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Connections GuideTOOLS FOR YOUR ADULT LIFEThis project is provided bythe Florida DevelopmentalDisabilities Council, Inc.,supported in part by grantnumbers 1901FLSCDD-01and 2001FLSCDD-01 fromthe U.S. Administrationfor Community Living,Department of Health andHuman Services, Washington,D.C. 20201. Granteesundertaking projects withgovernment sponsorship areencouraged to express freelytheir findings and conclusions.Points of view or opinions donot, therefore, necessarilyrepresent official ACL policy.Funded by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council.

2Welcome!This guide will help you start your adult life.Are you looking for a job or making plans to live on your own?This guide can help!Who is This Guide For?People with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their familiesWhat is This Guide For?The Connections Guide will help you with many parts of adult life, including:Employment ng

3FLORIDA’S EMPLOYMENTFIRST INITIATIVEEmployment“Employment First” meansthat having an: Integrated job In the community That pays at leastminimum wage Or is paid throughself-employmentShould be the first choice forpeople with I/DD.Florida’s EmploymentFirst Partners Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities Florida Department of Education- Bureau of Exceptional Education andStudent Services- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation- Division of Blind Services Florida Department of Economic Opportunity CareerSource Florida Florida Department of Children and Families,Substance Abuse and Mental Health Office Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc.To learn more, go to:employmentfirstfl.org The Arc of Florida, Inc. Florida Commission for the TransportationDisadvantaged

4AGENCY FOR PERSONSWITH DISABILITIES (APD)EmploymentThe Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD)APD helps peoplewith I/DD andtheir families tolive, learn, andwork in theircommunities.The agency alsoteaches thepublic aboutemploymentfor people withdisabilities.APD Can HelpPeople with na bifida cystica ormyelomeningoceleCerebral palsyPrader-WillisyndromeDown syndromePhelan-McDermidsyndromeAPD also helps childrenaged 3-5 who are at riskfor a developmentaldisability.

5HOW TO REACH APDEmploymentAPDResource GuideCall the Number for Your County Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin,Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson,Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa,Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, orWashington850-487-1992 Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay,Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler,Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy,Madison, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns,Suwannee, Taylor, Union, or Volusia904-992-2433 Brevard, Citrus, Hardee, Hernando,Highlands, Lake, Marion, Orange,Osceola, Polk, Seminole, or Sumter407-245-0440 Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades,Hendry, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee,Pasco, Pinellas, or Sarasota800-615-8720 Broward, Indian River, Martin,Okeechobee, Palm Beach, or St. Lucie844-766-7520 Dade or Monroe305-349-1478Find help andprograms inyour irectory

6APD SERVICES, PROGRAMS,AND PROJECTSEmploymentContact APD for Help With:Supported employment andsupported livingEmployment Enhancement ProjectMedicaid Home and CommunityBased Services Waiver throughiBudget FloridaConsumer Directed Care PlusIndividual and Family Supportsfunding for non-waiver customerexpensesTo learn more:apd.myflorida.com/about/faqs.htm

7FLORIDA VOCATIONALREHABILITATION (VR)EmploymentHelping People Find Good JobsExamples of VR Services: Vocational Evaluation and Planning Career GuidanceTo find out whatservices VR canoffer you, make Job Coaching Job Placementan appointment On-the-Job Trainingoffice. If you Training and Education After High Schoolwith a local VRhave recordsfrom schools,doctors, orjobs, bring therecords withyou to your VRappointment. Job Site Accommodations Supported and Customized Employment Assistive Technology and Devices Medical and Psychological Assessment Time-Limited or Psychological TreatmentVR HelpYou may beable to get VRservices if: You have a physical ormental disability. Your disability makesit hard for you to startor keep a job. You need VR’sservices to get orkeep a job.A VRCounselor willanswer yourquestions.

8FLORIDA VOCATIONALREHABILITATION (VR)EmploymentVR Helps With:General Employment ServicesSupported Employment ServicesVR OfficesTo find a VR office:800-451-4327 orRehabWorks.org/office directory.shtmlPre-Employment Transition ServicesDeaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf/Blind ServicesFlorida’s Ticket to Work ProgramIf you receiveSocial SecurityDisabilityInsurance orSupplementalSecurityIncome for yourdisability, youcan probablyget VR services.On the website,click on your area tofind a VR office.

9CAREERSOURCE FLORIDAEmploymentCareerSource Florida has Career Centersacross the state.These Career Centers are paid for by the U.S.Department of Labor.CareerSource Centers offer services including: A Disability Navigator to help guide you throughthe system. Money to provide special services for people withdisabilities. Special training. Support for employers who hire people withdisabilities.The CareerSource Florida network partner in your areahas many services to help you connect to a rewardingcareer. Visit abilitieswork.employflorida.com to getstarted.

10CAREERSOURCE FLORIDA:SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR YOUEmploymentCareer ServicesHow to find a job that suits you.Education ServicesTraining programs and schools.Community Services and BenefitsHealth, welfare, nutrition and money.Youth ServicesJob Seeker ServicesFinding a new job and how to develop agood resume and cover letter.Labor Market ServicesTrends in the labor market.Disability ServicesEmployment, health, and money services.Jobs and other paths beyond high school. More ResourcesStatistics, college career centers, stateand local partners.For help connecting with career andtraining opportunities, please visitabilitieswork.employflorida.com

11Home LifeSupported Living provides people with individualizedhelp to choose where and how they want to live inhomes of their own.A supported living coach or support coordinator,using in-home supports and community resources,can help people live on their own and be a part of thecommunity.Options includeapartments,condominiums,townhomes, houses,or mobile ormanufacturedhomes.Home ownership may bethe right option for you ifyou have enough income.Renting a home is acommon choice forpeople with limitedincomes or who want theflexibility. Rent assistanceis sometimes available.Finding affordablehousing can be hard.A supported living coachor agency can help.

