Since 2006, the CARD budget has been reduced by $2,565,225 (34%) while there is a growing number of newly diagnosed children and adults, resulting in a disparity between the services CARD has been mandated to provide and the funds appropriated.

a girl and her baby sister standing hand-in-hand

Every cut has impacted Florida's most vulnerable citizens. Florida's children and adults with autism and related disabilities and their families need your continued support.
This graph shows funding and constituency growth data for ALL Centers in Florida.
graph showing massive increase in number of constituents with massive decrease in funding for CARD centers in Florida

CARD Services are necessary to:

  • Preserve families and avoid costly residential placements
  • Provide training and support to schools, childcare and adult service providers to increase the number of highly effective professionals
  • Train educators and early interventionists in evidence-based practices that improve high school graduation rates
  • Improve early identification and early intervention that minimizes long-term disability impact and associated costs to taxpayers
  • Prepare adults with autism and related disabilities to be contributing members of their community through sustainable employment
  • Increase the ability of individuals with autism and their families to access and fully participate in community life

Detrimental effects resulting from inadequate funding include:

  • Reduced community and home-based assistance, where families need it most
  • Reduced outreach to newly- diagnosed families in need of autism support
  • Reduced behavioral support for family preservation
  • Reduced screening and early intervention support
  • Increased Baker Acts, arrests and involuntary hospitalization of individuals with autism
  • Lowest employment outcomes of any disability group tracked by FL DOE
  • Decreased rates of self- sufficiency, resulting in increased costs of subsidization

Please consider making a gift to CARD. All gifts are made through the University of Florida Foundation, Inc. and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Click below to make a gift online or download our donation form.

We thank you for your support.

All gifts to CARD are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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