Florida's Disability Waitlist Crisis: Families Trapped

0:00It's April 14th. From your city to your ears, this is Tampa Bay News. Today, powered by AI. Ford is agency for persons with disabilities, runs home-based services to help folks with developmental issues, stay out of costly state institutions, and save taxpayer cash. But right now, more than 16,000 qualified people are stuck on a multi-year wait list, and thousands more get turned away because they can. Talk or handle basic daily tasks, even with massive care needs. Meanwhile, families like Liz Goodman's and Fort Myers are left holding the bag. She's the only caregiver for her two boys, including teen son Logan, who battles autism, severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and constant behavioral outbursts that keep them both up for two straight days at a time. Logan's a flight risk too, ending up in canals or tangle with cops, but the state says no help because he's verbal. Goodman feels trapped in this middle ground where no one's stepping up, and her own rare condition has landed her in the hospital 30-40 times over three years.

1:05This mess isn't new, it's been brewing for 20 years, with reporters digging into the backlog and strict rules that leave gaps. Caregivers burn out, and when they do, their loved ones often land in those expensive facilities anyway, flipping the savings upside down. Investigators are now eyeing families who make the cut, but still wait, plus state funds set aside to shrink the list that just sit unused. Until Florida fixes these cracks, too many are risking it all, just to give buy.