Current Projects
Providers who make our goals and initiatives a reality.
The Council administers federal funds to develop and support innovative practices that promote the independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in their communities.
The Council administers federal funds to develop and support innovative practices that promote the independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in their communities.
Partner: Mathematica, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $171,120
Current Project Term: April 2024-December 2024
Brief Statement: The purpose of this project, addressing the Council’s Access to Services through Knowledge activity, is to translate results from the initial quantitative and qualitative research findings into personas and/or journey maps that will subsequently be used to populate a web-based platform. It is envisioned that this new system will enable families/caregivers of individuals with I/DD to not only address immediate needs but also empower them to prepare for addressing issues they will face throughout the lifespan in securing access to services, supports, and programs
Contact: For further information, contact Diane Beaver, MBA at dbeaver@mathematica-mpr.org
Partner: University of Florida (UF) Board of Trustees
Current Funding Award: $300,000
Current Project Term: September 2023-September 2024
Brief Statement: In its second year of funding, the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF CAN), working in conjunction with the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), will focus on developing a strategic plan to increase recruitment and retention of behavior therapists resulting in training activities for both Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) in challenging behavior. A plan to develop an internship for lead behavior analysts will also be completed.
Contact: For further information, contact Dr. Kerri Peters, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychology, Administrative Director, UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF CAN) at kberard@ufl.edu.
Partner: Margaret Lynn Duggar & Associates, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $125,000
Current Project Term: September 2024-September 2025
Brief Statement: This project will continue facilitating Communities of Practice statewide. The focus is on building knowledge and working relationships between Aging and I/DD service providers, leading to increased access to services at the local level. Additional efforts will continue to build support from the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Elder Affairs, and the Agency for Healthcare Administration.
Contact: For further information, contact Margaret Lynn Duggar, President/CEO, at mlduggar@mlduggar.org.
Partner: Mathematica, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $332,501
Current Project Term: September 2024-September 2025
Brief Statement: During Year 3 of the project, the aim is to work towards the adoption of the Toolkit by an MCO organization that will pilot services to individuals with I/DD in two areas of the state as well as explore adoption of the Toolkit by other agencies in Florida (e.g. APD). Work will also begin to develop a web-based version of the Toolkit for ease of administration.
Contact: For further information, contact Ashley Bultman abultman@mathematica-mpr.com
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $229,824
Current Project Term: September 2024-September 2025
Brief Statement:
During Year 3 of the Project, NADD developed four training modules that were offered virtually, in-person, as well as through an integrated learning system (ILS) on the NADD website. Participant feedback was incorporated into the modules. For the Year 4 project, NADD will be providing training to 10 agencies focused on crisis prevention, intervention, and non-aversive approaches to behavior management. The curriculum will be finalized, and next steps will be proposed to the Council.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Partner: Pathways Resolution Center, Inc. Doing Business As (dba) OMS, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $280,816
Current Project Term: August 2024-August 2025
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its ninth year of funding, is to fully expand leadership training for self-advocates by continuing and building on the Florida SAND Fellows Training Program to train four new Fellows a year and use existing Fellows as peer mentors for the year that follows their training. Fellows will be engaged in developing job skills of maintaining the self-advocacy organization, managing communications for the network, and offering technical assistance and peer mentoring to new Fellows as needed. As each cohort of Fellows becomes trained, leadership training will be provided by the Fellows and will include fine-tuned content that the existing Fellows have created (e.g., Breaking Barriers Training Academy), and also training for other self-advocates in the Route to Self-Determination curriculum.
Contact: For further information, contact Christina Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Pathways Resolution Center, Inc. Doing Business As (dba) OMS, Inc. at cward@pathwaysresolution.com
Partner: Mathematica, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $197,170
Current Project Term: September 2024-September 2025
Brief Statement: During the 2024–2025 year, this project will focus on developing tools for individuals with I/DD and family members/caregivers can use to assess adult day training programs (ADTs) and supported employment programs and services. These tools will provide information to program participants and prospective participants to learn about elements that lead to quality and allow them to make better decisions about which programs and services are a good match for them.
