Several nonprofits and service providers used the delegation meeting to brief lawmakers on recent legislation, recognize support and request funding or statutory changes to support services in Bradford County and the region.

John Williams of The Arc of Bradford County and The Arc of Florida presented Senator Jennifer Bradley with The Arc of Florida’s 2025 legislative champion award and highlighted last year’s HB 1103, which Williams said “enhanced the Agency for Persons with Disabilities transparency” and created new paths to services for people on APD wait lists. Senator Bradley thanked Arc leaders and noted the bill’s role in creating new service pathways.

Angela Armstrong, representing the Eighth Circuit Guardian ad Litem office, asked the delegation for support to increase staff salaries. Armstrong said turnover had left the circuit short‑staffed; she described three attorneys covering six counties and more than 400 children in dependency cases. “We want to keep those folks,” she said, describing difficulty recruiting and retaining child‑welfare professionals and attorneys.

Brandon Turner of the Florida chapter of the National Association of Social Workers urged the delegation to pass the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact in 2026. Turner noted Florida is the only Southeastern state not yet in the compact and argued membership would reduce barriers to practice, especially in rural and underserved counties: “Social workers are the largest providers of mental health services in The US, and this compact is designed to remove barriers to practice, and expand access to care, especially in rural and underserved areas like Bradford County,” he said.

Lauren Jorgensen spoke for the Florida Soil Health Coalition and outlined education and technical assistance her group offers to farmers to reduce nutrient runoff and improve soil health; she said the coalition would like to work with legislators and agencies to support farmer adoption of conservation practices.

Why it matters: Providers said staffing and licensure barriers limit the availability of services in rural Bradford County. The compact and salary support were framed as ways to increase care capacity and reduce turnover; the Arc award marked a recent policy win affecting vulnerable residents.

What’s next: The providers will seek legislative support and, in the case of the EDC and Arc groups, may follow up with formal requests or letters of support for specific funding or statutory action in the 2026 session.