In response to the recent outbreak of COVID-19, more commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, The Arc Jacksonville is adhering to protocols and recommendations for prevention and reaction outlined by The Center for Disease Control (CDC), which can be found here. We are continually monitoring updates from the CDC and receiving guidance from State and Local officials and our service affiliates.

For the safety of the individuals we serve and our employees, we ask that you do not visit our facilities if you, or someone you have been in contact with, have recently traveled internationally, taken a cruise, or are experiencing, a cough, shortness of breath or a fever in the last 72 hours.

We know this is a challenging time and many of you are looking for ways to help. We remain committed to our mission and continue to serve individuals throughout our five community homes and at The Arc Jacksonville Village. We are also providing supported employment, telemental health services and our Advocacy department is a resource to individuals and their families. We are grateful to donors who partner with us so we can continue much needed programs and services. If you would like to make a donation to support The Arc Jacksonville, click here.

COVID-19 Updates

Wesconnett Blvd Location Closed for Day Services Temporarily

Update: 9/8/21

Effective immediately we are preventatively closing our Wesconnett Blvd location (Westside) for day services.

We have experienced too many positive cases, isolation situations and symptoms – feel like the best course of action to prevent further spread is to close this building. All currently known positive cases are isolated to our own group homes and transportation, but we expect possible exposure issues to others. This does not impact services at our Davis St location.

At this time, we recommend that everyone attending Westside consider being tested using a PCR test, just in case. If you observe or experience ANY symptoms, please get tested and keep us updated on your results. We want to remind everyone that as quickly as symptoms develop, people are experiencing swift and serious outcomes, in some cases even those who are already vaccinated. Jacksonville has reopened testing sites around the city to help with the immense growth of cases in our community, so hopefully this resource is more readily available. Schools are reporting increased cases and Labor Day weekend saw pandemic record numbers in travel and events – we may be in this heightened situation for many more weeks in our areas. Please be mindful of your actions and interactions with others and use caution.

We plan to reopen our Wesconnett Blvd location on Monday, September 20th.

Although we have returned to using PPE and encouraging distancing in our day programs, we cannot promise anyone’s safety because of what people choose to do elsewhere. We continue to practice enhanced cleanliness and sanitation measures in our buildings and vehicles. However, the contagious nature of this disease remains unpredictable. We want to remind everyone to follow the Partnership Agreement in place for attending our services in-person and once we reopen to please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms. Families and caretakers, make sure you are checking for symptoms each morning and keep people home if anything seems out of the ordinary.

Thank you all and If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:

Previous Updates

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Update: 3/31/21

It looks like we are amidst a very important shift in the availability of the vaccine for many people that we serve. We are offering this information to families, which is based only on what we currently know regarding the new executive order:

  • Governor Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order that expands the availability of vaccines to “medically vulnerable” people, which reportedly will include Down syndrome and hopefully other developmental differences
  • The FL Department of Health has not yet released the defining characteristics of “medically vulnerable” but this development is supposed to take effect this week so the definition should be forthcoming if you keep up with their website
  • We believe that a doctor can certify that a person qualifies but we are not sure if a person can then obtain the vaccine from anywhere – please speak with your doctor ASAP about how and where to receive the vaccine
  • The Dept of Health has released a form for physicians to use to certify the medical necessity to receive the vaccination. It appears they are leaving it up to the physician to make this determination rather than issuing specific conditions. Form: http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid-physician-form/EO-21-47-Form.pdf
  • If you have questions or are seeking guidance even after consulting your physician, please contact APD, your Waiver Support Coordinator or you can contact our Advocacy department – please understand that we can only share the information that is currently available to us and we cannot approve or provide the vaccine for you or your family member

Plan for re-opening of day programs and services

Update: 8/28/20

We have officially submitted our reopening plan to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) in accordance with their guidelines. This plan can be viewed and downloaded here.

We are entering into what we are calling Stage One, which is referenced in the plan. Beginning Monday, August 31st, residents of The Arc Jacksonville?s Community Homes will begin attending our Westside location. A limited number of participants have already been invited back to our Downtown location and we will slowly invite more.

For now, we are restricting these invitations to people who are in our Vistakon simulated work environment, require mental health services and have an acceptable form of transportation. Based on the progress of these two developments, we will begin to review next steps.?

Along with the reopening plan, we are requiring that participants and their support systems complete the following forms before returning:?

These forms are updates to our consent for providing services to include the general risks associated with COVID-19. Health and Safety are always a priority for us but like the rest of the community, we are unable to function appropriately without intentional and deliberate adherence to best practices and precautions for mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

We will continue to provide regular check-in calls, monthly activity packets and telemental health services until we are able to fully welcome everyone back. Additional virtual services will be offered soon. Visit arcjacksonville.org/virtualadt for information on our virtual services.

Click here to provide your email address to receive updates.

We recognize this raises a lot of questions, some to which we may not have immediate answers. We ask that you please be patient with us as we try our best to navigate safely initiating services at our Westside and Downtown locations.

We continue to remain close until we feel it is safe to reopen. At this time, we anticipate re-opening in early July. Please continue to check our website and social media for updates.

  • Daily temperature readings, distancing and wearing a mask will be important aspects of our reopening. Please make sure you have masks for your personal use and are comfortable wearing them.
  • When we reopen, all locations of The Arc Jacksonville will be smoke-free. This includes our Downtown, Westside and Community Home locations as well as On Campus Transition and The Arc Jacksonville Village.

