassee, seven businesses will be recognized by the state as Exceptional Employers. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities and its partner agencies are planning a big celebration to kick off Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Governor Charlie Crist, Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp, Cabinet members, and other community leaders have been invited to participate and recognize the contributions of people with disabilities to the workforce. Employers who are committed to hiring and retaining employees with disabilities will be recognized.
The event will be held at the Tallahassee City Commission Chambers, 300 South Adams Street. Information displays will be in the Second Floor Mezzanine along with donated refreshments beginning at 8:30. The employer recognition will begin at 9:30 a.m. Some of the organizations participating are Vocational Rehabilitation, Blind Services, Able Trust, Governor's Commission on Disabilities, Volunteer Florida, City of Tallahassee, and the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
To find out more information, RSVP, or request an accommodation for the event, call (850) 245-3336.
Panhandle Park Reopens
Hawkins Recreational Park in Santa Rosa County reopened on August 4 to the public after a six year closure. Park visitors can now enjoy picnicking, fishing, hiking, bird watching, and other activities again.
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) manages Hawkins Park. APD has worked for the past several months to repair and enhance the park and make sure it is accessible to people with disabilities. The park entrance is on Munson Highway, just past 5550 Bubba Lane, in Milton.
The 23-acre parcel was donated by the Hawkins family to the state of Florida in 1977 with the requirement that people with disabilities have access to the land. The state completed construction on the recreational park in 1979. It was originally named Round Pen Bayou Park due to its location on the bayou. It was renamed Hawkins Recreational Park in September 1986 in honor of the donor's father, Herman Calvin Hawkins. Many of the park's facilities were destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan making it unusable.
About $50,000 in renovations have been completed. The facilities are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The fishing pier and bathhouse have been rebuilt. The playground has been refurbished. There are also pavilions and grills that can house special events for large family gatherings.
The Grand Opening festivities included performances by the Pyramid Choir and the presentation of the colors by a Boy Scout Troop 409. Remarks were made by APD Director Jim DeBeaugrine and APD Area Administrator Walt Wooten.
People with disabilities will maintain the park through an agreement with Santa Rosa ARC. The park is open to visitors who are Florida residents with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. If you would like to make a reservation, contact the APD Area 1 office in Pensacola at (850) 595-8351.
For additional photos from the celebration, please visit the Hawkins Park Photo Gallery.
APD Claims PR Award
The Communications Office for the Agency for Persons with Disabiliti
APD Communications Director Melanie Mowry Etters, APR, CPRC, accepted the awards on behalf of the agency.
The winning entry was for the agency's public awareness campaign promoting the employment of people with disabilities. It earned an Award of Distinction which means it met the high standards of excellence the judges established.
The APD Communications Office includes Etters, Jeff Saulich, Kimberly Tharpe, Susan Williams, and Georgia LoCastro.
Legislators Visit Panhandle Facilities
On July 14, 2010, APD's Legislative Affairs Office facilitated visits to the Mentally Retarded Defendant Program (MRDP) and the Sunland Center at Marianna for both House of Representatives and Senate staff that deal directly with APD's policy and budget issues in the Legislature. Charles Ball, Superintendent of MRDP, and Jeff Egelston, Superintendent of Sunland, graciously provided overviews of their facilities, as well as illustrative tours that exhibited the clients they serve and their different purposes, challenges, and successes.
Both tours were extremely beneficial in creating a hands-on experience for legislative emplolyees that have never seen a Developmental Disability Center or Forensic Program, such as MRDP, in person. It provided them with an opportunity to experience and learn about these different settings in a more realistic way.
Attendees included:
- Logan McFaddin, Legislative Affairs Director for APD
- Danielle Scoggins, Deputy Legislative Affairs Director for APD
- Jared Torres, Legislative Analyst for APD
- Ralph Perkins, Legislative Analyst for the House Health Care Appropriations Committee
- Chris Schoonover, Legislative Analyst for House Health Care Services Policy Committee
- Sharon Bradford, Legislative Analyst for Senate Health & Human Services Appropriations
- Amanda Hansson, Legislative Analyst for Senate Children, Families, & Elder Affairs
Folding into the Community
Ricky Allen is dedicated to his employer, the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Miami. After more than a decade in the hotel laundry, Allen is still committed to providing excellent customer service and supporting his team.
"I like my job because I like to work folding towels and I like my co-workers," says Allen.
