General Public Input Survey

After reading each goal, and related objective and key activities, please check the box to show if you agree, do not agree, or do not know if you agree with the Council's plan of work for the next five years.

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* 1. Select the category that best describes you:

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* 2. Name of city where you live:

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* 3. Your ethnicity (Please check the one that best describes you):

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* 4. Transportation Goal:  By the end of the five-year state plan, the Council will work in collaboration with agencies and organizations to develop and implement at least one infrastructure change and advocate for funding to increase access to safe and affordable methods of transportation for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Objective 1: By the end of the five-year state plan, a mobility manager structure will be in place statewide that will provide evidence of increased access to the community and satisfaction with transportation services for two or more life activities (e.g., employment, postsecondary education, recreation, leisure activities, shopping, etc.) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

o   Key Activity 1: Develop and implement a consistent structure of roles, 
     responsibilities and training for mobility managers within Florida’s Transportation 
     Disadvantaged system to support consistent services across the state.

o   Key Activity 2: Improve and enhance travel-training services throughout the state 
     for youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to create
     greater access to existing transportation services through the mobility
     management system.

o   Key Activity 3: Develop a database or create a data collection system to identify
     the unmet transportation needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental
     disabilities in order to influence local and state advocacy efforts.

o   Key Activity 4: Develop and implement advocacy and communication efforts in
     conjunction with Florida’s self-advocates, family members and other key
     stakeholders to address needed changes to statutes, rules, policies, procedures
     and/or funding/staffing issues and empower self-advocates and family members to
     serve on transportation related commissions, boards or advisory committees.

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* 5. Employment Goal:  By the end of the five-year state plan, working in collaboration with the nine signatory partner agencies/organizations to Florida’s Employment First efforts, the Council will provide technical assistance and training to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family members, employers and other key stakeholders to increase the number of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities gaining competitive employment at or above minimum wage by 25% over the 2014 Employment First baseline data.

Objective 1: By the end of each fiscal year in the five-year state plan, one or more of the nine signatory partner agencies/organizations to Florida’s Employment First efforts will have implemented at least one major policy or practice change that shifts or improves their services and system to increase competitive, integrated employment of Floridians with disabilities at minimum wage or greater.

 o   Key Activity 1: Provide technical assistance and training to fully implement the
      Employment First Act at both state and local levels, and align with Workforce
      Innovation and Opportunity Act requirements and implementation.

o   Key Activity 2: Use the recommendations of the Supported Employment Provider
     Rate Options study to increase the number of Florida’s supported employment
     providers and ensure a sustainable system. 

o   Key Activity 3: Implement a program for individuals with intellectual and 
     developmental disabilities ages 22-30 that provides pre-employment skills training
     in the community, as well as real world work experiences in a business setting with
     the intent of developing the skills needed to gain and sustain integrated,
     competitive employment. 

o   Key Activity 4: Provide extensive provider training and mentoring to agency and
     organization leadership for development of transformation models that result in a
     system that supports Florida’s Employment First philosophy.

o   Key Activity 5: Develop and implement advocacy and communication efforts in
     conjunction with Florida’s self-advocates, family members and other key
     stakeholders to address needed changes to statutes, rules, policies, procedures
     and/or funding/staffing issues that improve employment outcomes for individuals
     with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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* 6. Transition Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, the Council will have contributed to the implementation of at least four new improvements to transition services and two or more policies or practices that assist students with intellectual and developmental disabilities from elementary through post-school transition into meaningful post-school outcomes with adequate services and supports.

Objective 1: Throughout the five-year State Plan, collaborate with agencies, school districts, and programs to create or expand two or more practices designed to improve transition outcomes for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities from elementary through postsecondary education/training.

     o   Key Activity 1: Develop a system to provide transition    
          services to students with intellectual and developmental
          disabilities, with an emphasis on students with the most
          significant disabilities, including youth previously thought
          unemployable. 

     o   Key Activity 2: Provide technical assistance and support to 
          increase expansion of and access to at least three models of
          postsecondary education and training opportunities (e.g., 
          career and technical within technical centers, career and
          technical within Florida Colleges, TPSID in various settings,
          including State University System), ensuring improved and
          equitable access for students with the most significant 
          disabilities.

     o   Key Activity 3: Develop and implement advocacy and 
          communication efforts in conjunction with Florida’s self-
          advocates, family members and other key stakeholders to
          address needed changes to statutes, rules, policies,
          procedures and/or funding/staffing issues to improve transition
          services and outcomes for individuals with intellectual and
          developmental disabilities.

Objective 2: Improve access to and completion of postsecondary education and training programs by a minimum of a 10 percent increase over baseline data for students who identify as Hispanic/Latino with a focus on students also identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder to address targeted disparity found in completing postsecondary education and training programs, particularly programs within the Division of Florida Colleges. 

    o   Key Activity 1: Conduct research to establish baseline data
         and set targets for annual improvement. 

    o   Key Activity 2: Conduct outreach to students who identify as 
         Hispanic/Latino and their families to identify key barriers and
         proposed solutions to accessing and completing 
         postsecondary education and training programs. 

    o   Key Activity 3: Collaborate with all stakeholders to create, 
         market and implement programs, supports and/or strategies to
         improve access to and completion of postsecondary education
         and training programs, particularly those offered within the
         Florida College System, to ensure outcomes are achieved and
         efforts are sustainable long-term.