Contact: For further information, contact Ashley Bultman, abultman@mathematica-mpr.com
Partner: Stacey Hoaglund
Current Funding Award: $65,000
Current Project Term: August 2024-August 2025
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its tenth year of funding with the Coordinator, is to plan and execute all aspects of the Council’s Partners in Policymaking program. Partners in Policymaking is a national model designed to educate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members on self-determination, disability systems, and how to share information to educate policymakers.
Contact: For further information, contact Stacey Hoaglund, PIP Coordinator, at shoaglundpartner@gmail.com.
Partner: Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Current Funding Award: $150,000
Current Project Term: September 2024-September 2025
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its second year of funding, is to further develop a Partners in Policymaking (PIP) curriculum and associated activity materials for a target audience of people with cognitive disabilities, requiring supports based on moderate-to-severe functional levels, at a Grade 2 to 3 reading level or below. The curriculum and associated activity materials will be developed to run in conjunction with and parallel to the current existing Florida Partners in Policymaking program with the goal of supporting more participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), and specifically cognitive disabilities, to be integrated into this program. Partners in Policymaking is a national model designed to educate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members on self-determination, disability systems, and how to share information to educate policymakers.
Contact: For further information, contact Reid Caplan, Accessible Policy Coordinator, at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org.
Project: Researching Aging Caregiving Families (Strive to Thrive: Supporting Families across the Aging and DD Networks Research Project Year Two)
Current Funding Award: $151,900
Current Project Term: May 2024 – May 2025
Brief Statement: In its second year of funding, the University of Illinois Chicago, Institute on Disability and Human Development, will implement the survey and focus groups with families of adults with I/DD that were developed in year one of the project. A comprehensive survey and multiple focus groups will be conducted. The goal is to obtain input from 300 people. Once the data is collected and analyzed it will assist in identifying the ways that families with people with I/DD thrive in Florida. The findings will help inform resources to support aging families of people with I/DD as they strive to thrive. This will also provide recommendations for future initiatives to support families and individuals with disabilities.
Contact: Katie Arnold, Project Manager, University of Illinois Chicago, Institute on Disability and Human Development kkeiling@uic.edu.
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $200,000
Current Project Term: September 2024-September 2025
Brief Statement: In its third year of funding, the project will identify gaps in information in collaboration with the ASK: Translating Research Into Practice Provider and gather information to assure that the population and community resources are representative of the overall population of the state. Through focus groups and/or structured interviews with families and caregivers of individuals with I/DD, the research will create categorical charts of issues and resources from the research by ages including identified life stories, quotations, pain points, and solutions. This information will be shared with the ASK: Translating Research Into Practice Provider to develop personas and journey maps to include scenarios, stories, and links to community resources for the forthcoming ASK web-based platform.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Project: Researching Provider Solutions
Current Funding Award: $173,329
Current Project Term: September 2024 – September 2025
Brief Statement: During the 2024–2025 year, a mixed-methods research study will be conducted to gather information directly from direct support professionals (DSPs) and agency employers. The purpose will be to gather information regarding facilitators and barriers that impact the supply of DSPs in Florida. Recommendations for legislative actions and policy/practice changes will be made.
Contact: For further information, contact Ashley Bultman, abultman@mathematica-mpr.com
Partner: Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees
Current Funding Award: $174,140
Current Project Term: June 2024-June 2025
Brief Statement: In its first and second years of funding, the project developed two 4-hour training sessions, provided virtually: one for law enforcement officers and one for emergency medical responders. The trainings were offered multiple times as pilots to gain feedback for improving the offerings. An asynchronous version of the trainings was also developed and is housed on a Canvas site. Following that, a train-the-trainer curriculum was developed for both law enforcement officers and emergency medical responders.
In its third year of funding, the project will continue to convene the Training First Responders Advisory Committee to provide input and recommendations, pilot test and revise the train-the-trainer curriculum for supervisors to deliver training to their own staff. They will be observed and coached through the training by the FAU project manager and be checked for fidelity to the model. An asynchronous version of both versions will become available.
Contact: For further information, contact Jack Scott, Ph.D., Primary Investigator, Florida Atlantic University, at jscott@fau.edu.
