Accessible Audio for Making A Difference

The upcoming legislative session provides a unique opportunity to advance inclusivity, empower communities, and foster independence for individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) in Georgia. In this article, I will outline the three key policy areas that the council has decided to focus its advocacy on for the 2024 Georgia General Assembly: (1) increasing Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers and Direct Support Professional (DSP) wages; (2) improving employment opportunities; and (3) ‘truing up’ scholarships for inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE).

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Presented by Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), Equitable Dinners, L’Arche Atlanta and Out of Hand Theatre on February 6 and 27, 2024, the two gatherings will bring together dinner and discussion about the value of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) in the lives of Georgians with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families and is the latest iteration of the GCDD Storytelling Project. 

Guests will be able to take part in this event in-person at the Georgia Public Broadcasting studios in Atlanta Georgia on the evening of Tuesday, February 6th or virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, February 27th.

The Storytelling Project was created six years ago in partnership between GCDD and L’Arche Atlanta to increase public awareness and motivate Georgia legislators to act now for this remarkably underserved community. By providing living portraits of individuals struggling to receive a life-altering benefit, the project’s goal was to expand cross-sector allies and garner voices of support outside of the developmental disabilities community. Since its inception, more than 170 stories have been shared via mini- documentary film, short films, creative prose, podcasts, written stories, and photographs. 

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Many Georgians associate the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) with serving or working only with the disability community in Metro Atlanta. To make sure that people with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families meet the Council and learn that it serves the entire state of Georgia, GCDD is launching its virtual road tour and campaign, “G is for Georgia!”

This new campaign will highlight the DD community and GCDD’s work throughout the state of Georgia in a fun, interactive way. The goal of the campaign will be to introduce the Council to Georgians with DD across the state and educate and inform them that GCDD is a go-to resource for education, advocacy and information when it comes to what impacts people with DD.

Kicking off on January 11, 2024, “G is for Georgia” will help the Council to connect, listen, inform and educate the community – and learn from individuals as well! The campaign will run for one year. 

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

At the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), we are always driven by our overarching values, and specifically by our public policy agenda. As we gear up to head into another legislative session in 2024, I want to take time to reflect on the wins in 2023 before we call on our advocates and community to continue the work in 2024. 

In 2023, we were excited to have a big win with waivers. This is important for the ultimate goal of getting to the root of the problem which is to end the waiver waiting list. We also had a big win for Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs as they are now qualified for scholarships in the form of IPSE grants. This means more access for families and students with disabilities for a college education after high school. 

However, our work is not done. So in a sense, 2024 will be “Part 2” of the work done last year. 

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Families of adults with developmental disabilities (DD) often find themselves as primary caregivers because they do not want the relative to be institutionalized and alternative options are not always readily available.

Individuals with DD who have been referred to a nursing home or other institutional level of care, may be eligible for home and community-based services (HCBS) through Georgia’s Medicaid program that would allow them to live at home.

But qualifying for these benefits doesn’t always ensure that the person with the disability will receive them in a timely manner. Sometimes people may meet the criteria to receive Medicaid services under a waiver program but will be placed on a waiting list to actually receive a waiver. Funding for Georgia's New Option Waiver Program (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP) is limited and only a certain number of people can receive services based on available funds. This means there are nearly always people on the waiting lists for the HCBS waivers.

A report released in October of 2023 by New Disabled South, a nonprofit that says it is “building a coalition of disability justice activists, advocates and organizations in the South,” used data provided by the state of Georgia to indicate that there is racial bias in approving funds to individuals on the waitlist. In New Disabled South’s report, “Uncovering Disparities in Georgia’s HCBS Waiver Waitlist,” the introduction to the executive summary points out that “troubling disparities have emerged in the distribution and utilization of [HCBS] waivers, with stark disparities in access and availability based on race.“

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Since its inception in 1971, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), formerly known as the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, has been a powerful advocate for more than 1.7 million Georgians with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families.

Our success is driven by the 27-member, Governor-appointed Council and the statewide DD community that have been integral in driving projects, partnerships and policy for Georgia’s DD community. 

And to continue our work and impact, GCDD has launched a membership campaign to recruit new applicants interested in serving on the statewide Council that advocates on behalf of and funds initiatives to improve the lives of Georgians with DD. 

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Navigating the world of employment after college can be very intimidating, and for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). An inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) program at Georgia Institute of Technology is striving to provide students with a foundational education that equips them with the necessary skills to succeed in their academic, professional and personal lives. 

The EXCEL program at Georgia Tech was founded in 2015. Its primary goal: “Expanding Career, Education and Leadership Opportunities for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.” 

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

When Georgia legislator Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, heard from a constituent that there were residents making as little as 22 cents an hour, she had to do a double take.

“It seems like that is something out of the 1800s when we didn’t have child labor laws and they had children working for six cents an hour. It’s just antiquated,” she said.

Cooper gathered her team to research the issue and discovered that low wages for people with disabilities isn’t just a common practice, it’s part of federal law.

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Self-advocates across Georgia work and contribute to their communities as individual citizens and as members of the growing self-advocacy network, Uniting for Change. When we focus on how everyone has something to contribute, we find ways for people to find and share their gifts and talents. 

Everyone has something to offer and can contribute when given the opportunity and/or provided with the supports needed. The many ways we contribute to our jobs, our neighborhoods, with our friends and families, and around our communities must be recognized and celebrated. 

In this article you will hear from four self-advocates who make a difference in their communities in many ways.

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Fall is in the air, the leaves are changing, holidays are right around the corner and my favorite time of the year is almost here. That's right, the legislative session! From the second week of January to mid-March or later in the spring, Georgia State legislators come together at the state capitol, or what we like to call “the Gold Dome,” to work on the state budget for the upcoming year and pass laws that affect Georgians like you and me. 

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.