APD stands for agency for persons with disabilities. It’s one of the few waivers we have in Florida that covers home care for people with disabilities. However, they only cover developmental and intellectual disabilities and does not include Arthrogryposis at all.

This means that we are restricted to Medicaid waivers for home care, but the Medicaid waiver was originally created for the elderly and has way more restrictions and doesn’t allow us to have flexibility in how our hours are staffed by caregivers. We cannot hire independently and and work with agencies to make sure we are covered and cared for. 

Unfortunately even though it’s called agency for persons with disabilities it’s discriminating against many disabilities that still require home care so that they can live independently. It would be a much bigger task if I tried to have them include all disabilities so I wanted to start here.

I have had home care for over 8 years now and have dealt with abuse and neglect so many times. Now Medicaid wants to put me in a nursing home and I refuse to allow that. Nursing homes are just today's title for institutions. I am a full time working member of my society, I deserve to be treated like one. 

Please consider signing, it would just help so many people with AMC who needed to have any kind of home care assistance.