Archived Projects
Partner: University of Florida (UF) Board of Trustees
Current Funding Award: $195,425
Current Project Term: April 2022-September 2023
Brief Statement: In its first year of funding, the goal of this project is to explore the current status of behavior analysis services in Florida. Through a research study and use of a collaborative task force in an advisory capacity, the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF CAN), working in conjunction with the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), will conduct a research study to include a review of legislation, statutes, policies, and practices. Additionally, numbers of certified practitioners at the four levels of certification applied in Florida will be gathered, and barriers to increasing the numbers of personnel will be studied. The project will culminate in recommendations to increase the number of behavior analysts across all levels, certified by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board or other appropriate credentialing body.
Contact: For further information, contact Dr. Kerri Peters, Clinical Assistance Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychology, Administrative Director, UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF CAN) at kberard@ufl.edu.
Partner: The Family Café
Current Funding Award: $325,168
Current Project Term: July 2020-November 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to provide advanced training in advocacy and public policy issues that will be utilized in systems change efforts via local and regional implementation and through partnerships between Partners in Policymaking alumni, Florida Self-Advocates Network’D (Florida SAND), the Family Care Council Florida, and previous members of Florida’s Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network Leadership Cadre. This project’s first year of funding was enhanced and extended through September 2022 to accommodate for a continuation timeline to reschedule the Advocacy Summit cancelled in September 2021 due to the Covid 19 Delta variant.
Contact: For further information, contact Lori Fahey, President/CEO, The Family Café, Inc. at LFahey@familycafe.net.
Partner: Margaret Lynn Duggar and Associates, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $170,000
Current Project Term: January 2021-September 2021
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to work toward obtaining the initial “buy-in” needed from both federal and state policy leaders and “influencers” in both the aging and developmental disability networks to facilitate a direction for success under the Council’s new five-year state plan goal addressing Aging Caregivers. Knowledgeable stakeholders will be engaged in providing input on needs and gaps; and research will be conducted via broad surveys, conversational summits, compilation of findings, and identification of potential pathways to address unmet needs and gaps in services.
Contact: For further information, contact Margaret Lynn Duggar, Owner, Margaret Lynn Duggar and Associates, Inc. at mlduggar@mlduggar.com.
Partner: Margaret Lynn Duggar & Associates, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $100,000
Current Project Term: September 2023-September 2024
Brief Statement: In its fourth year of work, this project will continue to convene and facilitate key stakeholder groups; convene and support 11 Communities of Practice (CoPs) in building knowledge and working relationships between Aging and I/DD service providers; and convene and assess the status of three established community partnerships.
Contact: For further information, contact Margaret Lynn Duggar, President/CEO, at mlduggar@mlduggar.org.
Partner: Margaret Lynn Duggar & Associates, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $150,000
Current Project Term: October 2022-September 2023
Brief Statement: Caring for a person at home impacts the entire family. Aging caregivers, an aging population of adults with I/DD, and a significant shortfall of long-term care funding, both individually and collectively, is of imminent concern for individuals with I/DD and family caregivers. This initiative will continue to build a sustainable partnership between the developmental disability and aging networks to create a system of care that is both sensitive to and available for caregivers and individuals with I/DD who are growing older. This project, in its third year of work, will focus on the initial 11 recommendations that emerged from the Aging Generations’ Expectations in Developmental Disabilities (AGEDD) report and the subsequent development of an AGEDD 5-year draft strategic plan for Florida. This plan was based on input from nearly 100 stakeholders, nearly 30 community provider partnership dialogues, input from the Council’s Aging Caregivers Task Force, AGEDD Provider Advisory Group, and studies of national models on aging and developmental disability.
Contact: For further information, contact Margaret Lynn Duggar, President/CEO, at mlduggar@mlduggar.org.
Partner: Margaret Lynn Duggar & Associates, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $155,100
Current Project Term: November 2021-September 2022
Brief Statement: Caring for a person at home impacts the entire family. Aging caregivers, an aging population of adults with I/DD, and a significant shortfall of long-term care funding, both individually and collectively, is of imminent concern for individuals with I/DD and family caregivers. This initiative will work to create a sustainable partnership between the developmental disability and aging networks to create a system of care that is both sensitive to and available for caregivers and individuals with an I/DD who are growing older. The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to leverage the initial research and recommendations identified in the Aging Generations’ Expectations in Developmental Disabilities (AGEDD) September 2021 with a more targeted focus on building the participation in stakeholder groups and activities at the local, state and federal level, identifying and engaging key members in 3 stakeholder groups, holding facilitated meetings and discussions, developing a strategic implementation plan, and developing initial training objectives.