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* 7. Self-Advocacy and Leadership Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, a minimum of 250 Floridians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a minimum of 100 family members or allies who are not currently participating in leadership and advocacy will participate in leadership, advocacy and systems change activities in culturally diverse or cross-disability coalitions.    

Objective 1: In each year of the state plan, support the statewide self-advocacy organization, Florida SAND, to encourage its members and their circles of support to participate in at least one grassroots effort to inform the community of issues affecting full inclusion or advocacy and engage in at least one specific public policy activity.

o   Key Activity 1: Facilitate State Self-Advocacy Organization
     activities that increase self-advocacy by conducting at least one
     public policy activity to promote inclusion annually, and by
     supporting local grassroots groups through education and training
     on fundraising, membership recruitment and retention and
     outreach and facilitating operation as an independent
     organization. 

o   Key Activity 2: Encourage members to participate in cross-
     disability leadership coalitions and support at least two (2) such
     members annually to mentor self-advocates in leadership.

Objective 2: By the end of the five-year state plan, a minimum of 100 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and people in their circles of support will increase their knowledge of self-advocacy, public advocacy, leadership and self-determination.

o   Key Activity 1: Utilize Partners in Policymaking to educate
     individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and
     their circles of support on self-determination, disability systems
     and influencing policymakers. 

o   Key Activity 2: Create Partners in Policymaking Plus, a
     leadership cohort of Partners in Policymaking graduates, who will
     receive advanced training in advocacy and public policy issues
     that will be utilized in the Council’s systems change efforts. 

Objective 3: Throughout the five-year plan, collaborate with all DD Network Partners to implement and sustain a leadership training program and efforts to build the next generation of top leaders among a minimum of eight self-advocates and eight mid-career institutional leaders. 

o   Key Activity 1: Facilitate development of a leadership training
     program or model that addresses participation of the leadership
     cadre in national leadership training or participation of the
     leadership cadre in leadership training created by national
     experts specifically for Florida and provides for intermittent
     technical assistance and at least one face-to-face follow-up
     meeting/training

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* 8. continued...Self-Advocacy and Leadership Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, a minimum of 250 Floridians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a minimum of 100 family members or allies who are not currently participating in leadership and advocacy will participate in leadership, advocacy and systems change activities in culturally diverse or cross-disability coalitions.    

Objective 3: Throughout the five-year plan, collaborate with all DD Network Partners to implement and sustain a leadership training program and efforts to build the next generation of top leaders among a minimum of eight self-advocates and eight mid-career institutional leaders. 

o   Key Activity 2: Facilitate participation of leadership cadre in
     statewide experiences for which all are responsible (e.g., state
     level legislative action during session) and matching interests and
     expertise with DD Network Partners goals (e.g., Transportation,
     Employment, Housing…).

o   Key Activity 3: Facilitate participation in mentoring to learn
     about institutional, local, regional and state level leadership
     challenges and solutions.

o   Key Activity 4: Facilitate linkages with Partners in Policymaking
     graduates, Florida SAND regional group contacts, or other
     identified groups to further expand and build a larger leadership
     cadre among a broader group of self-advocates and mid-career
     institutional leaders.

Objective 4: Throughout the five-year plan, collaborate with Disability Rights Florida, the DD Network Statewide Advocacy Center, to promote voting access for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities via training and opportunities to improve public speaking skills as Project VOTE co-trainers, building leadership and advocacy skills among a minimum of 25 self-advocates.

o   Key Activity 1: Serve as a liaison between the DD Network
     Statewide Advocacy Center and the Statewide Self Advocacy
     Organization to facilitate partnership between self-advocacy
     groups and the statewide protection and advocacy program and
     to oversee the training, implementation, dissemination and
     evaluation of Project VOTE training.

o   Key Activity 2: Recruit and educate self-advocates to lead or co-
     facilitate training on voter registration, voter rights and
     responsibilities, voting methods, resources and other components
     of Project VOTE, in collaboration with Disability Rights Florida.

Objective 5: By the end of the five-year state plan, through collaboration with the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities, and other DD Network Partners if determined appropriate, a minimum of one systemic change will have been made for one high priority issue impacting the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

o   Key Activity 1: Develop and disseminate to stakeholders a
     minimum of two policy briefs for high priority issues (e.g., waitlist,
     transportation, employment) to be used by self-advocates and
     families to impact a minimum of one systems change.

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* 9. Self-Advocacy Systems Change Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, there will have been at least one systemic change to federal and/or state statutes, rules, policies or procedures designed to mitigate the income limits imposed on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in federal and state programs and restore their ability to independently control their income.  

