Access


​Transportation Services

  • Right Path Transport: Right path transport provides a licensed and insured wheelchair, stretcher and ambulatory transportation across Florida. They are able to provide transportation to and from doctor appointments, hospital discharges, non-emergency hospital visits, dialysis, airports, OT/PT visits, train and bus stations. 
  • ADA Complementary Paratransit Service: The MV Transportation services within the Gainesville community provides door-to-door services to individuals throughout the community on an appointment basis. Individuals must be certified for ADA paratransit services and must apply for ADA certification. ADA paratransit services are $3 per trip and allow a personal care attendant to ride free with the certified rider. 
  • Public Transportation Services: Transportation services for Bradford, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette and Union county. Public transportation service that transports individuals to the doctor, medical facilities, meal sites, drug stores and shopping.
    • ​Dixie, Gilchrist, and Lafayette County Phone: (352) 498- 5018, Ext: 3
    • Union County Phone: (386) 496-0624
  • Big Bend Transit: Transportation service within Madison and Taylor county that allows residents to get a ride to the grocery store, employment, hospital visits/appointments, etc for a low cost. They also provide paratransit services that is specialized door-to-door transit for individuals who cannot ride the fixed route.
    • ​Madison County Shuttle Phone: (850) 973- 4418
    • Taylor County Perry Shuttle Phone: (850) 584-5566
  • Florida Counties Transportation Guidebook: Great resource that provides the top transportation services for each county in Florida.

Durable Medical Equipment

  • North Florida Medical Sales & Rentals of Gainesville, Inc: Store located in Gainesville that supplies a variety of home medical equipment.
    • ​Phone: (352) 331- 8088
  • Gator Custom Mobility: Local store in Gainesville that provides a variety of assistive technology and equipment for individuals. They can help provide further information on various equipment as well as repair any damages.
    • ​Phone: (352) 373- 9673
  • Centers for Independent Living in North Central Florida: Agency provides wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, scooters and sliding boards.
    • ​Phone: (352) 378-7474
  • American Medical Mobility: Locally owned business that provides a variety of products that help with mobility, access and personal care for individuals within the Gainesville community.
    • ​Phone: (352) 331- 6565
  • Triton Medical Retail: Retail store that offers a wide variety of home medical equipment and supplies. Located in Lady Lake but services surrounding areas such as Ocala and Marion County.
    • ​Phone: (352) 430- 3100
  • Eagle Medical Services: Local company in Gainesville that provides repairs, rentals and sales on electric wheelchairs, scooters and mobility scooters.
    • ​Phone: (352) 377-5644 
  • Randy Sperring Medical Supply: Medical supply store located in Gainesville, Florida.
    • ​Phone: (352) 367- 9920​​

Community Involvement


​Local Support Groups

  • Gator Amps Support Group: Local Support group whose goal is to build a community of amputees who can support and learn from each other and share tips and stories. This group meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 6-8pm. 
  • North Central Florida Amputee Support Group: Local support group that meets at 4101 NW 89th Blvd., Gainesville, FL, 32606
  • UF Shands Support Groups and Classes: UF Health’s website provides a list of local support groups and classes for individuals who have sustained a brain injury, trauma, stroke, spinal cord injury or an amputation. The list also includes support groups and classes for weight loss, transplant, pregnancy, diabetes and cancer. 
  • Elder Options: Caregiver Support Group located in Gainesville.​
    • Meets 4th Wednesday of every month from 1:30-3:30 pm at 100 SW 75th Street, Suite 301 Gainesville, FL 32607.
    • ​Call 352-692-5226 for more information. 

Community Fitness Classes
  • FIT for ALL at GHF: Free fitness program at Gainesville Health and Fitness that is designed for individuals with special needs, specifically those with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
  • Special Olympics Florida: Program within Alachua county that provides year-round training and competition to children and adults age 8 years and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It involves a wide array of sports including, basketball, bowling, equestrian, golf, tennis, volleyball, and much more!
  • Noah's Endeavor: Noah’s Endeavor is a program that includes individuals with and without disabilities to participate in adapted recreational activities. This program participates in activities around Gainesville and includes activities such as baseball, basketball, bowling, painting, swimming and more! 
  • Florida Exercise Groups: This website provides a list of exercise groups and classes throughout Florida. Classes include general health and fitness, Dance for Parkinson’s Disease, Rock Steady, mindfulness, Creative Arts, and many more! 
  • UF Inclusive Fitness and Unified Sports: IFUS provides a biweekly workout program for UF Students and peers with disabilities from the Sidney Lanier Center and Santa Fe transition programs. They meet every Tuesday and Thursday during the fall and spring semester from 12-2 PM on the UF campus. The goal of this program is to prepare adults with disabilities to enter the workforce through an exercise intervention program.​​​​