Contact: For further information, contact Margaret Lynn Duggar, President/CEO, at mlduggar@mlduggar.org
Partner: Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees
Current Funding Award: $405,733.34
Current Project Term: April 2021-August 2023
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding and amended to continue and expand work through August 2023, is to attain critical information from a diverse group of counties (i.e., rural, urban, and suburban) that will assist key stakeholders and decision makers to understand the issues and effectively plan strategies that lead to earlier identification and eligibility determinations to assure that appropriate interventions and services are in place for Black-African American children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Contact: For further information, contact Jack Scott, PhD, BCBA-D, Principal Investigator, Florida Atlantic University, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at jscott@fau.edu.
*”Black” – of or relating to any of various population groups including, but not limited to, African-American, Caribbean, Haitian, Nigerian, Kenyan.
Partner: Mathematica, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $538,894 ($199,839, September 2022-23; $339,055 September 2023-24)
Current Project Term: September 2022-August 2024
Brief Statement: In its first year of funding, between September 2022 and September 2023, this project sought to establish and fully implement a best practice, quality case management competency tool for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) that will enable them to remain in their homes and communities across the lifespan. Representatives from multiple agencies that provide case management services to individuals with I/DD were brought together to work collaboratively in the development of a tool to evaluate case management services received to ensure a more uniform quality of case management across agencies and service systems in Florida.
The project was amended in September 2023 to allow for an additional year of work to continue the research elements (e.g., testing and refinement) of the tools being developed, and additional funding was added to the original contract.
Contact: For further information, contact Noelle Denny-Brown, Project Director, Mathematica, Inc. at NDenny-Brown@mathematica-mpr.com.
Partner: School Board of Miami-Dade County
Current Funding Award: $125,000
Current Project Term: September 2020-September 2021
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, built sustainability, and inspired replication of the successful postsecondary model in a career and technical college setting for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, ages 18 – 22, who have exited K-12. Program participants are achieving industry certifications or achieving occupational completion points that provide them with an edge for obtaining better employment outcomes.
Contact: For further information, contact Vivian C. Vieta, Ed.D., Project TOPS Program Director, Robert Morgan Educational & Technical College, School Board of Miami-Dade County at vvieta@dadeschools.net.
Partner: Collier County Board of Commissioners, Collier Area Transit
Current Funding Award: $300,000
Current Project Term: November 2020-June 2023
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding and amended to enhance funding and the capacity to operate through June 2023, is to increase access to the community and satisfaction with transportation services for two or more life activities (e.g., employment, postsecondary education or training, recreation, leisure activities, shopping) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities building upon the Council’s previously funded and long-term successful HARTPlus Customer Choice Program in Hillsborough County.
Contact: For further information, contact Omar De Leon, Transit Manager, Collier County Board of Commissioners, Collier Area Transit at Omar.Deleon@colliercountyfl.gov.
Partner: WellFlorida Council, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $248,713
Current Project Term: November 2021-January 2023
Brief Statement: The purpose of this project is to leverage an existing paramedicine program delivered through the local Health Council of East Central Florida, to develop, implement, and evaluate a community paramedicine pilot project for persons with I/DD. The pilot model utilizes the established paramedicine model for Orange County with any needed modifications to health and safety assessment(s) specific to the I/DD population, provide vaccine education, administer the COVID-l9 vaccine as agreed upon, and provide follow-up post vaccine.
Contact: For further information, contact Lindsey Redding, Director, at lredding@wellflorida.org
Partner: University of Delaware
Current Funding Award: $125,000
Current Project Term: September 2020-September 2021
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its third year of funding, is to develop a sustainable and culturally diverse cadre of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, along with representatives of Florida’s Developmental Disabilities Network (Florida DD Network), to support subsequent leaders who are prepared to engage in state-wide advocacy efforts to impact systems change based on their interest and expertise.
Contact: For further information, contact Kristen Loomis, Director of Programs, National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities, University of Delaware at kloomis@udel.edu.
