Disability Resources

APD stands for The Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

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

What services does APD provide?

• Medicaid Home and Community Based Waiver Services through iBudget Florida
• Placement in an intermediate care facility for those with developmental disabilities
• Supported employment services
• Supported living services
• Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+)
• Individual and Family Supports (IFS) funding for client expenses that are not being funded by the waiver

Who is eligible?

• Be a resident in Florida
• Have one of 7 developmental and/or intellectual disabilities as defined by Florida Statute Section 393.063, which occurred prior to age 18 and constitutes a substantial handicap that can be reasonably expected to continue indefinitely:
  • Intellectual disabilities (Full Scale IQ of 70 or below)
  • Severe forms of autism
  • Spina bifida cystica or myelomeningocele
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Prader-Willi syndrome
  • Down syndrome
  • Phelan-McDermid syndrome or
  • Individuals between the ages of 3-5 at high risk for a developmental disability

  If you have been found eligible to receive services, you will be placed on a waiting list based on your priority category (refer to the Waitlist Priority Categories located on the APD website.

  What is the process for applying for APD services?

  To apply for services from APD, which includes participation in the iBudget Home and Community-Based Services Waiver or placement in an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ICF/IID):

  Submit an application to the APD office that serves your area, either by mail or by hand delivery. Faxed submissions will be returned for an original signature.

  Application

  For the most up to date application, visit APD's Applying for Services webpage. Scroll to the bottom of the page where it says 'Application Download'.

  The application is availible in English, Español, and Kreyòl.

  Crisis Waiver

  If you need immediate waiver enrollment, you can submit a request for crisis enrollment.

  • Who is considered in crisis?
    • Individuals who are:
      • currently homeless,
      • exhibiting life-threatening behaviors that place them or others in extreme danger,
      • or have a caregiver who is in extreme duress and can no longer provide for the applicant’s health and safety
      • Contact your regional office serving your area
      • The local regional office may be able to provide short term emergency services and will review the situation to determine if a crisis waiver enrollment request is warranted.

      Example success story from one of our clients who used the Crisis Waiver. Read Ariana's story.

      For more information regarding crisis criteria, please visit the Florida Administrative Code & Florida Administrative Register website.

      Individual and Family Supports (IFS) Determination Procedure

      If you or your family member is a client of APD with a developmental disability, which include individuals on the Waitlist for APD services, they may be eligible to receive a broad array of services and supports through the Individual & Family Services (IFS).

      How do you get services?

      • Contact your regional APD office:
        • The APD office will assess that you have exhausted all other options
        • The regional office will collect important supporting documentation relevant to the request and do a preliminary assessment of your case.
        • APD will reach out to you within 30 days and let you know:
          • Denial of IFS:
            • You will get a written notification that you do not qualify for IFS
            • If this is the case, you have the right to request an administrative hearing within 30 days of the decision
            • You will receive a written notice with the funding amount to the client or their representative, the service, and the dates of service
            • If APD decides they want more documentation, they will contact within 30 days of you requesting funding.
            • You need to provide that documentation within 10 days or let APD know that you want them to make their decision with the documentation you already provided (aka, you don’t send them any new documents).
            • If additional documentation is requested, APD then has 60 days (from when you first submitted the request for IFS funding) to deny or approve your IFS funding request.
            • Note: during this time, you CAN get emergency crisis services as explained above. If APD does deny you IFS funding based on a lack of documentation, and you get more documentation at a later date or
              • your situation changes, affecting your original status for IFS when you applied
              • you CAN reapply for IFS. Reach out to your regional office again for consideration.

              What services are included?

              • Life Skills Development: Adult Day Training, Supported Employment, and Companion Services
              • Family care services: Respite care, Guardian Advocate Referrals, and Recreation used to provide temporary relief for a brief planned absence of the caregiver
              • Medical and Dental services: nursing services, consumable medical supplies, medical evaluations, and dental services
              • Personal Supports: personal care assistance
              • Residential Habilitation and facility services
              • Social Services: Support Coordination, Support Planning, Psychological Evaluations, and Interpreter Services
              • Specialized Therapies: Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Specialized Mental Health Counseling, Behavior Analysis, Behavior Assistant, and Dietician services
              • Supporting Living services: Supported Living Coaching and In-Home Subsidies;
              • Training: parent and caregiver training as part of Behavior Analysis and Behavior Assistant services, and self-advocacy training
              • Transportation to treatment and services
              • Other facilitative and rehabilitative services: Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, Durable Medical Equipment, Vehicle Modifications, Competency Training, and Personal Emergency Response Systems

              Supporting Active Duty Military Services Families

              The 2014 Florida Legislature authorized individuals who meet the eligibility requirements of 393.065(1), F.S., to receive home and community-based services in this state if the individual’s parent or legal guardian is an active duty military service member and, at the time of the service member’s transfer to Florida, the individual was receiving home and community-based services in another state. This law became effective on July 1, 2014.