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.

The state of Georgia's 2023 November elections has significant importance as they will determine the direction and leadership of communities across the state. While they are not as high-profile as statewide or national elections, these municipal races have a profound impact on the lives of Georgians with disabilities and their families. There are roughly 650,000 people with disabilities of voting age in Georgia and it is critical that their voices are heard at the voting polls.

This year’s elections will decide a wide range of positions including mayors, city council members, school board officials, county commissioners and other key leadership roles. These offices are integral in shaping local policies, managing budgets and addressing the unique needs of individual communities and how they support accessibility, inclusion and opportunity for residents with disabilities. Voters' choices in these races directly influence the quality of life in their communities.

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.

The EAGLE Academy is a two-year program within Georgia Southern University that provides individuals with intellectual disabilities a chance to gain independence, skills, knowledge and confidence alongside students who do not have intellectual disabilities. The program currently focuses on years three and four of the college experience, meaning the students have either attended other post-secondary programs for one to two years, worked previously, or have been out of high school for a couple of years. 

The ‘EAGLE’ in EAGLE Academy stands for Equal Access to Gainful Learning and Employment. It is one of the nine Inclusive Post Secondary Education (IPSE) programs in Georgia. Eagle Academy is rooted in the principles of independent living, meaning that everyone, including people with intellectual disabilities, has the right to make decisions about their own lives. This includes pursuing and participating in post-secondary education.

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.