2026 Goals, Priorities & Strategic Objectives

Equal Opportunity and Community Inclusion

Goal 1: Challenge Barriers to Equal Opportunity and Community Inclusion

Priorities

• Free and appropriate public education. Intervene on behalf of students with disabilities to secure Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment, and appropriate early intervention services.
• Inappropriate discipline and restraint in public education. Intervene on behalf of students with disabilities who are inappropriately disciplined, restrained, secluded, suspended, expelled, arrested, or involuntarily committed under the Baker Act.
• Vocational training and work-related barriers. Intervene on behalf of people with disabilities, including transition-aged students with disabilities, who face barriers to securing appropriate vocational services, barriers to reasonable accommodations from employers, and other work-related barriers.
• Fair housing and housing-related accommodations. Intervene on behalf of people with disabilities who face barriers accessing fair housing and housing-related accommodations.
• Funding for housing. Advocate for increased funding for housing for people with disabilities that is safe, accessible, integrated, and affordable.
• Rights education for families and professionals. Provide education on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Rehabilitation Act for families, personnel in school districts, and personnel at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division of Blind Services.

Strategic Objectives

• Increase outreach on FAPE issues to students with disabilities in underserved populations.
• Intervene for young offenders with disabilities confined in Florida corrections facilities who had or need an individualized education plan before or during their incarceration to secure FAPE in the least restrictive environment.
• Increase access to vocational services for people with disabilities in underserved populations.

Self-Determination and Transition to Independence/Community Living

Goal 2: Support the Right of Self-Determination and Transition to Independence/Community Living

Priorities

• Transition to adulthood. Intervene on behalf of students with disabilities to obtain appropriate transition services from their school district and to secure reasonable accommodations in post-secondary settings.
• Supported Decision-Making. Advocate for the increased use of Supported Decision Making (SDM) and other alternatives to guardianship and provide education on the use of SDM as an alternative to guardianship.
• Education on self-determination and transition-to-independence. Provide education on self-determination and the transition-to-independence process for families, personnel in school districts and post-secondary settings, and personnel at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division of Blind Services.
• Transition from institutions to community. Advocate for people with disabilities to transition from institutions to the community.

Strategic Objective

• Increase outreach and education on the transition-to-independence process to transition-aged students with disabilities and families from underserved populations.

Access to Community-Based Supports and Services

Goal 3: Improve Access to Community-Based Supports and Services

Priorities

• Healthcare and community-based services. Intervene on behalf of people with disabilities for access to medically necessary healthcare and other appropriate community-based services.
• Funding for community-based services. Advocate for increased funding for community-based services to support people with disabilities living in the community.
• Alternatives to institutionalization. Advocate for state and county policies that provide alternatives to institutionalization.
• Education on availability of community supports. Educate policy makers on the impact of proposed legislation, rules, or policies that would decrease the availability of community supports and increase the risk of institutionalization for people with disabilities.
• Advocate for Accessible Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivor Services. Advocate for programs and policies that address the needs of survivors with disabilities on an individual and systemic level.

Strategic Objective

• Expand community-based services for individuals with a dual diagnosis of IDD and mental health conditions, by prioritizing our individual advocacy on those clients with intense behaviors, unnecessarily housed in institutional settings.

Access to Public Programs/Services

Goal 4: Improve Access to Public Programs/Services

Priorities

• Accessible public accommodations and services. Intervene on behalf of people with disabilities for access to public accommodations and services, including medical providers and services.
• Accessible government services/programs. Intervene on behalf of people with disabilities for access to government services and programs.
• Accessible disaster planning and recovery services. Intervene on behalf of people with disabilities for access to disaster planning and recovery services that are appropriate, accessible, and equivalent to services received by others.
• Accessible voting. Advocate for the expansion of accessible voting and polling places for people with disabilities.
• Accessible public and private transportation. Advocate for people with disabilities to have full access to safe, reliable, and accessible public and private transportation systems consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws and policies.
• Accessible Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivor Services. Intervene on behalf of survivors with disabilities in order to ensure accessible, inclusive, and equitable access to services and supports within the sexual and domestic violence services array.

Abuse, Neglect, and Rights Violations

Goal 5: Protect People with Disabilities in the Community, Institutions, and other Facilities from Abuse, Neglect, and Rights Violations

Priorities

• Abuse/neglect or rights violations (claims). Investigate claims of abuse/neglect or rights violations of people with disabilities residing in or receiving services/support or other treatment from institutions or facilities.
• Abuse/neglect or rights violations (monitoring). Prevent abuse neglect or rights violations of people with disabilities through periodic monitoring of institutions or facilities.
• Abuse/neglect or rights violations (institutional intake). Maintain dedicated intake systems for people in institutional settings.
• Education on abuse/neglect or rights violations. Conduct education, training and outreach to people with disabilities residing in institutions or facilities to educate them about their rights and self-advocacy.

Public Awareness and Policy Change

Goal 6: Build Awareness of Rights of People with Disabilities & Educate Policy Makers

Priorities

• Outreach/education on rights. Expand outreach and education, especially to underserved populations, to increase understanding of the rights of people with disabilities.
• Public awareness of DRF services. Expand public awareness, especially to underserved populations, of DRF services and advocacy efforts.
• Information and referral. Educate people with disabilities on the availability of community resources by providing information and referral through DRF’s intake process. 
• Self-advocacy. Educate people with disabilities on effective self-advocacy skills.
• Evolving issues. Implement a public policy agenda in response to critical and evolving issues using input and participation from people with disabilities and other stakeholders. 
• Education for policymakers on rights. Educate policymakers, organizations, and advocates on legislation and regulations that impact the rights of people with disabilities.
• Education on Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivor Rights and Services. Provide education on the rights and autonomy of survivors, as well as the services available to them.

Strategic Objectives

• Increase use of DRF services by people with disabilities in underserved populations, especially those in rural areas.
• Increase promotion of DRF self-advocacy materials to underserved populations.
• Increase the number of advocacy posts related to mental health and disability on DRF digital and other marketing assets across all goal areas.
• Increase outreach and education on the rights of and services available to sexual and domestic violence survivors with disabilities.