Partner: World Institute on Disability
Current Funding Award: $199,912.87
Current Project Term: July 2020-January 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to create a partnership with key stakeholders to plan and conduct a Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Summit for the purposes of education and training that will result in development of action plans for local and regional areas to address key unmet needs related to natural and man-made disasters.
Contact: For further information, contact Heather Duncan, Executive Assistant, World Institute on Disability at heather@wid.org.
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $135,763.66
Current Project Term: May 2021 – May 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to investigate the dual diagnosis issue as an unmet need to prevent unnecessary interventions. The NADD will convene an agency and stakeholder collaborative group who will provide oversight, input, and assist in planning the implementation of recommendations identified through the study to improve service delivery for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and mental health (MH) diagnoses and/or in crisis.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $173,010
Current Project Term: September 2023-September 2024
Brief Statement: During Year 2 of the project, NADD developed and piloted virtual and face-to-face training in dual diagnosis to family members, agency employees, and school personnel. Six 2-hour modules were offered that included: Understanding Dual Diagnosis Basics, Working Effectively with Autistic People, Augmentative Communication, Crisis Prevention and Intervention, Positive Supports and Wellness, and Trauma-Informed Care. The need to develop and provide more intensive training in crisis that would include prevention, intervention, and post-crisis strategies became apparent from the input that the advisory committee provided. Year 3 of the project will pilot training in these areas.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $149,951
Current Project Term: September 2022-September 2023
Brief Statement: Based on the findings from the Year 1 Dual Diagnosis Study, in Year 2 the Dual Diagnosis Training project will develop and provide training for school districts and community agencies and family members. Topics will include: recognizing and effectively communicating and interacting with individuals with I/DD who have co-occurring mental health diagnoses and/or challenging behaviors, including autism, to include strategies for communicating verbally and through augmentative and alternative communication methods; the use of de-escalation strategies; behavior management techniques; and safe physical management considering physical limitations. This training project will result in the development and implementation of effective strategies and/or practices that will assist in averting unnecessary interventions for individuals who are dually diagnosed with I/DD and co-occurring mental health diagnoses and/or challenging behaviors, including autism, and will assist the Council in addressing the targeted disparities in services and outcomes for this underserved population.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Partner: Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston
Current Funding Award: $125,000
Current Project Term: September 2021-September 2022
Brief Statement:
The goal of this project, in its tenth and final year of funding, is to provide technical assistance to Employment First Florida state agency partners and organizations, continue to support implementation of the state’s Interagency Cooperative Agreement, share information with Florida’s grassroots groups, enhance and maintain the Employment First Florida website, and deliver ongoing support to local level collaborative teams that lead to improvement of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities in Florida.
The project will also obtain approval of the partner’s formal Communication Plan which will support the sustainability of the project’s work in the coming years. The partners will determine an appropriate agency or organization to house the oversight of Employment First Florida during this year of transition.
Contact: For further information, contact Jean Winsor, Ph.D., Research Associate, Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston at jean.winsor@umb.edu.
Partner: The Center for Social Capital, Inc., dba Griffin-Hammis Associates
Current Funding Award: $75,000
Current Project Term: September 2021-September 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its eighth and final year of funding, is to provide collaborative training, technical assistance, and resources for agency and organization staff engaged in securing and supporting quality integrated, competitive employment for all individuals with disabilities. Using a training toolkit developed in earlier years of the project, extensive provider training, technical assistance, and mentoring of agency and organization leadership, six Florida sites are building their capacity to serve as models for other employment providers within their regions. It is anticipated that the sites will serve as a State-wide Technical Assistance Center, delivering supports through regional Communities of Practice (CoP).
At the conclusion of this initiative, ongoing implementation will be transitioned to an appropriate state-level Employment First Partner to promote long-term sustainability.
Contact: For further information, contact Nancy Brooks-Lane, MS, LMFT, LPC or Russell Sickles, Senior Associates, Griffin-Hammis Associates at nbrookslane@griffinhammis.com or rsickles@griffinhammis.com.
Partner: Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (FARF) d/b/a RESPECT of Florida, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $888,782.68
Current Project Term: September 2022-September 2023
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its second year of funding, is to continue building the new pathway for adults with disabilities historically served in Adult Day Training programs or other less-inclusive settings, to transition into the competitive workforce through ongoing implementation of the Florida Project SEARCH Adult Model. The four Employment Centers (ECs) that operated during the first year of the project will continue to operate the program and work toward building stability and sustainability within their own organizations and as a model for potential statewide replication through the guidance and support from RESPECT of Florida and National Project SEARCH.