The hotel's laundry services manger, Jose Santiago, has been Allen's manager for over five years and works very closely with him. Santiago says, "I am not only his manager but also one of his natural supports on the job. Ricky has developed many friends that work with him and offer support, if needed. The team feels that they can rely on Ricky as much as he relies on them."
The Intercontinental Hotel has 641 rooms that all need clean linens on a daily basis. This laundry service includes all towels, sheets, tablecloths, and other laundry needs which equals hundreds of loads a day. This requires a team of professionals that include Allen to operate and organize the laundry room for this luxury class hotel that brings in visitors from all over the world to South Florida.
It has taken time, but now Allen has overcome his concerns of attending social events at work. He has been able to enjoy parties with co-workers.
Allen is very happy with his career at the intercontinental Hotel and his career goals include continuing to be a part of the hotel team in the future.
Around the State
Employers Give Pointers to Job Seekers
By Katrina Washington
APD's Area 1 office in Pensacola was the scene of a productive workshop called "Up Close and Personal with Employers" that served as a kickoff event for Disability Mentoring Day. Mentor applications were provided to employers and mentee applications were given to individuals with disabilities.
The event provided a unique opportunity for employment coaches and job seekers from the disability community to get feedback from employers on their interviewing skills and the quality of their résumés. Persons with disabilities were able to practice and receive pointers from APD about interview questions and answers.
Four employers participated in the mock interviews—Sacred Heart Hospital, Highpointe Hotel Corporation, Advantage Staffing, and Whitney Bank. The Area 1 office is planning to sponsor another "Up Close and Personal with Employers" event in October, which is Disability Employment Awareness Month.
APD Employees Join Volunteer Effort
Neither blazing sun nor stinging briars, red ant bites nor soaring temperatures could deter APD employees in Area 2A from joining community partners to complete an AmeriCorps service project. Volunteers from Homeless Coalition, Panama City Rescue Mission, and Goodwill Industries also turned out to assist AmeriCorps Service members on July 23 in Panama City.
Their mission was to clear out a piece of property that was recently purchased by the city for use as a city park. The City of Panama City provided chain saws, pole cutters, weed whips, rakes, and loppers for the volunteers to use to clear dense brush and collect litter and debris. The plan for the site, located on beautiful Massalina Bayou, is to provide recreational opportunities for citizens of all abilities.
Area 2A signed on as Disability Partner with the AmeriCorps Goodwill Goodworks! Volunteer Program in October 2009. In addition to having quarterly service projects to benefit the community, the program uses AmeriCorps member volunteers to staff several career service centers throughout Northwest Florida. The centers assist in providing training and employment services to people with disabilities and other challenges, including homelessness.
The region's next AmeriCorps community service project will be held in late October. Area 2 APD employees will be recruiting customers and providers to sign up for this great opportunity to give back to the community.
Area 2A, which has a satellite office in Panama City, is the eastern portion of APD's Area 2, headquartered in Tallahassee.
Area 9 Employee Receives Davis Award
Frank Houston, the Area Quality Leader of APD's Area 9 office in West Palm Beach, was presented with a 2010 Prudential-Davis Productivity Award during a meeting on July 30. Houston was presented with an Award of Distinction for his innovation, dedication, and commitment to excellence.
"Frank is a pleasure to work with—highly motivated, full of integrity," said his supervisor, Doni Brathwaite, while presenting the award. "Whenever he is asked to complete an assignment, he just does it!"
Houston developed a tracking system to identify recoupment issues with providers, and developed an informational packet to educate providers. His efforts resulted in the recoupment of more than $45,000 in payments for services that were not authorized.
His work enhanced productivity within state government and the lives of Florida's citizens. The Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards program is sponsored by Florida TaxWatch, the Florida Council of 100, and the State of Florida.
Area 10 Hosts Resource Fair
Providing assistance to individuals on the waiting list and their families was the focus of a Resource Fair that was held at the Charley Katz Community Center in Margate. Participating agencies at the August 27 event included the Area 10 Family Care Council, APD Area 10 office, community partners, Children's Services Council of Broward County, and Living Inclusively for Everyone.
Twenty-six exhibitors participated, provide information on the services they provide to individuals with developmental disabilities at reduced or no cost. About 150 people attended the Resource Fair, gathering information and listening to informational presentations from Broward County Schools, Vocational Rehabilitation, and APD.
Don't Worry…Be Happy!