12UNIVERSITIES ANDCOLLEGESEducation and TrainingUniversities and CollegesMany schools in Florida offer programs with extra help for students with I/DD afterhigh school. Some programs offer scholarships and other help with costs. For moreinformation: Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education: guidance The Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities (FCSUA) at theUniversity of Central Florida: fcsua.org/E postsecondary.php andfcsua.org Florida Comprehensive Transition Programs approved for federalfinancial aid: ents/intellectual-disabilitiesState Universities: flbog.edu/universitiesFlorida Colleges: ssion for Independent Education: fldoe.org/policy/cie

13CAREER ANDTECHNICAL EDUCATIONEducation and TrainingEnroll in a career and technicaleducation (CTE) program at a statecollege or technical college andtrain for a job in one of 17 careerareas: uExplore a CTE program at a FloridaCollege: e a CTE program at a FloridaTechnical College: .stmlSuccess StoryJosh Duncan went toFlorida State Collegeat Jacksonville withthe help of ProjectAchieve. This projectwas initiated throughfunding by the FloridaDevelopmentalDisabilities Council.“I knew I could do it,but it was tough,”said Josh.Today, Josh worksin the automotiveservice industry.

14FLORIDA SELF-ADVOCATESNETWORK’DSelf-AdvocacyFL SANDSelf-Advocacy is when people speak for themselvesinstead of having someone else speak for them.People involved in Self-Advocacy help each other workfor change.They work on both big goals, like closing institutions,and individual issues, such as supporting someone withtheir personal concerns.To learn more:flsand.org or contactflsand@gmail.com.Florida SelfAdvocates Network’D,or FL SAND, is a statewide network of selfadvocacy groups.FL SAND is led by SelfAdvocates who areactive in speaking upfor themselves.They promote rights,work for systemschange. and createcommunity inclusion.

15DISABILITY RIGHTS ANDISSUE RESOLUTIONSDisability RightsDisability Rights Florida is the advocacy systemfor Florida. It offers the following free services: Information and referrals Self-advocacy support Technical assistance Investigations into complaints of abuse, neglect,and rights violations Assistance with Social Security Representative Payeesand their beneficiaries. Dispute support Negotiation and mediation support Advocacy services Litigation (lawsuits)To learn more: disabilityrightsflorida.orgor 1-800-342-0823.Issue ResolutionsIssues withSocial Securitydisabilitydeterminationor appeals?Call 1.800.772.1213.Issues with Americanswith Disabilities Act?Call the Commissionon Human Relationsat 1.800.342.8170 orthe ADA Hotline at1.800.514.0301.Issues with Housing?Call Disability RightsFlorida at1-800-342-0823 /800-346-4127 (TDD).

16Resource GuideAgency/OrganizationResource Services andSupportsAgency forPersons withDisabilities(APD)APD provides services topeople with I/DD in the areasof living, learning, and working.APD’s iBudget Waiver programfor Florida MedicaidDirectory of Resources forpeople with I/DD in urceFloridaProvides job counseling,training and 6887Centers forIndependentLivingProvides help in all aspects ofindependent living, -575-6004 Toll Free 1-866-575-6004PCA Services Program:Assistance to working amFlorida Youth LeadershipForum: Leadership trainingfor high school students forum

17Resource GuideAgency/OrganizationResourceServices y RightsFloridaInformation and referral,self-advocacy support,complaint investigation/resolution, advocacydisabilityrightsflorida.org850-488-9071or Toll Free 1-800-342-0823or TDD 1-800-346-4127Down SyndromeAssociation ofCentral FloridaResources oneducation, health andemployment for peoplewith Down Syndromedsacf.org407-478-5621Florida Alliancefor AssistiveTechnology (FAAST)Provides assistivetechnology to eligiblepeoplefaast.org850-487-3278 Toll Free 1-888-788-9216TTY 877-506-2723Florida Centerfor Students withUnique Abilitiesat University ofCentral FloridaSupport for on-campuscollege experiences thatlead to employmentfcsua.org407-823-5225

18Resource GuideAgency/OrganizationResourceServices mmission forthe TransportationDisadvantaged(CTD)Provides transportationservices to people 10-5700TD Helpline 1-800-983-2435FloridaDepartment ofEducationState University Systemflbog.edu850-245-0466Florida em850-245-0407Florida Career andTechnical Education andAdult 45-5071Division of Blind Servicesdbs.myflorida.com850-245-0300

19Resource GuideAgency/OrganizationResourceServices velopmentalDisabilities Council,Inc. (FDDC)Change policy and createservices to supportindependence, inclusion,and decision-making ofindividuals with I/DD inall aspects of life850-488-4180/800-580-7801TDD 850-488-0956/888-488-8633FDDC.orgThe Florida HousingCoalitionFor an affordableHousing Resource Guideflhousing.org/publicationsFlorida HousingFinanceCorporationHelp to apply for a loanto buy a homefloridahousing.orgFlorida HousingSearchFree resource to findaffordable ocal PublicHousing AuthoritiesApply for rent helpthrough a HousingChoice Voucherhud.gov/resources800-955-2232