APD a Big Part of 20th Annual Family Café

By Director Barbara Palmer

I had a fabulous time at the 20th Annual Family Café held June 15-17, in Orlando. It is always wonderful to talk with so many of our customers and their families.

The Family Café has lots to offer our customers. There were breakout sessions, an Exhibit Hall with dozens of vendors, and a series of special events including keynote speakers and the Governor’s Summit on Disabilities. The event offers families exposure to a wide range of public and private resources, as well as opportunities to network with others.

Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) hosted a very busy informational booth with a display and brochures to share. APD employees were on hand to assist families with questions and issues. I was pleased that we were able to help so many people with their concerns.

Governor Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott hosted the annual Governor’s Summit on Disabilities Friday evening. The Governor met many people and took lots of pictures with attendees. Two special guests of APD met the Governor and First Lady, and had their pictures taken. Terrance Hazel Lives in Oviedo, Florida. He is a long-time employee of Walt Disney World having worked 11 years as a dishwasher at Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. He loves working at Disney because it is a happy and magical place. He works 3-4 days a week. David Wint is a 30-year-old with autism who receives services funded by APD. David is working with Vocational Rehabilitation so that he can land a job and go to work which is his goal.

Also on Friday evening, several leaders from state agencies spoke to the crowd about their agencies. I was so happy at the warm reception I received both Friday night and Saturday afternoon during my breakout session. Thank you to everyone who attended. I think having a face-to-face conversation with people enhances everyone’s understanding or issues. I hope I was clear with the information I shared on what issues we are working on at APD.

A special memory for me was the dance held on Saturday night. I especially enjoyed seeing everyone dressed up for this annual event. I liked joining in on the line dances too. It was so much fun.

APD employees presented breakout sessions on wide array of subjects related to the agency. These breakout sessions included:

Introduction to Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+) presented by Rhonda Sloan
Introduction to Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+) in Spanish presented by Lydia Bustillo
Self-Determination and Service Providers – Advocating through Life’s Journeys moderated by Rhonda Sloan
Understanding Social Security Work Incentives presented by Katrina Washington
Understanding APD Services presented by Liesl Ramos
Search for Resources presented by Stephanie Rogers
The Silent Epidemic: Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities presented by Christy Smiley
Application, Eligibility Determination, and Enrollment Requirements for Participation in APD Services presented by Liesl Ramos
Choking and Other Concerns presented by Lori Gephart, RN
Disaster Preparedness, Response & Recovery presented by Karen Hagan, Jeannette Estes, and Michael Taylor
Effective Advocacy with APD presented by Mindy Whitehead, Ombudsman
Moving Forward in CDC+ - System Enhancements and How They Will Affect You presented by Rhonda Sloan, CDC+ Administrator
ID, Aging and Dementia presented by Lori Kohler, RN, and Merari Perez
Resumes and Jobs presented by Katrina Washington

If you were unable to attend Family Café this year and would like to view the PowerPoints presented by APD, please visit: http://apdcares.org/publications/cafe/

To view the photo gallery from the event, please visit: http://apdcares.org/news/news/2018/fc18photo.htm