By Janet Snow
Lynda Peterson lives in Okeechobee County with her husband, son, and twin grandsons north of town. Way north of town. It's beautiful there and the family has a large yard for the dogs and kids to play in. Traffic is nearly nonexistent and birds sing in the many trees on the property. Peterson's twin grandsons, Kain and Kado, love it there and she loves having them, but she worries, too. Or she used to.
Kain has severe cerebral palsy. Peterson has been taking care of him since he was a baby, but now he's 11 and bigger. Lifting him from his wheelchair to put him in the tub was hard because of the stiffness that cerebral palsy can cause, and lifting him out was getting to be dangerous. After a bath, Kain was not just stiff and unable to assist, he was wet and slippery, too! Peterson's son helped her with this task but, because of the cramped tub area, he also had problems getting Kain safely out of the tub. They managed by making a nest of towels on the floor and sliding him gingerly over the edge of the tub to the towels and then drying him off there before lifting him into his wheelchair. A major undertaking, but a safe one for Kain.
Peterson had dreams of being able to wheel Kain directly into the shower and had even managed to get a chair which could be used in the shower. But financing the renovations was another matter. After much worry and many applications for help, she had nearly given up hope of achieving this dream for her grandson. Funding was scarce and this was a major project.
When APD Director Jim DeBeaugrine came to Area 15 for a meeting, we described Peterson's predicament to him. A request was submitted to Central Office due to the size of the project and approval was received shortly before Christmas of last year. What a Christmas gift!
Quotes were submitted and local contractor, Mark W. Brandel, Inc., was chosen to do the work. He removed the tub, reinforced the floor, retiled the walls and floor, installed new cabinetry with more storage space, and installed a new shower area with both fixed and handheld shower heads and a recessed shower area to keep the water in while allowing Kain's wheelchair to be wheeled right in for his shower.
"I cannot thank the agency enough for the job accomplished," Peterson wrote in a letter to APD. "Kain now participates in showering and enjoys his new task. Our family thanks APD and the help of Janet Snow and Jim DeBeaugrine, Director, for this wonderful gift. We appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts!"
Area 11 Celebrates Supported Living
By Maria Roqueta
Supported living was the cause to celebrate during the 2nd Annual Supported Living Independence Day, hosted by APD's Area 11 office in Miami. It was my pleasure to welcome everyone to this special event, which was held for our supported living customers, their coaches, and other providers.
Activities included a very informative session by Margaret Lott, R.N., from the Department of Health, a presentation on supported living by Program Operations Administrator Carolyn Eleby, a presentation by Employment Specialist Montrese Albury that included video testimony from two Area 11 customers, and a presentation about Disability Mentoring Day by Program Analyst Michael Cardello, who also distributed applications for DMD Day.
The celebration's grand finale was a talent show featuring many of our talented customers. Tracy Heastie, who makes gift baskets, brought three beautiful examples to display. She spoke about how she started creating them and her plans for the future. Jeffrey and Adelis Godfrey shared the secrets of a successful marriage.
Also, back by popular demand, we had our very own "Michael Jacksons" making the King of Pop proud. Joey Bloom danced to "Smooth Criminal"—black hat, shades, rhinestone glove, and socks included. Armando danced to "Billie Jean" and "She Is Out of my Life."
After the applause and bravos from the audience, we thanked everyone for coming and shared some refreshments. We are already gathering ideas and hope that next year's event will be even bigger and better!
Governor Names PARC as Point of Light
Governor Charlie Crist recognized PARC of St. Petersburg as a Governor's Point of Light on August 12. The governor made the announcement after visiting the facility on August 5, accompanied by APD Suncoast Area Administrator Carl Littlefield. PARC CEO Sue Buchholtz had invited the special guests to tour the facility and observe the services and supports that PARC provides through such programs as APD's Medicaid waiver.
"Support for Florida's citizens with disabilities is important and I am grateful for your dedication and compassion to the citizens of our state," Crist wrote in a letter to Littlefield after the tour. "It has been a strong priority of mine to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities and by working together we will ensure a bright future for all Floridians."
PARC is the largest social services agency in the Tampa Bay area, founded in 1953 by Edythe Ibold. As the mother of a child with developmental disabilities, she recognized the need for services catered specifically to children and adults with disabilities. Today, PARC serves more than 800 children and adults with disabilities.
