Jason Brodeur earns ‘well-deserved honor’ in the 2025 Daniel Webster Leadership Award

Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur earned plaudits at the Governors Club, where U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster and Healthy Families Florida presented him with the 2025 Daniel Webster Leadership Award.

The recognition celebrates leaders whose work strengthens families and advances efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.

The award commemorates Webster’s role in creating Healthy Families Florida during his time as Florida House Speaker in 1998, when he shepherded the program through the Legislature with support from then-Senate President Toni Jennings. After Gov. Jeb Bush signed it, the home visiting initiative grew into a nationally accredited model aimed at promoting healthy child development and family self-sufficiency.

Brodeur was selected for what the organization described as sustained work to improve outcomes for Florida children by championing evidence-based prevention programs. The program’s leaders noted that Healthy Families Florida now operates statewide and served more than 15,000 children last fiscal year.

“Senator Brodeur has put forth many policies that protect children and support families while emphasizing the importance of programs with measurable, positive outcomes that are proven to be effective, like Healthy Families,” Webster said. “Let’s all continue to focus on prevention as a way to help families thrive while using state resources efficiently.”

Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida President and CEO Jennifer Ohlsen praised Brodeur’s long-standing involvement.

“Senator Brodeur is the type of leader who has helped make Healthy Families Florida successful over the past 28 years. From his time in the House through his time in the Senate, he has been consistently focused on supporting Florida’s families,” she said.

“We are excited to congratulate the senator on this well-deserved honor.”

Healthy Families Florida Executive Director Rebekkah Sheetz highlighted the program’s reach and its track record.

“Senator Brodeur’s commitment to evidence-based, measurable prevention programs like ours continues to make a difference in the lives of children every day,” she said.

“Because of his support, and the support of his fellow lawmakers, Healthy Families Florida served over 15,000 children across the state last fiscal year. The results speak for themselves: 99% of children are free of abuse during and one year after completing the program.”

The ceremony also included remarks from Senate President Ben Albritton, 2024 Webster Award recipient state Sen. Gayle Harrell, DCF Secretary Taylor Hatch, and Brodeur himself, along with video messages from Webster, U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, and a program participant from Healthy Families Seminole.

Brodeur thanked those who deliver the intervention and outreach that define the program’s work.

“I am honored to receive this award once again,” he said. “It is important that we strive for a stronger future for Florida’s children, and I’m proud of the progress we are making each year in the Senate. I promise to continue to serve the people of Florida including the families, home visitors, and site staff who make this program so special.”

Since its creation in 2009, the Daniel Webster Leadership Award has highlighted lawmakers, community advocates, and public safety officials who have shaped Florida’s child abuse prevention landscape, including past recipients such as Bean, state Sen. Doug Broxson and Harrell.