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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 24, 2010
  CONTACT:
Melanie Mowry Etters
Communications Director
(850) 488-4257

APD to Hold iBudget Florida Meetings

Tallahassee - The Agency for Persons with Disabilities will be holding a series of meetings around the Big Bend to discuss the new individualized budget concept called iBudget Florida. The agency has selected several North Florida counties for the initial implementation of the new system that pays for supports and services for people with developmental disabilities so they may live in their local community.

iBudget Florida was approved by the Legislature in the spring as the new direction for delivering services to people through APD's Medicaid waiver. Federal approval must be received before the initial phase-in begins. The approval is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.

iBudget Florida implementation will begin in Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Jefferson counties. APD serves approximately 1,000 waiver-enrolled customers in this region. Several months later, iBudget will be expanded to Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Washington, and Holmes counties. APD has already notified consumers, families, waiver support coordinators, and providers of the phase-in plans by letter and e-mail. APD plans to eventually expand iBudget Florida statewide.

APD Director Jim DeBeaugrine said, "By selecting the Tallahassee region, it will allow the agency's headquarters employees to support the local office staff, customers, families, waiver support coordinators, and providers in implementing iBudget Florida. Its size will allow for a manageable implementation of the new program while permitting APD to collect data for evaluation."

Director DeBeaugrine will host four meetings next week on iBudget Florida. Residents of any North Florida county may attend to learn more about the new program.

The planned schedule is as follows:

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, anyone requiring accommodations to participate in the meetings is asked to advise APD at least three days before the meeting by contacting:

Arthur Barndt
iBudget Florida Operations Program Manager
4030 Esplanade Way
Suite 360 H
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0950
(850) 410-2424 or arthur_barndt@apd.state.fl.us

If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

Individualized budgeting is a concept that is being used in many other states for people enrolled in developmental disabilities Medicaid waivers. iBudget Florida is designed to make the funding process fair and equitable for all Medicaid waiver customers. It will provide for more self-direction for the person to direct their care. The new system will also allow the agency to have more budget control and financial predictability.

Some of the customer benefits of iBudget are:

The agency annually serves about 35,000 Floridians with developmental disabilities of mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and Prader-Willi syndrome. For more information on the agency, call 1-866-APD-CAREs or visit http://apdcares.org.