Gov. DeSantis announces in Jupiter a record $2.2 billion toward people with disabilities

JUPITER — Flo rida Gov. Ro n DeSantis announced Monday morning, April 29, — a few days before Autism Awareness Month ends — that he is allocating $2.2 billion for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities from this year’s state budget.

“That is the highest amount ever appropriated in the history of Florida by a country mile,” said DeSantis at the Els Center of Excellence . “Some of these folks are really in dire straits, so this infusion is really going to be a lifeline for them.”

DeSantis said he would ensure every Floridian can access services to create a “pathway to live up to their God-given potential” and “realize the American Dream.” At the event, he shook hands and took photos with a few Els Center clients and told some of them, "God bless you."

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“We want them to live healthier lives,” DeSantis said. “That's exactly what they're doing here at the Els Center. … It really has made a big difference in this community and in our state.”

DeSantis awarded $1 million of the funds to the Els Center for Excellence, the nonprofit founded by pro golfer Ernie Els, whose son, Ben, is on the autism spectrum. Els is originally from South Africa but has lived in Palm Beach County for the past 15 years.

The money from the state will support a new recreational complex the center plans to build. The facility would have a swim program, aqua therapy, indoor sports activities and a hurricane shelter for their clients.

Promoting autism awareness is a passion for Els, 54, and his wife Liezl, the center's co-founder and its managing director. Els, who won four majors on the PGA Tour and now plays mostly on the senior tour, told The Palm Beach Post last year that spreading the autism awareness message is not the primary reason he continues to play competitive golf, but the two (golf and autism awareness) now intersect.

"My goal is to play golf," Els told The Post. "But I've got other things on another plate. To separate golf and autism … in my life, it is one now. Wherever I go that's part and parcel of the whole package."

The funding also includes:

• $200 million toward iBudget Waiver providers, which offer social, medical, behavioral and therapeutic services to people with developmental disabilities
• $64.8 million toward enrolling people into iBudget Waivers
• $55.7 million toward those waiting to be enrolled for iBudget Waivers
• $40 million for community projects to help people with autism and other developmental disabilities

DeSantis emphasized the need for scholarships to help parents of kids with autism afford special education for their children. Recipients of the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship have grown from around 25,000 students in 2021 to over 98,000 students today, he said.

Annel Lopez of Palm Beach Gardens is one of those parents. His 5-year-old son, Luka, has autism and is a recipient of the scholarship.

“As soon as you get an autism diagnosis, everything becomes so expensive,” Lopez said. “It makes it so hard on the family. We desperately needed (the scholarship). Now that we have it, we know we can provide the right services for my son. We can have a normal life.”

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com . Support local journalism: Subscribe today .

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Gov. DeSantis announces in Jupiter a record $2.2 billion toward people with disabilities