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GOALS 2006 - 2007

(NOTE: for Goals from previous years, click 2005-2006, 2004-2005, 2003-2004, 2002-2003)

FY 07 Service Goals
Organized by Team Specific Focus Area

Approved by the Board of Directors, Friday, October 20, 2006

Contents:

 

Focus Area 1: Conditions in Institutional Facilities (IC Team)

  1. Improving quality assurance programs and health and safety protection programs as they relate to individuals with disabilities and their rights to be free from abuse and neglect.
  2. Improving safety and welfare including healthcare, services, supports, and access to diversion, admission, transfer and discharge for individuals with disabilities in civil and forensic institutions.
  3. Increasing and improving access to meaningful dispute resolution forums, including complaint resolution, mediation, and due process systems for individuals with disabilities alleging violations of civil, legal, or human rights.
  4. Reducing and eventually eliminating the use of restraint and seclusion of individuals with disabilities.
  5. Improving the rights of and protections for children in state custody.
  6. Ensuring compliance with the settlement agreement in Brown v. Bush (educational programs, improved discharge planning, increased placements of individuals to the community, and plans for the closure of the Gulf Coast Center).

 

Focus Area 2: Community Access to Resources, Entitlements and Services (CARES Team)

  1. Protecting and advocating for the rights of the individuals with disabilities impacted by implementation of Florida’s Medicaid Reform Sec. 1115 Research and Demonstration Waiver
  2. Increasing and improving access to Medicaid and other publicly funded healthcare, mental health services, prescription drugs, positive behavioral supports, dentistry, transportation, assistive technology, training and support services, and other essential home and community-based services and supports that are or should be provided by Florida’s Medicaid, Medicare, Children’s Medical Services (CMS), Early, Periodic, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT), Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Consumer Director Care Plus (CDC+) Program, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Programs (BSCIP), Foster Care programs, Children’s Mental Health (CMH) programs, and other programs.
  3. Increasing and improving access to meaningful dispute resolution forums, including complaint resolution, mediation and due process systems, to vindicate rights violations such as medical benefits and entitlement, denial of information about rights or legal assistance and community habilitation services. 
  4. Increasing access to state and local services to individuals with disabilities in Florida affected by Hurricane Katrina.

 

Focus Area 3: Education (ED Team)

  1. Increasing physical and programmatic (under Title II & III ADA and section 504 Rehab Act) access to educational services.
  2. Increasing and improving access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
  3. Increasing and improving the access to communication-related services provided to public school students.
  4. Increasing and improving access to universal/information/assistive technologies, training and support services.
  5. Reducing or eliminating incidents of seclusion, restraint, bullying, inappropriate discipline, suspension, expulsion, and arrest of students in public school settings, as well as increasing and improving access to the positive behavior support process.
  6. Ensuring access to accommodations during assessments such as the FCAT and to alternate assessments leading to a standard diploma.
  7. Increasing and improving access to transition plans, services and service coordination, including but not limited to meaningful careers, higher education planning, benefits planning, vocational rehabilitation, voter registration and rights education.
  8. Ensuring protection of the educational rights of students with disabilities in juvenile justice facilities.
  9. Increasing and improving student and parent access to meaningful dispute resolution forums including Florida's complaint resolution, mediation, and due process systems, particularly with regard to the substantive issues listed above.

 

Focus Area 4: Employment (EMP Team)

  1. Increasing and expanding access to employment opportunities, with special focus on workplace accommodations, competitive employment, employer awareness, ticket to work and self-employment.
  2. Increasing access to assistive technology, training and support services and worksite modifications to assist individuals to prepare for and/or engage in employment.
  3. Increasing employment opportunities for individuals with mental health disabilities. 
  4. Improving the quality of the DVR/DBS State Plan, policymaking, and operation of Vocational Rehabilitation services.
  5. Increasing and improving access to meaningful dispute resolution forums, including complaint resolution, mediation, and due process systems for individuals to vindicate rights violations in Vocational Rehabilitation.

 

Focus Area 5: Equal Access to the Community (EAC Team)

  1. Increasing physical and programmatic access to the state court system and the public services housed within court houses and ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the area of court and courthouse based services
  2. Increasing physical and programmatic (under Title II & III ADA, section 504 Rehab Act, and Older American’s Act) access to publicly funded services.
  3. Expanding the range of options for safe, affordable, and accessible housing and ensuring compliance with the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act in the area of housing.
  4. Increasing physical and programmatic access to publicly funded services, with special focus on transportation services.
  5. Increasing physical and programmatic access to publicly funded services, with special focus on universal design, information and assistive technologies and compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
  6. Increasing and improving access to post-secondary educational services.
  7. Increasing physical and programmatic access to publicly funded services, with special focus on guardianship services.

 

Focus Area 6: Self-Determination (S-D Team)

  1. Expanding and increasing opportunities for economic self-empowerment for individuals with disabilities through greater personal control over the management and use of public benefits and personal assets, and through new asset development programs and policy initiatives.
  2. Increasing access to least restrictive alternatives to guardianship and guardian advocacy; ensuring that adequate legal protections are afforded to individuals during and after appointment of a guardian or guardian advocate.
  3. Reducing occurrences of abuse, neglect and exploitation of individuals with disabilities in community settings, as well as limitations or restrictions on their personal choices.
  4. Increasing access to person centered planning and self-determination through education and expanded opportunities for individual and systemic self-advocacy.
  5. Expanding and increasing opportunities for self-empowerment for individuals with disabilities through expanded access to voting rights and civic participation.

 

Focus Area 7: Intake and Referral Services (FIRST)

  1. Improving information and referral services to individuals with disabilities.

 

Focus Area 8: Community Outreach Relations and Education (CORE)/ Office of Public Policy Team

  1. Expanding accessible, technology enhanced and culturally sensitivity outreach and training efforts.
  2. Ensuring that effective and appropriate public policy is established for individuals with disabilities.
  3. Increasing public awareness of the Advocacy Center’s mission, service goals, needs of individuals with disabilities, disability issues, and other key information.