Family Network on Disabilities

www.fndusa.org

Family Network on Disabilities (FND) was founded in 1985 by a group of parents of persons with disabilities who came together for mutual support and information-sharing. FND is a family-centered and family-driven grassroots organization for persons with disabilities and their families that is family-centered and family-driven. The mission of Family Network on Disabilities is striving for complete integration and equality of people with disabilities in a society without barriers. FND serves all persons with all disabilities and believes that everyone has intrinsic value and the inherent right to respect, independence, knowledge, freedom of choice, inclusion, quality of life, success, and equality.

Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System (FDLRS) 

www.fdlrs.org

The Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System (FDLRS) provides diagnostic, instructional, and technology support services to district exceptional education programs and families of students with disabilities. Service centers include Associate Centers that directly serve school districts in the areas of Child Find, Parent Services, Human Resource Development (HRD), and Technology. In addition, the FDLRS Network also includes Multi-disciplinary Centers who focus on in-depth evaluations and several statewide projects offering specialized services. 

Parent Services

FDLRS Parent Services provides information, training, and support to districts and families, in order to promote effective parent participation in the education of children who are exceptional and/or have special needs.  Parent services include assistance in the development of family-friendly programs, training and support for services for children with disabilities, and the support of partnerships between schools and parents to support student achievement.

CARD – Center for Autism and Related Disabilities

http://card-usf.fmhi.usf.edu

CARD works with people at all ages of their lives regardless of the age of diagnosis. CARD consultants can assist families through the early days of diagnosis, help you find and use community resources, teach strategies and evidence-based practices for skill-building and behavioral concerns, create visual supports, prepare for IEP meetings, and more.  We provide school observations of individual students and offer support and recommendations to staff only with permission from both the district and the family. Our consultants can help with various aspects of transitioning into adulthood including, but not limited to: community integration, lifestyle planning, self-advocacy, empowerment, preparations for independent living, understanding benefits, understanding relationships, and identifying supports for quality of life.

Although by statute we are not permitted (statute) to provide the following services directly, we can refer you to appropriate providers for:

• Diagnostic evaluations
• Therapy
• Crisis intervention
• Case management
• Legal or educational advocacy

We provide short-term services. You will need to contact us when you need further assistance.

Center for Independent Living: Self Reliance, Inc.

http://self-reliance.org/

Telephone: (813) 375-3965

Videophone: For Videophone owners call direct at (813) 402-0330

Self Reliance, Inc. Center for Independent Living (CIL) is a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization established in 1978. Our mission is to promote independence through empowering persons with disabilities and improving the communities in which we live. Self Reliance is a cross disability agency providing services to both children and adults with disabilities (regardless of age and type of disability) to identify and overcome barriers to independence in their lives. Self Reliance is an agency of last resort and there is no charge for services. Self Reliance is one of 16 Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in Florida.

Center for Independent Living Disability Achievement Center 

https://www.mydacil.org/

We serve Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
Contact Us: 727-539-7550
info@mydacil.org

Information and Referral Services

The center identifies, tracks, and records the constantly growing and changing array of resources, programs and projects available to people with disabilities at the local, state and national levels. The entire team has access to and provides consumers with answers to their questions about needs, wants and desires on a daily basis. 

 Independent Living Skills Training

Independent living skills training can take many forms. Often it is the same kind of training opportunities that anyone would like to take advantage of, but with the disability perspective, adaptation and accommodation included.

Peer Mentoring Including Cross-Disability Peer Counseling

Peer mentoring is an especially necessary part of the centers ongoing activities. Each member of the team brings a unique perspective on disability from personal experience. Throughout their interaction with consumers they use these experiences to offer mentoring support that can assist the consumer in understanding and managing their disability.

Individual and Systems Advocacy

The center offers direct coaching to consumers who have personal issues that self advocacy can assist with. An advocacy support group made up of the centers leadership and contract expertise is available to assist team members in their support of each consumers self advocacy development.

Project 10: Transition Education Network

www.project10.info

Project 10: Transition Education Network is Florida’s statewide discretionary project supporting the secondary transition of youth with disabilities. Project 10’s primary charge is to assist school districts in providing appropriate planning and timely transition services and programs to assist youth with disabilities in their transition to adulthood. Project 10 also serves as a collaborative resource for other state agencies, discretionary projects, non-profit organizations and families in the provision of transition services for students served in exceptional student education.

It also produces a number of products, supports pilot transition activities across the state, provides training and technical assistance services and develops research-supported activities.

