Community Access to Resources, Entitlements & Services (CARES) Team

The CARES Team provides legal and advocacy services to individuals with disabilities in the community having difficulty obtaining access to publicly funded benefits and services. In addition, CARES works systemically on behalf of groups of people to increase and improve access to home and community based services.

Through a special grant award, CARES offers support coordination services to individuals with disabilities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. CARES also assists with access to quality services such as personal care, supported living, and Florida Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Teams.

The CARES Team's main priorities are:

• Improving access to Durable Medical Equipment.
• Assuring compliance with the Fair Hearing Process at the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD).
• Improving access to the Aged/Disabled Waiver.
• Monitoring Florida’s Medicaid reform implementation