We hope you and your family are doing well during these times. If you know someone with an intellectual and developmental difference who is struggling, please connect with us so they can receive the support they need. We can provide support through one-on-one sessions, small groups and family support groups. Our Mental Health team can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 904.355.0155.

We continue to remain close until we feel it is safe to reopen. At this time, we anticipate re-opening in early July. Please continue to check our website and social media for updates.

  • Daily temperature readings, distancing and wearing a mask will be important aspects of our reopening. Please make sure you have masks for your personal use and are comfortable wearing them.
  • When we reopen, all locations of The Arc Jacksonville will be smoke-free. This includes our Downtown, Westside and Community Home locations as well as On Campus Transition and The Arc Jacksonville Village.

We hope you and your family are doing well during these times. If you know someone with an intellectual and developmental difference who is struggling, please connect with us so they can receive the support they need. We can provide support through one-on-one sessions, small groups and family support groups. Our Mental Health team can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 904.355.0155.


The 22nd Annual Family Cafe will be a virtual event held in June! The virtual 22nd Annual Family Cafe will kick off on Friday, June 5th and will span over two weeks. Live content will be streamed through their Facebook page at facebook.com/TheFamilyCafeFL twice daily at 11 AM ET and 2 PM ET between Friday, June 5th and Friday, June 19th, with the exception of Sunday the 7th and Sunday the 14th. This virtual content will include a number of live streamed breakout sessions, which will allow for moderated Q&A. All three of our scheduled Keynote speakers will be part of the agenda, and the virtual event will also include The Annual Governor’s Summit on Disabilities with content provided by Gov. DeSantis and Senate President Bill Galvano. Over the two weeks, The Family Cafe will also be posting content from partners including the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association, Pyramid Players, and others that usually take part in The Annual Family Cafe. For more information and to register, go to: https://familycafe.net/the-annual-family-cafe

Due to the continuing situation, we will not re-open our adult day training programs on March 30 as previously planned. These programs will remain closed until further notice.

The safety and well-being of our program participants and members of our staff drives every decision we have made, and will make, as we continue forward on these uncharted waters.

Please stay staff and check our website and social media regularly for updates.

The Arc Jacksonville’s adult day training programs and mental health services will be closed until March 30th. This includes PSR, Strive, SOAR and Triumph Industries. Club Arc West will be closed through March and Club Arc East will only be open to Village residents.

If the decision is made to be closed for an additional period of time, we will post that information on this site.

The Village Community Center will be closed to all visitors and volunteers through March 31st. Families are encouraged to take their residents home during this time as an additional safety precaution; however, The Center and the staff will be operating under normal business hours.

If you would like to receive email communications with updates, please click here to provide your information.

Our offices are currently closed for a scheduled staff training day. We will be making a decision today on how we will proceed for the upcoming weeks.

We have implemented the following protocols:

  • Non-essential personnel and visitors will only enter the building when it is necessary and will be screened with a questionnaire provided and mandated by state officials
  • Restrooms will only be used by clients receiving services and staff members
  • Only clients receiving services and staff members providing services are permitted in service areas
  • All offsite activities and functions are suspended until further notice
  • Lunch prepared and provided on Wednesdays is suspended
  • All buildings will continue to be deep cleaned regularly
  • Club Arc West has been canceled for the month of March

Program-Specific Updates

  • Day Programs
    • Day program and services will continue to operate as usual
    • Off-site activities have been suspended
  • On Campus Transition
    • In observance of the University of North Florida’s temporary closure of face-to-face classes, students should return to campus on April 6th.
  • Xplore
    • Community-based outings have been canceled
    • Xplore will host on-site workshops and trainings in place of community outings at The Arc Jacksonville Village
  • The Arc Jacksonville Village

Due to the continuing situation, we will not re-open our adult day training programs on March 30 as previously planned. These programs will remain closed until further notice.

The safety and well-being of our program participants and members of our staff drives every decision we have made, and will make, as we continue forward on these uncharted waters.

Please stay staff and check our website and social media regularly for updates.

The Arc Jacksonville’s adult day training programs and mental health services will be closed until March 30th. This includes PSR, Strive, SOAR and Triumph Industries. Club Arc West will be closed through March and Club Arc East will only be open to Village residents.

If the decision is made to be closed for an additional period of time, we will post that information on this site.

The Village Community Center will be closed to all visitors and volunteers through March 31st. Families are encouraged to take their residents home during this time as an additional safety precaution; however, The Center and the staff will be operating under normal business hours.

If you would like to receive email communications with updates, please click here to provide your information.

Our offices are currently closed for a scheduled staff training day. We will be making a decision today on how we will proceed for the upcoming weeks.

We have implemented the following protocols:

  • Non-essential personnel and visitors will only enter the building when it is necessary and will be screened with a questionnaire provided and mandated by state officials
  • Restrooms will only be used by clients receiving services and staff members
  • Only clients receiving services and staff members providing services are permitted in service areas
  • All offsite activities and functions are suspended until further notice
  • Lunch prepared and provided on Wednesdays is suspended
  • All buildings will continue to be deep cleaned regularly
  • Club Arc West has been canceled for the month of March

Program-Specific Updates

  • Day Programs
    • Day program and services will continue to operate as usual
    • Off-site activities have been suspended
  • On Campus Transition
    • In observance of the University of North Florida’s temporary closure of face-to-face classes, students should return to campus on April 6th.
  • Xplore
    • Community-based outings have been canceled
    • Xplore will host on-site workshops and trainings in place of community outings at The Arc Jacksonville Village
  • The Arc Jacksonville Village