Gov. Rick Scott visited an agency in Fort Myers Monday that serves people with disabilities.
Scott celebrated an additional $36 million in additional funding for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid waiver. For years, funding cuts have kept many disabled Floridians on the waiting list for this program.
Scott said getting people off the waitlist was a priority of his this year.
“One of the things I wanted to accomplish in this budget is for the first time in eight years to increase the funding for the agency for persons with disabilities and get people off the wait list,” he said. “So, I am glad that the legislature went along with my request of $36 million to increase funding to get people off the waitlist to increase services and also to put more money in to help people get jobs.”
The program provides care, transportation and adult day training to disabled persons. Scott said more funds will improve their quality of life and help them get jobs.
State Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said he was happy about the appropriation because the program is personally important to him.
“My son Rhett has cerebral palsy,” he said. “So, I understand the challenges that face each of the individuals that deal with the agency for persons with disabilities and I will tell you what we believe: we believe that every life has meaning and we believe that there is purpose for everyone. And when the state can do things that will help everyone find their meaning and purpose then that is a good thing.”
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities serves more than 50,000 Floridians a year with disabilities including cerebral palsy, Spina Bifida and Down Syndrome.
