Advocacy Resources

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Advocacy Training

Florida Partners in Policymaking

Organization: Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

Partners in Policymaking (PIP) is a leadership training program that prepares adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), parents, and caregivers of children and adults with I/DD to be effective advocates at the local, state, and federal levels. PIP teaches leadership skills and techniques to develop positive partnerships with elected officials, school personnel and other individuals who make policy decisions about services that you and/or your family use.

Leaders in Grassroots in Health Transformation

Organization: Catalyst Miami

Leaders in Grassroots in Health Transformation (LIGHT) provides participants with an intersectional groundwork for becoming grassroots health equity advocates and leaders. The goal of the program is for participants to:

understand how the U.S. healthcare system and its associated industries came to be;
learn strategies for achieving quality healthcare for all;
explore the intersections of housing, climate, and health;
develop their skills in framing the issue, public speaking, writing, and community organizing;
understand the role of different non-profit and political bodies in local healthcare advocacy work;
identify their interests, strengths, and passions as grassroots health justice leaders.

Advocacy Tools and Resources

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC) affects policy and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through education, advocacy, and partnerships.

The Annual Family Café

The Family Café exists to provide individuals with disabilities and their families with an opportunity for collaboration, advocacy, friendship, and empowerment by serving as a facilitator of communication, a space for dialogue, and a source of information.

The Arc of Florida

The Arc of Florida advocates for local chapters, public policies, and high quality supports for people with developmental and other disabilities to be fully included in all aspects of their community. On their webpage, users can find information about careers, e-training, and the Arc Dental Program.

Family Care Council of Florida

The mission of the Family Care Councils (FCCs) of Florida is to educate and empower individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, partnering with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, to bring quality services to individuals with dignity and choice.

Catalyst Miami

Catalyst Miami advances economic and racial justice by investing in communities of color as they build the power they need to change unjust economic and political systems from the ground up. Catalyst Miami’s mission is to identify and solve issues that adversely affect low-income communities throughout the Miami-Dade County. Catalyst Miami is an advocacy resource that seeks to civically engage individuals and organizations to achieve community identified priorities. Catalyst Miami provides free services, economic security programs, offers advocacy training, and supports equitable economic development.

Florida Voices for Health

Florida Voices for Health is a coalition of diverse community-based organizations working to improve health care outcomes for all Floridians, empowering them through education advocacy, and action. The mission of Florida Voices of Health is to build healthy communities through an equitable and people driven health care system.

Insure Kids Now

Insure Kids Now is a multi-use resource guide that assists families with children and teens eligible for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This organization offers fact sheets, outreach videos, insurance coverage information, and dental office locators for parents and caregivers. The initiatives of Insure Kids Now include mental health, peace of mind, youth sports, missed care, rural communities, vaccinations, oral health, back to school, multicultural outreach, and year-round enrollment.

Services

Agency for Health Care Administration

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is responsible the Florida Medicaid Program and works to continue to reduce the number of uninsured individuals across the state to enhance our ability to target fraudulent providers, to reduce unnecessary regulation, and to reduce administrative costs in order to ensure that dollars go to serve patients and more. On the AHCA website users can access information about Medicaid, health quality assurance, get help finding a facility/ provider, and report Medicaid fraud.

Florida KidCare

Florida KidCare is the umbrella brand for the four government-sponsored health insurance programs – Medicaid, MediKids, Florida Healthy Kids and the Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Health Plan – that together provide a seamless continuum of coverage for Florida children from birth through the end of age 18.

Florida Department of Health Children’s Medical Services

The Children’s Medical Services (CMS) program provides children with special health care needs family-centered, comprehensive, coordinated statewide managed system of care. CMS provides a medical home for children with special health care needs, including essential preventive, evaluative, and early intervention services.

Disability Rights Florida

Disability Rights Florida, founded in 1977, is the designated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system for individuals with disabilities in the State of Florida. This organization ensures the success and well-being of individuals with disabilities. Disability Rights Florida has access authority to any agency, institution, and organization that affects or involves people with disabilities. Disability Rights Florida has access to and upholds accountability in healthcare, education, voting, transportation, housing, employment, and the juvenile criminal justice system. The mission of Disability Rights Florida is to advocate, educate, investigate and litigate to protect and advance the rights, dignity, equal opportunities, self-determination, and choices for all people with disabilities.

Resource Guide by County in Florida for Children with Special Healthcare Needs

Organization: University of South Florida

This resource guide gives new parents of children with special needs a list of resources and support systems based in Florida. The resource guide is divided into different geographic sections. Included in the resource guide are detailed list of resources specific to different birth defects (i.e., Cleft Lip/ Cleft Palate, Down Syndrome, Congenital Heart Defects, Tetralogy of Fallot).

Agency for Persons with Disabilities

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is tasked with serving the needs of over 50,000 Floridians with developmental disabilities. This Agency collaborates directly with local organizations and private providers to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families with living, learning, and working in their community. APD provides information about necessary services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including social, medical, behavioral, residential, and therapeutic services.

Oral Health and Medicaid Research

The Florida Oral Health Report

Organization: Florida Voices for Health

The Florida Oral Health Report details information about the overall state of oral health in Florida, systemic barriers to care, and the strategies they have used to mitigate barriers. This guide aims to increase Florida’s oral health equity and create a safety net that protects future oral health outcomes. The report shared insights on the impact of COVID-19 and solutions to improve oral health in Florida.

Florida Policy Institute

Florida Policy Institute (FPI) is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all though research, strategic outreach, coalition building, and policy advocacy.