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Disabilities Resources

Beaches Disability Services Resource Guide

The City of Atlantic Beach publishes this online Beaches Disability Services Resource Guide with the assistance of volunteers and in cooperation with the cities of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach to make it easier for individuals, families, caretakers, organizations, religious institutions, and businesses to access helpful information about various resources and services that are available to people with disabilities and those who assist them. This guide is published online at www.coab.us/disabilityservices and serves as a companion guide to the Beaches Community Resources Guide (www.coab.us/communityresources).

This is a fluid, Beaches-centric document subject to ongoing updates, corrections, etc. To dig deeper into available resources and information, we encourage you to follow this Inspire blog and check out the City of Jacksonville’s comprehensive Directory of Services for People with Disabilities.

If you have questions, corrections, additions or updates to this guide, please email info@coab.us or call (904) 247-5804. (Updated December 2023.)

CITY OF JACKSONVILLE SERVICES AND RESOURCES

Disability Services Division

Responsible for increasing awareness of the needs of people with disabilities; monitoring legislation relating to disability rights and issues and advising the mayor and his/her staff about necessary City compliance; suggesting and implementing ordinances aimed at improving equal access and opportunity; advocating for the needs and accomplishments of people with disabilities by serving as staff for the Mayor's Disability Council; and the Jim Brady Scholarship Fund Program.

(904) 255-5466 (Voice)
(904) 255-5475 (TDD)
(904) 255-5476 (Captel)

904-255-8008 (TTY)

Mayor’s Disability Council

The Mayor's Disability Council is a diverse 13-member board whose members volunteer their time and expertise to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. The council provides a public forum for persons, groups and businesses to present their disability problems, concerns and successes, and to acknowledge work done well. Its meetings are scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month in the Mayor's Conference Room, 4th Floor of City Hall (St. James Building). January’s meeting is a planning session that begins at 9 a.m.; the remaining meetings begin at 3 p.m. Changes in dates, times and location are subject to occur; call or email to confirm.

(904) 255-5466

Voice (904) 255-5466
TDD (904) 255-5475
MayorsDisabilityCoun@coj.net

Jax Ready (Special Medical Needs During Emergencies)

The City of Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division maintains a special medical needs registry for people who may require assistance during evacuations and sheltering. A person qualifying for special medical needs is someone who is medically dependent on electricity (i.e. electricity needed for life-supporting equipment); or individuals with physical, medical, cognitive impairment, or sensory disabilities who may require basic assistance from medical professionals. The registry is updated throughout the year. Each person must re-register every year to remain in the system.

(904) 255-3172

Visit Jacksonville

BEACH ACCESSIBILITY/WHEELCHAIRS

Accessibility to the Beach and Beach Wheelchairs

EDUCATION

Duval County Public Schools

Exceptional Education and Student Services

Florida Department of Education

Exceptional Student Education

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Goodwill Job Junction

Assists clients to find jobs; computers, career counseling, copy and fax machines are available. A-STEP helps individuals pursue workforce and technical certification/credentials.

1036 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach

(904) 241-9393

CareerSource Northeast Florida

(904) 356-5627

Division of Blind Services

(904) 348-2730

Jacksonville Human Rights Commission

(904) 255-5397

Vocational Rehabilitation

(904) 348-2770

Worker’s Compensation

(904) 798-5806

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Catholic Charities

The Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance Department provides emergency financial assistance with rent/mortgage, electric, water and gas bills, as well as deposits to help prevent homelessness. An appointment is needed, and all appointments are made through the appointment line. They also have a food pantry available to those in need (only eligible once in six months).

(904) 354-4846

Hart Felt Ministries

A faith-based organization that provides through a network of community volunteers, cost-free support services and companionship tailored to the needs of qualified elderly and other adults who require assistance in living independently. The services provided include friendly visits, grocery shopping, meal preparation, medical appointment transportation, light housekeeping, advocacy, telephone reassurance, respite care, yard services, wheelchair ramp construction, emergency financial assistance, and minor home repairs. Contact the organization to learn more about eligibility requirements.

(904) 861-2799

info@hartfelt.org

NE Florida Community Action Agency

(904) 632-1469

Social Services Division (Financial Assistance Appointments)

(904) 255-2469

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality advice, representation and education to disadvantaged children, families and individuals residing in Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties so as to protect their lifestyle and living conditions and promote self-sufficiency. Programs include: community development, fair housing advocacy center, and mental health advocacy.

(904) 356-8371

Disability Rights Florida

(800) 342-0823

Jericho Road Legal Service Ministry

(904) 834-1343

Three Rivers Legal Services

Local non-profit that provides legal assistance to poor, abused, disabled and elderly people in North Florida, and empowers and educates through preventive legal education.