Education and Employment


Skills Training & Employment

  • Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation: Vocational Rehabilitation is a federal-state program that focuses on helping individuals with disabilities get or keep a job. They offer job coaching, on-the-job training, career counseling, and much more. The website provides the address and contact information for their offices in Alachua, Marion, Dixie and Columbia county.
  • Florida Works: Provides career counseling, workshops/assessments, resume and interview assistance, job leads, funding for job training, support services and phones, computers, and supplies for jobseekers; services are free of charge.
    • ​Phone: (352) 955- 2245
  • Life Transition Skills, Inc: Life Transition Skills is a program in the greater Gainesville area that helps develop and empower adults with intellectual disabilities achieve their full physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual potential. They work to provide programs that provide meaningful and purposeful services and activities for young adults with disabilities. They have on-the-job training programs, vocational rehab, summer programs and a program to help with transitioning to life after high school. 
  • Project SAINT:​ Project SAINT is an official Florida Post-Secondary Comprehensive Transition Program, recognized by the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities at Santa Fe College. SAINT students attend classes, participate in internships, join campus clubs, attend student activities and events, and have access to all campus activities including the SF Teaching Zoo and Planetarium. 
  • Spectrum of Success: Designed to help integrate students on the Autism Spectrum into the Sante Fe College community as a whole. SOS allows students to interact and counsel each other through difficulties many other students and faculty may not be able to understand. SOS helps students develop skills they need to enter the workforce following graduation.
  • UF Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD): CARD-UF provides free training, technical assistance, consultation, resource referral, and public education throughout North Central Florida for individuals with autism and related disabilities.

Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care

  • Florida Health and Transition Services (HATS): Large collection of resources for individuals and their families regarding graduating from pediatric to adult health care in Florida. Includes informational briefs with transition-related tips and resources, skill-building curricula and videos, readiness checklists and care plans, and condition-specific materials for specific patient populations.
  • Life Transition Skills, Inc: Life Transition Skills is a program in the greater Gainesville area that helps develop and empower adults with intellectual disabilities achieve their full physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual potential. They work to provide programs that provide meaningful and purposeful services and activities for young adults with disabilities. They have on-the-job training programs, vocational rehab, summer programs and a program to help with transitioning to life after high school. 

Personal Enrichment Programs

  • Handicapped Scuba Association: Located in Levy county, this association focuses on improving the lives of individuals with disabilities through the sport of scuba diving.
  • Art in Motion: Art workshops for individuals affected by Parkinson’s and other movement disorders.
    • ​Place: Criser Cancer Resource Center (UF Shands South Tower, Room 1302)
    • Time: Wednesday 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
  • Sing for Life: Vocal workshops for individuals with Parkinson's Disease.
    • Place: Oak Hammock
    • Time: Thursday 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
  • Wellness Classes: Classes in yoga, meditation, and Qiqong through UF Health Shands. Location and times for each class vary, and are posted on the website.
  • Dance for MS: Dance for MS is a free, weekly dance class designed for people with Multiple Sclerosis and their caregivers and/or loved ones. No dance experience is required. It is a way for individuals to improve their physical and social well-being.
    • ​Place: Rosa B. Williams Center, 524 NW 1st St., Gainesville, FL 32601
    • Time: Tuesday 3:30- 4:45 p.m.
  • Bryan's All Stars Challenge Sports: Bryan’s All Stars Challenge Sports provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports amongst their peers. Activities include basketball, baseball, and bowling. Located in Marion County.
  • Horses Helping People (HOPE): Based in Archer, HOPE- Horses Helping People, provides equine assisted therapies and learning to children and adults with special needs. Program include: Occupational Therapy, Adaptive Riding, Horses Helping Heroes, Silver Saddles, Memory Connection, Special Olympics, Equine Assisted Learning, and Breast Cancer Survivor Outreach Rehabilitation. ​

