Disability care facilities in Florida for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be required to start testing staff members every other week for coronavirus test from August 24, under an emergency rule issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.
Florida will provide test kits free of charge, so providers, which range from community-based group homes to institutions for persons with disabilities, can test employees to contain the virus from spreading further in the residential facilities.
The emergency rule applies to staff members at group homes and disability care facilities, whether they are staff members or not.
The Florida state signed a contract with the company Curative, which supplies the tests to nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities issued the emergency rule after the several news reports that disability care facilities, and family members complained about inequities in the state’s testing policies, leaving people with developmental and intellectual disabilities behind.