(904) 394-7450

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Here Tomorrow

Provides mental health care. Free services and immediate appointments by calling or texting, or online.

910 Third St., Neptune Beach

(904) 372-9086

hello@heretomorrow.org

NON-GOVERNMENTAL/NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - BEACHES

Click here for a comprehensive listing in the Directory of Services for People with Disabilities

Healing Playroom

Beaches-based program that strives to ensure that all children in the community have access to the healing power of play therapy.

PossAbilities Plus

An all-in-one center for learning, training, working, and socializing to build skills, including self-advocacy, resume writing, and occupational competencies. In addition, clients earn certifications in areas such as food safety, first aide, and child care with three on-site opportunities: Cup of Dreams tea room, Unique Boutique resale store, and the SociAbilities program.

1079 Atlantic Blvd, Ste. 1

Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

(904) 595-5381

PossabilitiesPlus@gmail.com

PARKING

Atlantic Beach

Motorists who properly display handicapped parking credentials are allowed to park for free up to four hours in any public parking space. There are also multiple handicap-accessible ramps.

Jacksonville Beach

Motorists who have a license plate with a permanently affixed handicap designation do not pay to park. There are also multiple handicap-accessible ramps.

Neptune Beach

Motorists who properly display handicapped parking credentials are allowed to park for free up to four hours in any public parking space. There are also multiple handicap-accessible ramps.

Jacksonville Disabled Parking Enforcement Program (Downtown)

Vehicles with a clearly displayed disabled parking permit are allowed four hours of parking at no charge.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND LEISURE

City of Jacksonville

Accessible Outdoor Activites

Adaptive Recreation

Autism-Friendly Activities

Musical Play Garden

Jordan Park, Atlantic Beach

1671 Francis Ave.

TRANSPORTATION

Beaches Council on Aging/Dial-A-Ride

Provides transportation for adults age 60 and over in the beaches area.

(904) 241-1477 ext. 1

JTA Connexion

Provides destination-to-destination shared public transportation for people with disabilities who are functionally unable to use fixed-route services for some or all of their transportation needs and for people who are transportation disadvantaged.

(904) 265-6999

JTA Connexion Plus

Transportation service for eligible customers who want private, same-day, door-to-door service to anywhere in Duval County

(904) 404-0848

JTA ReadiRide

A service that provides affordable, on-call transportation to customers in 13 Jacksonville communities. Reservations can be made Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

(904) 679-4555

OTHER RESOURCES

Click here for a comprehensive listing in the Directory of Services for People with Disabilities

Florida Relay Number

800-955-8771 TTY

800-955-8770 Voice

Agency for Persons with Disabilities

(904) 992-2433

Florida Department of Children & Families – Adult Services Program

An individual must be elderly or disabled to be eligible for supportive services through the Adult Services Program. For most programs, elderly is defined as 60 and older; disabled adults may be 18-59 years of age.

(904) 723-2000

Jacksonville Assistance and Relief Program

Neighborhoods Department

Municipal Code Compliance Division

Assists Jacksonville’s most vulnerable homeowners in correcting municipal code violations. To qualify for the program, individuals must have an open case with the Municipal Code Compliance Division and must meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria includes homeowner requirements, residency duration requirements, and the applicant must establish eligibility via income or disability. (Establishing eligibility via disability refers to qualifying for one or more of the various programs offered by the City of Jacksonville’s Disabled Services Division, Senior Services Division, or Social Services Division) Once an application for JAR is approved, the applicant can receive assistance correcting the violations on their property.

(904) 255-7000

No-Cost Pet Licensing

All City of Jacksonville resident dogs, cats, and ferrets are required to have rabies vaccinations on an annual basis. At the time of inoculation, the veterinarian is required to either sell the City of Jacksonville Rabies Tag or provide the owner with the paperwork to purchase the tag from the Tax Collector. The license fee for an animal in the City of Jacksonville is $20 annually. Fees for registration in the City of Jacksonville are provided at no cost for up to three animals per household to owners who are 62 and older or 100-percent disabled.

(904) 630-2489

Property Tax Exemptions for People with Disabilities

Property tax exemptions for people with disabilities. Some of these property tax exemptions include blindness; disability; disabled veteran; surviving spouse of military veteran or first responder; totally and permanently disabled exemption for first responder and their surviving spouse; senior citizen; service-connected total and permanent disability; totally and permanently disabled exemption.

(904) 255-5900

United Way of Northeast Florida

The United Way links people in need with community services and provides information and referrals to Health and Human Services. It also provides crisis and suicide intervention. The United Way of Northeast Florida serves Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.

(904) 390-3200