Contact: For further information, contact Courtney Swilley, Member Services Director, Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (FARF) d/b/a RESPECT of Florida, Inc. at cswilley@floridaarf.org.
Partner: Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (FARF) d/b/a RESPECT of Florida, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $874,544
Current Project Term: September 2020-September 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to create a new pathway for adults with disabilities, historically served in Adult Day Training programs or other less-inclusive settings, to transition into the competitive workforce through development and implementation of a Florida Project SEARCH Adult Model.
Contact: For further information, contact Courtney Swilley, Member Services Director, Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (FARF) d/b/a RESPECT of Florida, Inc. at cswilley@floridaarf.org.
Partner: Pathways Resolution Center, Inc. Doing Business As (dba) OMS, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $300,000
Current Project Term: September 2023-August 2024
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its eighth year of funding, is to fully expand leadership training for self-advocates by continuing and building on the Florida SAND Fellows Training Program to train four new Fellows a year and use existing Fellows as peer mentors for the year that follows their training. Fellows will be engaged in developing job skills of maintaining the self-advocacy organization, managing communications for the network, and offering technical assistance and peer mentoring to new Fellows as needed. As each cohort of Fellows becomes trained, leadership training will be provided by the Fellows and will include fine-tuned content that the existing Fellows have created (e.g., Breaking Barriers Training Academy), and also training for other self-advocates in the Route to Self-Determination curriculum.
Contact: For further information, contact Christina (Tina) St. Clair, Chief Executive Officer, Pathways Resolution Center, Inc. Doing Business As (dba) OMS, Inc. at tstclair@orgmsinc.com.
Partner: Dale DiLeo Consulting
Current Funding Award: $220,612
Current Project Term: December 2020-September 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding within this state plan cycle, is to update the content, technology, and platform for the FYI Transition website to build a user-friendly and high-quality student exclusive website. Key content will include topics related to transition, health, money management, employment and career exploration, postsecondary education, housing, and self-determination in an “Easy Read” format with audible text.
Contact: For further information, contact Dale DiLeo, Owner, Dale DiLeo Consulting at daledileo@att.net.
Partner: Florida Housing Coalition, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $270,500
Current Project Term: September 2020-January 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its sixth year of funding, is to provide an immersive leadership training to advance the goals of self-advocates by training self-advocates in leadership skills to promote self-determination, person-centered planning, and running their state-wide self-advocacy network as independently as possible. While Florida SAND has been supported for five years, beginning in September 2021, the Florida SAND Fellows Leadership Program will be the primary focus of Council-funded efforts.
Contact: For further information, contact Carter Burton, Technical Advisor, Florida Housing Coalition, Inc. at burton@flhousing.org.
Partner: The University of Central Florida / Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD)
Current Funding Award: $125,000
Current Project Term: September 2021-November 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its fourth year of funding, is to improve access to and completion of postsecondary education, particularly programs within the Florida College system, for youth who identify as individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and as Hispanic/Latino.
Contact: For further information, contact Terri Daly, Ph.D., Director, The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of Central Florida at Terri.Daly@ucf.edu.
Partner: Mathematica, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $530,847 ($199,907, September 2022-23; $330,940, October 2023-24)
Current Project Term: October 2022-August 2024
Brief Statement: In its first year of funding, between October 2022 and September 2023, this project developed a tool(s) that can be used by both family members and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have significant behavioral challenges, to assist them in evaluating whether services and supports will meet their needs and help them achieve a high quality of life. The targeted settings for use include employment, adult day training, and residential. The tool(s) are also being developed in a manner to be used as a quality improvement measure by service providers to evaluate their services and supports over time.
The project was amended in September 2023 to allow for an additional year of work to continue the research elements (e.g., testing and refinement) of the tools being developed, and additional funding was added to the original contract.
Contact: For further information, contact Alex Kobrin, Survey Researcher, Mathematica, Inc. at AKobrin@mathematica-mpr.com.
