Disability Resources in Florida: Find Local Services & Support Groups

From support groups to advocacy organizations, and employment opportunities to local services, we aim to provide a comprehensive guide to assist individuals with disabilities in Florida. Whether you’re seeking assistance for yourself or someone you know, we hope this page will serve as a helpful starting point on your journey toward accessing the resources you need.

 

Florida State Agencies
Florida Department of Children & Families (FDCF): General Information
FDCF: Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency – Medicaid
Florida Department of Health
Florida Department of Elder Affairs
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs (FDVA)
Florida Health: Diseases and Conditions
Florida Health: People with Disabilities
Florida Health: Disability Determination Offices
Agency for Persons with Disabilities Florida (APD)
Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)

Advocacy and Legal Rights
Americans with Disabilities Act Southeast Center
Bay Area Legal Services
Community Legal Services (Central Florida)
Disability Link (Florida Locations)
Disability Rights Florida
Florida Department of Elder Affairs: Elder Law
Florida Legal Services
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) [to find your nearest location]
Legal Services of Greater Miami
Tampa: Accessibility

Aging
AARP Florida
Aging and Disability Resource Centers (Florida)
Agency for HealthCare Administration
Florida Department of Elder Affairs
Medicaid: PACE, Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

AIDS/HIV
Florida Health: HIV/AIDS

Allergy and Asthma
Florida Health: Asthma

Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Association of Central & North Florida
Alzheimer’s Association of Florida Gulf Coast
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center

Arthritis
Florida Health: Arthritis

Arts
Arts4All Florida: Artists with Disabilities
Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture

Assistive Technology
Florida Alliance for Assistive Devices & Technology
EasterSeals Florida: Accessibility
Florida Division of Blind Services: Adaptive Technology

Attention Deficit Disorder
Learning Disabilities Association of Florida

Autism
Autism Speaks Florida
EasterSeals Florida: Living with Autism
Florida Health: Autism Resources

Birth Defects
Florida Health: Birth Defects
March of Dimes, Florida

Blindness and Visual Impairments
Florida Division of Blind Services
National Federation of the Blind –Florida
Guide Dog Schools in Florida

Brain Injuries and Disorders
Brain Injury Association of Florida
Florida Health: Brain & Spinal Cord Injury
National Aphasia Association in Florida
Pilot International – Florida District

Cancer
American Cancer Society in Florida
Florida Health: Cancer

Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida
United Community Options of South Florida

Children
Florida Dept of Children and Families: Individuals with Disabilities
EasterSeals Florida: Early Intervention

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CDC: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Solve ME/CSF Resources

Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: North Central Florida
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Southeast Florida
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Palm Beach Office

Deaf-Blindness
Florida Dept. of Education: Deaf-Blind Services

Deafness and Hearing Impairments
Florida Dept. of Education: Deafness and Hearing Services

Developmental Disabilities
Agency for Persons with Disabilities Florida (APD)
ARC of Florida
The Family Café
Family Care Councils, Find Your Local Council
Family Network on Disabilities
Also see Learning Disorders

Diabetes
Florida Health – Adaptive Diabetes Prevention Program
Florida Health: Diabetes

Down Syndrome
Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida
Down Syndrome Association of Brevard
Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida
Down Syndrome Association of Tallahassee
FRIENDS Support
Fun Coast Down Syndrome Association
Broward Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization
Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization
South West Florida PODS Angels Family Support
Treasure Coast Down Syndrome Awareness Group

Education
EasterSeals Florida: Educational Programs
Florida Department of State: Arts in Education
Florida Department of Education: Disability Services
MacDonald Training Center
GCF Global: Online Training from Goodwill®
CareerOneStop: Career Exploration, Training & Jobs

Employment
EasterSeals: Employment and Training
Florida Dept. of Education: Pre-Employment Services for Students
Florida Dept. of Management Services, Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

Epilepsy
Epilepsy Alliance of Florida
Epilepsy Agency of the Big Bend
Epilepsy Association of Central Florida
Epilepsy Service of Southwest Florida
Florida Health: Epilepsy
Suncoast Epilepsy Association

Financial Assistance/Information
Florida Dept of Economic Opportunity: Unemployment Compensation
Florida Medicaid Web Portal
My Florida: My Money

Fragile X Syndrome
Florida Health: Fragile X Syndrome Resources

Head Injuries
See Brain Injuries

Health (General)
Florida Department of Health
Florida Health Source: Consumer Services
Florida Health: Minority Health Program

Heart Disorders
American Heart Association, Florida
American Heart Association of Southwest Florida
Florida Health: Heart Disease

Housing
Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA): Housing Assistance
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs (FDVA): Housing Assistance
Florida Division of Emergency Management (Disaster Special Needs Sheltering)
Florida Housing Coalition
Florida Housing Search
Florida Low Income Housing
Florida Rent Assistance Program

Independent Living
Center for Independent Living [find your nearest location]

Learning Disorders
Learning Disabilities Association of Florida
Also see Development Disabilities

Long Term Care
Elder Affairs: Long Term Care (CARES Program)
Florida Ombudsman Program: Long Term Care

Lupus
Florida Health: Lupus
Lupus Foundation of America/Florida

Mental Illness
FDCF: Mental Health
Mental Health America of East Central Florida
Mental Health Association in Indian River County
Mental Health Association of Okaloosa & Walton Counties
Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County
Mental Health Association of Southeast Florida
Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida
Tampa Bay Thrives

Multi-Service Agencies
EasterSeals Florida
Heart of Florida United Way
Jewish Community Services of South Florida
The ARC of Florida
United Way of North Central Florida 211

Multiple Sclerosis
National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Mid-South Florida
National Multiple Sclerosis Society: North Florida

Nursing Homes
Florida Administrative Code: Minimum Standards for Nursing Homes

Occupational Therapy
Florida Occupational Therapy Association

Paraplegia
See Spinal Cord Injury

Parkinson’s Disease
American Parkinson’s Disease Association South Florida
Parkinson’s Association of Central Florida

Polio and Post-Polio
Post-Polio Resource Group of Central Florida (on Facebook)

Recreation
EasterSeals Camps: Florida
Sportsability Alliance (formerly Florida Outdoors Association)
Palm Beach County: Therapeutic Recreation
Central Florida Dreamplex
Conductive Education Center of Orlando

Rehabilitation
EasterSeals (Florida): Medical Rehabilitation

Residential Facilities/Residential Care
The Arc of Florida (Find your local Chapter)
The Arc of South Florida
The Arc of Central Florida

Respite Care/Respite Services
ARCH Respite Network in Florida
EasterSeals of South Florida: Respite Services

Speech Disorders, Impairments, and Disorders
See Communication Disorders

Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Association of Central Florida

Spinal Cord Injury
Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resources
Florida Health: Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center

Sports and Recreation
Special Olympics

Stuttering
See Communication Disorders

Suicide Prevention and Hotlines
Florida Suicide Prevention

Transportation
Comfort Ride Transportation Orlando
Florida Care Planning Council: Transportation
Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged
Orange County Transit Authority: Access Service
Metroplan Orlando
Brevard County: Emergency Preparedness, Special Needs
Broward County Transit: Paratransit
Hillsborough County (Tampa) Sunshine Line
Lee County LeeTran (SW Florida, Ft. Myers Accessibility)
Miami-Dade Country Transportation Services

Veterans
FDVA: Health Care

Vocational Rehabilitation
The Able Trust
Florida Dept of Education: Division for Vocational Rehabilitation
Florida: Rehabilitation Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Wish Organizations
Florida Kids and Family Expo
Make A Wish, Central and Northern Florida
Make A Wish Southern Florida