Florida Announces Historical Budget Increase for Persons with Disabilities
Budget highlights include the following:
- $36.4 million to offer waiver enrollment to people with critical needs.
- $2.5 million to offer waiver enrollment to approximately 55 people with Phelan-McDermid syndrome.
- $25 million for service provider rate increases for:
- Adult Day Training-1 to 3 staffing ratio rate increase.
- Adult Day Training-three percent across the board increase.
- Personal supports-three percent increase.
- Residential habilitation-three percent increase.
- $37 million for a provider rate increases to assist with compliance with the U.S. Department of Labor Home Care Rule to begin on April 1, 2016.
- $0.5 million to continue the Employment Enhancement Project (EEP) for a fourth year which provides internships and on-the-job training for individuals on the Medicaid waiver waiting list.
- $1.3 million for improvements to William J. Rish Recreational Park (Billy Joe Rish Park). Rish Park on Cape San Blas in Gulf County is a state park that was built and designed for people with disabilities.
- $2.2 million for new database software and an electronic visit verification project. This is the second year of funding to continue system development.