Partner: Stacey Hoaglund
Current Funding Award: $65,000
Current Project Term: August 2023-August 2024
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its ninth year of funding with the Coordinator, is to plan and execute all aspects of the Council’s Partners in Policymaking program. Partners in Policymaking is a national model designed to educate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members on self-determination, disability systems, and how to share information to educate policymakers.
Contact: For further information, contact Stacey Hoaglund, PIP Coordinator, at shoaglundpartner@gmail.com.
Partner: Stacey Hoaglund
Current Funding Award: $50,000
Current Project Term: August 2022- August 2023
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its sixth year of funding with the current Coordinator, is to plan and execute all aspects of the Council’s Partners in Policymaking program. Partners in Policymaking is a national model designed to educate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members on self-determination, disability systems, and how to share information to educate policymakers.
Contact: For further information, contact Stacey Hoaglund, PIP Coordinator, at shoaglundpartner@gmail.com.
Partner: Stacey Hoaglund
Current Funding Award: $50,000
Current Project Term: August 2021- August 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its fifth year of funding with the Coordinator, is to plan and execute all aspects of the Council’s Partners in Policymaking program. Partners in Policymaking is a national model designed to educate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members on self-determination, disability systems, and how to share information to educate policymakers.
Contact: For further information, contact Stacey Hoaglund, PIP Coordinator, at shoaglundpartner@gmail.com.
Partner: Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Current Funding Award: $224,716.16
Current Project Term: May 2023-September 2024
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to develop a Partners in Policymaking (PIP) curriculum and associated activity materials for a target audience of people with cognitive disabilities, requiring supports based on moderate-to-severe functional levels, at a Grade 2 to 3 reading level or below. The curriculum and associated activity materials will be developed to run in conjunction with and parallel to the current existing Florida Partners in Policymaking program with the goal of supporting more participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), and specifically cognitive disabilities, to be integrated into this program. Partners in Policymaking is a national model designed to educate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members on self-determination, disability systems, and how to share information to educate policymakers.
Contact: For further information, contact Reid Caplan, Accessible Policy Coordinator, at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org.
Partner: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
Current Funding Award: $300,000
Current Project Term: March 2021-September 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding and amended to enhance funding and the capacity to operate through September 2022, is to increase access to the community and satisfaction with transportation services for two or more life activities (e.g., employment, postsecondary education or training, recreation, leisure activities, shopping) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities building upon the long-term success of the Council’s previously funded HARTPlus Customer Choice Program in Hillsborough County.
Contact: For further information, contact Ross Silvers, ADA Policy and Compliance Officer, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority at rsilvers@psta.net.
Partner: Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston (Think College)
Current Funding Award: $125,000
Current Project Term: January 2023-January 2024
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its fifth year of funding, is to create and pilot an advocacy and leadership curriculum to train young adults with I/DD ages 18-26 who are currently enrolled or recently completed postsecondary programs to serve as Inclusive Postsecondary Education Ambassadors. Trained Ambassadors will promote the value and importance of college for students like themselves primarily to postsecondary institutions and secondary educators, likely in collaboration with other existing organizations engaged in such work to gain further momentum for expansion, and secondarily considering presentations at family or student venues to spark further interest.
Contact: For further information, contact Jaimie Timmons, M.S.W., Project Coordinator, Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston at Jaimie.Timmons@umb.edu.
Year 1
Partner: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Current Funding Award: $139,633
Current Project Term: May 2023-May 2024
Brief Statement: In its first year of funding, the University of Illinois Chicago, Institute on Disability and Human Development will conduct research to identify the factors that allow families of aging individuals with I/DD and their family members/caregivers to thrive. An environmental scan of the literature on thriving across the aging and I/DD communities will be conducted. A mixed methods research study that uses focus groups/interviews (i.e., qualitative component) and surveys (i.e., quantitative component) to obtain information about the lived experiences of those that thrive will be implemented. This will inform the creation of family-focused resources for individuals with I/DD and their family caregivers to help them thrive.
Contact: For further information, contact Katie Arnold, PhD, Project Manager, University of Illinois Chicago, Institute on Disability and Human Development, at kkeiling@uic.edu.
