Client Assistance Program 38th Anniversary: Thanks to the Rehabilitation Act

In light of a very important anniversary, we’re appreciating and reflecting on our Client Assistance Program (CAP). As some may know, Disability Rights Florida (DRF) has nine programs to serve the disability community. CAP which began on February 22, 1984, is one of these nine. So, what better way to honor this anniversary than to highlight CAP and its goals?

What is CAP?

Sometimes the disability community doesn’t receive the advocacy or assistance they deserve or need in order to thrive. This is where CAP comes in. The purpose of this program is to assist folks who are seeking services available under the Rehabilitation Act. CAP empowers people with disabilities to fully understand and exercise their rights to rehabilitation services and help. DRF recognizes that the disability community is entitled to services that meet diverse sets of needs. However, available services are only valuable when clients understand them, how they work, and how to use them accordingly. This is why we think CAP is such an important part of our advocacy efforts.

You may be wondering, what is the Rehabilitation Act? Well, the Rehabilitation Act was implemented in 1973 and was designed to prevent disability discrimination in programs run by federal agencies. This Act came before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Both pieces of legislation have prioritized equality for the disability community and have been critical for disability rights history. In Florida, under the Rehabilitation Act, DRF is the assigned organization to provide CAP services. These services are always free and confidential to clients!

It has been studied that across all age groups and education levels, people with disabilities are much less likely to be employed than people without disabilities. To only scratch the surface of this issue, vocational rehabilitation can assist individuals in changing this unjust fact. Vocational rehabilitation refers to any person with a disability going through the process to overcome barriers in accessing, returning to, or maintaining a job. The goals of CAP are to assure that people with disabilities are allowed to make informed choices about vocational rehabilitation and independent living while being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

The three programs CAP serves are:

1. The Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services  
2. The Florida Division of Blind Services
3. Florida Centers for Independent Living

While it's already been 38 years of administering CAP at DRF, countless clients have, and will continue to benefit from this program. To celebrate CAP, we’ve highlighted three real, recent examples!

1. An individual with a disability received a denial from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) to support college. Our CAP staff represented them at the appeal.
2. An individual with a disability needed a referral to the Division of Blind Services (DBS) to obtain accessible software to be successful at work. A CAP advocate completed the referral and the individual was able to get the needed software.
3. An individual with a disability needed assistance getting the Center for Independent Living (CIL) to provide durable medical equipment (DME). A CAP advocate helped establish communication with the CIL.

CAP Services For You

If someone wanted to contact CAP, they could dial DRF’s number (800-342-0823) and speak to a specialist. This employee would ask questions to gather information about the person and any issues they were facing. Then, if an issue was related to a rehabilitation or independent living provider, a case would be submitted for review. We have seen many clients come out of this process with productive experiences and outcomes. Whether you or someone you know can benefit from these services, we encourage you to keep CAP’s services in mind.

You can learn more about this program and its purpose by reading our CAP Brochure! If you need assistance through the process, you may find some helpful tips on our How To Get Help website page. You can also contact DRF’s intake team at 800-342-0823.

We’re grateful to the clients we’ve had the privilege of serving, and are looking forward to continuing to administer CAP moving forward. Thanks for celebrating this meaningful anniversary with our DRF team! Leave a comment below if you’d like to share your experience with CAP!