Nov. 25, 2015

DEPARTMENT HELPING PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH UNIQUE ABILITIES CONNECT TO RESOURCES

Bright Expectations website has over 14,600 hits

Contact:
Communications Office
NewsMedia@flhealth.gov
(850) 245-4111

Tallahassee, Fla.—In January, the Florida Department of Health launched www.BrightExpectations.com, a website clearinghouse that provides information to parents and families about Down syndrome and other prenatally diagnosed conditions. Since the launch, nearly 15,000 people have used the tool.

“Bright Expectations is a remarkable clearinghouse with resources to help parents learn about opportunities for children with unique abilities,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “I want to thank the nine members of the Information Clearinghouse on Development Disabilities Advisory Council for their essential work to make this website so useful for Florida families.”

The clearinghouse website is dedicated to providing resources and information about developmental disabilities to pregnant women, parents and families and to health care providers for use in counseling pregnant women whose unborn children have been prenatally diagnosed with developmental disabilities. The website includes resources on evaluation and intervention services and support programs for families during the prenatal and postnatal period. 

The Bright Expectations website is an ongoing collaborative effort between the Department of Health and the Information Clearinghouse on Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council.  The council is composed of parents, health care professionals and caregivers who provide health care services for persons who have developmental disabilities. The council’s continued dedication in providing technical assistance to establish the website is an invaluable resource to the department.

For more information, please visit www.BrightExpectations.com.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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