Objective 1: By the end of the five-year state plan, collaboratives of stakeholders, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and state self-advocacy organizations will educate a minimum of 50 policy-makers at the federal and/or state level on the impact of waiver income limits and the benefits of the Medicaid Buy-In.

o   Key Activity 1: Track, report, and analyze the changes in legislative policies
     relating to income limits and Medicaid Buy-In and determine recommendations for
     future systems change activities.

o   Key Activity 2: Advocate for legislative developments that support policies which
     enable individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to control their in
     come. 

o   Key Activity 3: Engage in communication efforts to facilitate systems change.

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* 10. Housing Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, Florida will have made at least one systemic change to statutes, rules, policies or procedures designed to improve choice and provide for financial support for safe, affordable and inclusive housing with access to support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Objective 1: By the end of the five-year state plan, the Council will have collaborated with profit, nonprofit, and governmental housing organizations to prioritize the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by monitoring and influencing the development of key federal and state housing plans and allocation of resources in a minimum of three (3) cities and three (3) counties representative of three (3) different geographical areas of the state. 

 o   Key Activity 1: Conduct comprehensive research on the community-based
      strategic planning mandates, Consolidated Plan process, administered through
      the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for safe, affordable and
      inclusive housing throughout the state of Florida. 

o   Key Activity 2: Utilize the research from the Consolidated Plan process to 
     develop or identify and implement training designed to assist stakeholders with
     developing strategies for community involvement in the Consolidated Plan
     process. 

o   Key Activity 3: Develop and implement advocacy and communication efforts,
     including provisions of training, technical assistance and support for self-advocates
     and family members that empowers them to serve in leadership roles on housing
     related issues and to serve on housing related commissions, boards or advisory
     committees to provide a voice for the associated needs of individuals with
     intellectual and developmental disabilities and to ensure that they are addressed
     within the Consolidated Plan.

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* 11. Workforce Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, one or more improvements will be made to practices, services and compensation for community-based service providers to ensure that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have access to, and receive services and supports from, a sustainable, qualified provider base.

Objective 1: By the end of the five-year plan, in collaboration with stakeholders, identify recommendations and advocate for competitive compensation for a minimum of two (2) categories of community-based service providers. 

o   Key Activity 1: Using recommendations from data collected by the Arc of
     Florida, the Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, and other relevant
     sources, identify a minimum of two (2) categories of direct and community-based
     service providers to be included in advocacy efforts.

o   Key Activity 2: Develop and implement advocacy and communication efforts in
     conjunction with Florida’s self-advocates, family members and other key stake
     holders to address needed changes to statutes, rules, policies and/or procedures
     that improve compensation for community-based service providers.

Objective 2: By the end of the five-year plan, in collaboration with stakeholders, identify, develop, and implement evidence-based training for at least 250 community-based service providers (i.e., personal care attendants and residential habilitation/group home staff) and 25 supervisors, representing agencies/organizations of diverse sizes.

o   Key Activity 1: Collaborate with stakeholders, including state agencies,
     supervisors, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and
     families/caregivers to develop or acquire evidence-based and best practices  
     training materials for direct service providers.
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses in current Florida training for direct support professionals and identify evidence-based and best practices for training.
  • Through state and national research, identify evidence-based and best practices for training, including effective strategies for retention and models for job shadowing and mentoring for direct support professionals.
  • Engage supervisors in developing a model for improving hiring and retention through the use of effective strategies for retention, job shadowing and mentoring.
o   Key Activity 2: Collaborate with stakeholders, including state agencies,
     supervisors, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and
     families/caregivers to identify competencies and implement training to be
     provided by agencies. 

  • Evaluate direct support professionals’ competency levels after completing training.
  • Evaluate satisfaction of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families/caregivers with the quality of the provision of services, including use of and implementation of person-centered planning, for individuals served by trained providers.
  • Develop a plan for establishing a credentialing process that encourages service providers to pay increased wages or offer incentives for mastery of competencies and/or individual satisfaction with services.

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* 12. Broad Systems Change Goal: By the end of the five-year state plan, a minimum of four systemic changes to statutes, rules, policies or procedures at the state, regional or local levels designed to improve community inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will have been achieved.

Objective 1: By the mid-point of the 2017-21 five-year state plan, initiatives started in the 2012-16 five-year state plan that were unable to be completed prior to the end of the plan and not slated for continuation within the 2017-21 year state plan, will have been completed and a minimum of two systemic changes from the work will be achieved.

o   Key Activity 1: Complete implementation of initiatives started in the 2012-16
     state plan and report on progress of systems changes resulting from work.

Objective 2: By the end of the five-year state plan, one or more emerging needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will have been addressed through the provision of technical assistance and supports, resulting in one or more systemic changes.

o   Key Activity 1: Develop and implement advocacy and communication efforts in
     conjunction with Florida’s self-advocates, family members and other key stake
     holders to address needed changes to statutes, rules, policies, procedures,
     and/or funding/staffing issues that result in better outcomes for individuals with
     intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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