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $249,998
Current Project Term: September 2023-September 2024
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its second year of funding, is to continue research initiated in the first year of funding with a focus on increasing the breadth and depth of the research in order to create journey maps and personas. Utilizing focus groups, town hall sessions, structured interviews, and surveys, if applicable; and reaching out to all targeted populations (i.e., general, Haitian American, and Hispanic American); the research will focus on what resources family members use, what barriers they face, and what elements would strengthen the usefulness of the information throughout the lifespan.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Partner: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD)
Current Funding Award: $374,974
Current Project Term: September 2022-September 2023
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding, is to conduct significant research in order to identify community resources used by family members of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), the ways they identify and share information, assist each other with information, refer people to useful resources, and utilize existing web-based platforms.
Contact: For further information, contact Jeanne Farr, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), at jfarr@thenadd.org.
Project: Researching Provider Solutions
Current Funding Award: $354,013
Current Project Term: January 2023 – September 2024
Brief Statement: This project extends the work completed from January 2023 to March 2024 in which an environmental scan and mixed-methods research project were conducted to find reasons for the shortage of direct care workers and find nontraditional solutions that individuals with I/DD and their families have found to provide the support needed for personal and respite care. From March 2024 through September 2024, Mathematica will complete an environmental scan of proposed and recently passed legislation in Florida and other states focusing on strengthening the direct care labor force. Four focus groups will be conducted to gather community reactions about potential solutions described in legislation. A memo will share results from the environmental scan and focus groups, highlighting the implications for future FDDC priorities.
Contact: For further information, contact David Mann, PhD, Principal Researcher, Mathematica, Inc. at DMann@mathematica-mpr.com.
Partner: Senior Resource Association, Inc.
Current Funding Award: $300,000
Current Project Term: September 2020-September 2022
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its first year of funding and amended to enhance funding and the capacity to operate through September 2022, is to increase access to the community and satisfaction with transportation services for two or more life activities (e.g., employment, postsecondary education or training, recreation, leisure activities, shopping) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities building upon the Council’s previously funded and long-term successful HARTPlus Customer Choice Program in Hillsborough County.
Contact: For further information, contact Chris Stephenson, Director of Transportation, Senior Resource Association, Inc. at cstephenson@sramail.org.
Partner: Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees
Current Funding Award: $150,000
Current Project Term: September 2023-June 2024
Brief Statement: In its first year of funding, the project developed two 2-hour training sessions, provided virtually: one for law enforcement officers and one for emergency medical responders. The trainings were offered multiple times as pilots to gain feedback for improving the offerings. An asynchronous version of the trainings was also developed and is housed on a Canvas site.
In its second year of funding, the project will continue to convene the Training First Responders Advisory Committee to provide input and recommendations, develop train-the-trainer curriculum for supervisors to deliver training, create a new multi-component training manual for supervisors/trainers, and provide a report of findings from follow-up data on the Year 1 trainings.
Contact: For further information, contact Jack Scott, Ph.D., Primary Investigator, Florida Atlantic University, at jscott@fau.edu.
Partner: Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees
Current Funding Award: $149,990
Current Project Term: October 2022-September 2023
Brief Statement: This project, in its first year of funding, seeks to develop and provide training to law enforcement personnel, first responders, and emergency medical and mental health personnel who will encounter, interact, and intervene with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have co-occurring mental health diagnoses and/or challenging behaviors on recognizing and effectively communicating and interacting with them, to include strategies for communicating verbally and through augmentative and alternative communication methods, the use of de-escalation strategies, behavior management techniques, and safe physical management considering physical limitations.
Contact: For further information, contact Jack Scott, Ph.D., Primary Investigator, Florida Atlantic University, at jscott@fau.edu.
Partner: The Center for Social Capital, Inc., dba Griffin-Hammis Associates
Current Funding Award: $184,169
Current Project Term: September 2020-October 2021
Brief Statement: The goal of this project, in its fourth year of funding, is to implement comprehensive, evidence-based training for direct service providers (e.g., personal care attendants, community-based residential and group home staff) that utilizes best practices informed by a competencies-driven framework. This training will foster a workforce culture that promotes self-determination, person-centered planning and delivery of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the use of commercial competency-based online training resources, along with resources developed specifically under this project.
Contact: For further information, contact Julie McComas or Marsie Hartman, Senior Associates, Griffin-Hammis Associates at jmccomas@griffinhammis.com or mhartman@griffinhammis.com.