Project 10 is currently focusing on four major initiatives:

• Capacity building to implement secondary transition services
• Interagency collaboration
• Transition legislation and policy
• Student development and outcomes

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

http://www.rehabworks.org/

About Vocational Rehabilitation
VR is a federal-state program that helps people who have physical or mental disabilities get or keep a job. VR is committed to helping people with disabilities find meaningful careers. Our Mission is to help people with disabilities find and maintain employment and enhance their independence. 

Examples of Vocational Rehabilitation Services:

• Vocational Evaluation and Planning
• Career Counseling and Guidance
• Job Coaching
• Job Placement
• On-the-Job Training
• Training and Education After High School
• Job Site Assessment and Accommodations
• Supported and Customized Employment
• Assistive Technology and Devices
• Medical and Psychological Assessment
• Time-limited Medical and/or Psychological Treatment

In addition to the general customer employment program, VR has additional specific programs designed to help eligible people with disabilities become employed.

Division of Blind Services

http://dbs.myflorida.com/

We are here to help blind and visually impaired Floridians achieve their goals and live productive and independent lives. Our services cover all ages from babies to senior citizens. We also offer Employer Services, the Braille and Talking Books Library, and the Business Enterprise Program. We encourage you to explore our website and then contact your nearest DBS office to find out more about eligibility requirements and how we can help you achieve your goals.

List of Services:

Programs and Services

• Blind Babies Program
• Braille and Talking Book Library
• Business Enterprise Program
• Children’s Program
• Employer Services
• Independent Living Program
• Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Transition Program
• Vocational Rehabilitation Program

Partners and Affiliates

• Blind Services Foundation of Florida, Inc.
• Florida Department of Education
• Florida Rehab Council for the Blind
• Service Providers

Leadership and Policy

• Client Services Policies
• Meet the Director
• Senior Leadership Team
• Strategic Plan 2020-2025
• Unified State Plan for 2020-2024

Blindness Resources

• Accessible Documents
• Assistive Technology
• Blindness Organizations
• Blindness Websites
• Guide Dog FAQs
• Guide Dog Schools
• Legal Resources
• See Different Initiative
• Special Populations College Services Resource Guide

Agency for Persons with Disabilities

https://apd.myflorida.com

APD works with local organizations and private providers to support people who have developmental disabilities and their families in living, learning, and working in their communities. APD identifies the service needs of people with developmental disabilities, and those individuals may receive social, medical, behavioral, residential, and/or therapeutic services.

Agency Goals

1. Increase access to community-based services, treatment, and residential options.
2. Increase the number of individuals with developmental disabilities in the workforce.
3. Improve management of the agency and oversight of providers.

The agency serves more than 50,000 Floridians with the following disabilities:

• People severely impaired by autism
• Cerebral palsy
• Spina bifida
• Intellectual disabilities
• Down syndrome
• Prader-Willi syndrome
• Phelan-McDermid syndrome
• Children age 3-5 who are at a high risk of a developmental disability

Disability Rights Florida

www.disabilityrightsflorida.org  

800-342-0823 Toll Free
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD)  800-346-4127

Disability Rights Florida is a nonprofit organization that provides legal advocacy and rights protection for adults and children with a wide range of disabilities. Our staff attorneys, advocates and investigators address civil rights violations, abuse and neglect, and discrimination specifically in these areas:

• Disputes involving Medicaid eligibility including Protected Medicaid, Home & Community Based Services Waivers, and Medicare Savings Programs.
• Discrimination in housing, architectural barriers, service animals, transportation, and access to public and private programs and services.
• Abuse, neglect, and rights violations in an institution, prison or jail.
• Rights to a least restrictive environment, privacy, choice, dignity, and other basic human and civil rights.
• Barriers to a free and appropriate education, K-12 special education, transition services, and post-secondary education.
• Access to mental health and support services that provide individualized treatment including adults and students with psychiatric disabilities.

• Discrimination in employment as well as accessing, maintaining or regaining employment, and vocational rehabilitation.
• Rights to effective and accessible communication like American Sign Language and accessible print and electronic information.
• Access to services that will enable veterans with service-related injuries a successful transition to civilian life.
• Investigation of stolen or misused funds, exploitation, or neglect by representative payees.
• Voting registration, vote casting, and accessible polling places.
• Access to assistive technology and devices such as communication devices and power wheelchairs.
• Supported Decision-Making as an alternative to guardianship.

If we can’t be of direct assistance, we refer people to other sources of help.

All services are free and confidential.