Governor's Rep Visits Suncoast
Bob Brown-Barrios, policy coordinator with the Governor's Office of Policy and Budget, visited APD's Suncoast Area office in Tampa to meet with its Executive Management Team. Mary Beth Daté of APD's iBudget Florida team accompanied Brown-Barrios for the August 23 visit. They shared their insight on the new iBudget Florida program of individualized budgets, the waiting list, public-private partnerships, and more. The meeting was a wonderful opportunity for staff to share their ideas and concerns. Brown-Barrios plans to visit other APD area offices in the future.
Davis Awards Due Soon!
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards. Please nominate individuals, teams, work units, and agencies that exceeded their job descriptions and performance expectations in ways that improved service delivery and added value for Florida taxpayers and businesses between October 1, 2009, and September 30, 2010, or other comparable period.
Nomination forms and instructions are now available at www.floridataxwatch.org/dpa/nomination.php. The nomination process is now done online. To make a nomination, you will need to go to the Web site referenced above. If you registered on the system last year, your user name and password from last year will still work. If you forgot either of them, there are links to help you.
You will find PDF versions of the nomination forms online. The PDFs are for writing rough drafts of the nominations, if you feel you need to do so. However, the actual nominations must be submitted online, not using the PDFs.
The deadline for submitting nominations is 5 p.m. on Friday, September 17. Cash awards of $200 to $2,750, commemorative plaques, and certificates of commendation will be presented to state employees in June 2011.
Governor Crist Appoints Seven to the Florida Rehabilitation Council
On August 10, Governor Charlie Crist announced reappointments and appointments to the Florida Rehabilitation Council which advises the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation within the Department of Education. All the terms began on August 10 and end on June 30, 2013.
Those reappointed are:
- Tara Bremer, 38, of Holiday, director of programs with Family Network on Disabilities of Florida Inc.
- Rebecca Forsell, 61, of Tampa, founder and executive director of YES! of America United Inc.
- Valerie Stafford-Mallis, 55, of Bradenton, outreach coordinator with Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Those newly appointed are:
- Benedict Grzeski, 68, of Melbourne, human resource adjunct professor with University of Maryland, succeeding Eric Kennedy.
- Catherine Bishop, 61, of Tallahassee, section administrator with Florida Department of Education, succeeding Michelle Polland.
- Yolanda Herrera, 65, of Miami, mentor foster parent with Florida Mentor, succeeding Warren Jernigan.
- Roberta Van Sickle, 59, of Palm Beach Gardens, disability advocate, succeeding Jane Bevan.
Governor Appoints Two to the Florida Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation
Governor Charlie Crist recently announced the following appointments to the Florida Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation also called the Able Trust.
- Marcy Benton, 41, of Lakeland, associate diversity manager with Publix Super Markets, succeeding Eladio Amores, appointed for a term beginning August 18, 2010, and ending September 30, 2011.
- Anne Marie Taglienti, 45, of Coral Springs, director of corporate affairs with American Express, succeeding James Spencer, appointed for a term beginning October 1, 2010, and ending September 30, 2013.
Don't Drive Drowsy
Driver fatigue leads to 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 crashes each year in the United States. While those numbers may seem like boring statistics, it is more than that to the Dugans family. It is a sad reality.
In 2008, a driver fell asleep at the wheel of a cement truck in Tallahassee and slammed into a bus, killing 8-year-old Ronshay Dugans. While her death is a tragedy, her family wants to share it so that other families do not have to suffer a similar loss. They worked with State Rep. Alan Williams to champion new legislation to create the Ronshay Dugans Act. The act designates the first week of September as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week in Florida.
Florida's departments of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and Transportation have teamed up with Rep. Williams and Ronshay's family to launch a public awareness campaign. The theme, You Snooze, You Lose - Don't Drive Drowsy, uses an old adage in its literal interpretation to remind drivers of the potential consequences that falling asleep at the wheel can have.
Anyone can fall victim to driving while drowsy, regardless of the time of day. Here are some preventive measures that drivers can take:
- Catch some Zs before you get behind the wheel. A good night's sleep goes a long way to prevent drowsy driving.
- Bring a buddy. By having another driver on board, you have someone to share the driving responsibilities and help keep one another alert.
- Take a break. Stopping to get out and stretch your legs every few hours or even to catch a quick nap will help you recharge your battery.
- Drive sober.Alcohol and driving never mix. Also, heed prescription medication labels and warnings that say they may make you drowsy.
Visit www.dot.state.fl.us/safety for more information.
Melanie Mowry Etters - Editor
Jeff Saulich - Photo Editor
Lloyd Harger - Web Development