Pediatric Resources


  • Balance 180:  Balance 180 is a Gymnastics and Sport Academy located in Gainesville that integrates children with varying abilities through sports. They provide classes throughout the week in gymnastics and sports for various age groups.
  • Early Learning Coalition of Alachua County: School readiness programs offer qualified parents the opportunity to access affordable, quality childcare. As part of the School Readiness program, regular screenings and assessments help identify children who may have special needs and help parents address these needs early, giving children the best chance of success.
  • Splash Pals Adapted Aquatics: Splash Pals Aquatics is a therapeutic swimming and aquatic recreation program for children with disabilities that is focused on bringing pre-professional collegiate students together with the children to engage in swimming, exercise, social interaction, and play. All disabilities are welcome.
  • TOP Soccer: Gainesville Soccer Alliance offers a free TOP Soccer league to players with special needs. Buddies are provided to the players, and practices are held on Friday nights at Jonesville Soccer Park. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability.
  • Fun 4 Gator Kids- Special Needs Resources: List of organizations that provide health and care services for children with special needs in the Gainesville, Florida area. Resources include behavioral therapies and early intervention organizations.
  • Dance Marathon at the University of Florida- Family Relations: UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital is the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital for the North Central Florida region. Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropy at UF connecting with families in the area supporting children with disabilities. For more information regarding family relations, contact Family Relations Overall Director- Courtney Kerwin at [email protected]. 
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Funding and Assistance


​Grants and Financial Assistance
  • The Colton Society Inc: Publicly funded, non-profit organization serving many Florida counties. Provide families with assistance on case by case basis. Offer assistance with medical equipment, medications/prescriptions, rent/mortgage, groceries, and transportation. 
  • Able Trust: Supports individuals, non-profit organizations and vocational rehabilitation programs throughout Florida with fund-raising, grant making and public awareness of disability issues. Able Trust offers grants to individuals in a variety of areas including equipment needed for employment and employment assistance that could not be provided by an agency of the State of Florida or in emergency situations. Individual grants for on-the-job accommodation average $2,000-$3,000.
  • In Charge: Website that provides information on various government assistance, grant and loan programs for individuals with disabilities.
  • Financial Assistance and Support Services: Website that xxplore a wide range of programs and tools to help with housing, taxes, medical bills, service and emotional support animals, and more.
  • Access: (Automated Community Connection to Economic Self Sufficiency ) Florida Program helps to promote strong and economically self-sufficient communities by providing food, cash and medical assistance to individuals and families on the road to economic recovery.
  • New Horizon Loan Program: Purpose of this loan is to help individuals with disabilities finance assistive technology at reasonable interest rates.
    • ​Phone: 1-844-FL-FAAST (352-2278)

​Prescription Drug Assistance

  • Heart of Florida United Way- Family Wize: FamilyWize prescription medication discount cards. On average, the discount card gives a savings of 40%. To request a card today, contact Heart of Florida United Way by dialing 2-1-1. Located in Orlando, Florida but serves all counties of Florida. 
    • ​Phone: (407) 835-0900 (Heart of Florida United Way)
    • Email: [email protected]
    • FamilyWize Prescription Downloadable App on Apple App Store, Google Play, and Windows Phone Store
  • NACO Prescription Discount Card: The Alachua County Prescription Discount Card, in conjunction with the National Association of Counties (NACo), is offering a discount card program to help residents cope with the cost of prescription drugs. The discount card is FREE to all county residents regardless of income. Call the number below for more information and to request a discount card.
    • ​Phone: (352) 264- 6750
  • RxAssist: Website that provides an online database of patient assistance programs and other resources to help find ways to reduce medication costs. 
  • Walmart $4 Prescription List: Walmart offers $4 30-day supply of many generic medications, and 90-day supply for just $10. No insurance necessary. Use this link to search for your medication in their database, sorted by diagnosis.
  • GoodRx: GoodRx is a startup company which operates a free-to-use website and mobile app that tracks prescription drug prices and offers drug coupons throughout the United States.
  • Publix Pharmacy Free Medication Program: Publix offers select medications for free! Publix also has a 90 Day Supply Medication List for only $7.50, the next best thing to free medication. 

​​Additional Local Resources

  • SHINE Program: SHINE program is for individuals and their caregivers and provides assistance in finding and applying for pharmaceutical company prescription assistance programs and counseling and assistance with all aspects of Medicare and Medicaid.
*This website was created using a variety of sources including the online resources listed, but is not intended to substitute or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician. The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition*